Biography
Noah Preminger is a critically acclaimed saxophonist, composer and a member of the saxophone faculty at Longy School of Music. He has recorded more than a dozen critically acclaimed studio albums and played alongside many of today’s most celebrated jazz musicians. Some of his far-ranging musical projects include a musical protest album entitled Meditations On Freedom, the Dead Composers Club series, and exciting arrangements of Mississippi blues music, a hip-hop crossover album, among many others. Noah is the voice of the Jazz Language podcast and has twice won Downbeat Magazine’s Critic’s Poll award for Best Tenor Saxophonist.
Of saxophonist Noah Preminger, The New York Times declares: “Mr. Preminger designs a different kind of sound for each note, an individual destiny and story.” Preminger, the winner of Downbeat Magazine’s Rising Star Best Tenor Saxophonist, has recorded fifteen critically acclaimed albums as a band-leader. Preminger has released multiple new recordings, including Meditations On Freedom (Dry Bridge), released on Inauguration Day, 2017, as a musical protest at ominous political developments in America. He has also released a duo album recorded in Jordan Hall with pianist Frank Carlberg, a Quartet recording on Criss Cross Records, and a Preminger Plays Preminger album – the music of Otto Preminger’s films – on French, vinyl-only label, Newvelle Records. In 2018, Preminger and co-leader, Rob Garcia, created the Dead Composers Club and released The Chopin Project (BJU), the first of the quartet’s planned annual examinations of deceased composer’s oeuvre. In 2018, Preminger also contributed music to a major motion picture and was awarded a Fellowship to compose music at Banff Centre’s Leighton Artists Studio. In 2019, Preminger released two new recordings: After Life (Criss Cross), a collaboration with poet Ruth Lepson, and Zigsaw: Music of Steve Lampert (Dry Bridge), an exciting, new avenue for Preminger that features electrifying electronic/acoustic music. In 2020, Preminger will release two new recordings, including a Quartet record (Steeplechase) and a trio album with long-time peers, Ben Monder and Dan Weiss.
Born in 1986, Preminger grew up in Canton, Connecticut. Preminger released his debut album, Dry Bridge Road, just after his 21st birthday and was named Debut of the Year in the Village Voice Critics Poll. Preminger’s second and third albums as a leader came in 2011 and 2013 while signed to the Palmetto Records label. The Boston Globe hails Preminger as “A master with standards and ballads, as well as an adventurous composer.” The saxophonist has performed on key stages from the United States to Europe and Asia to Australia, and he has played and recorded with the likes of Jason Moran, Dave Holland, John Patitucci, Fred Hersch, Dave Douglas, Billy Hart, Rob Garcia, Joe Lovano, Victor Lewis, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Cecil McBee, George Cables, and Roscoe Mitchell.
Teaching Statement
It used to be that you’d have to work really hard to find the music you were interested in, digging through bins at the record store or borrowing from your family and friends’ collections. But today’s young musicians have all kinds of music readily available to them, which means they’re getting more of a global influence. Longy really encourages that inclusive approach to music, which I think is really exciting for the future of jazz in particular. Whether you’re interested in bebop, blues, groove music or anything else that’s improvisation driven, there’s a place for you here — no matter where you come from or what you’re developing into. We have a beautiful sense of community and encourage students to focus on finding their own path. It’s a lifelong journey to create different music and choose pieces that help you develop as an artist. As a teacher, I encourage all my students to consider that, and they have a blast finding things they’re passionate about. We don’t just dismiss things that are different, though — we learn how to critique them and comment on them. When listening to new music with students, I have them consider what they do and don’t like and then adapt those elements to their own projects. It helps them develop their instrumental voices, hone their tastes, and work on themselves as performers and musicians. I’m always encouraging students to compose and pursue their passion projects, too. While they’re at Longy, they have a chance to develop new ideas and figure out what they really like to work on. Longy is a great place to do this because we have a really open, judgement-free community. In the end, Longy does a great job preparing students for the real world. We don’t just give students the basic tools and wish them luck—we provide them a really encouraging atmosphere, one-on-one attention, and access to faculty who have lots of current real-life experience. They meet local players who make their living from music and get perspectives from different generations, which prepares them for their own careers. At the end of the day, what is the voice inside you that most wants to speak? At Longy, you can find or nurture that voice, so that it is as strong and deep as your unique and expressive presence on the planet.