Alexa Tarantino

Originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, Alexa Tarantino is a jazz saxophonist, woodwind multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator who is passionate about developing and expressing her voice as an improviser and inspiring others to do the same through jazz education. Alexa performs regularly as a leader and sideman in the Rochester area in a wide variety of ensembles and genres.

One of Alexa’s most recent projects is a duo collaboration with Eastman Professor and jazz pianist Dariusz Terefenko. Presenting fresh takes on jazz standards and re-inventions of classical works, along with original music and improvisation, the duo released their first album, “Crossing Paths,” in January 2015 on her new label Infinite Records. Dariusz and Alexa performed at the Jazz Education Network’s Fifth Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, where they presented a clinic on Terefenko’s recent publication Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study and showcased some of their other work. The duo can be found performing and presenting jazz workshops and clinics throughout New England and will be touring internationally in the Spring of 2015.

Recently, Alexa was named the 2014 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition Saxophone Winner. In March 2014, she was selected as one of five finalists in this year's North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Jazz Competition, held at the University of Illinois. Alexa also received the Jazz Education Network's Mary Jo Papich JEN Co-Founder Women in Jazz Scholarship, “in recognition of dedication, talent, and service in the field of jazz studies and leadership into the future.”

Performance highlights include the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, with Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project and several appearances at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival with the Earth, Wind & Fire, the Dave Rivello Ensemble, Eastman Jazz Ensemble, Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, and COLOSSUS. She has been fortunate to share the stage with artists such as Phil Woods, Curtis Fuller, Peter Erskine, Bill Holman, Andy Bey, Helen Merrill, John Legend, David Paich among others. She was also invited to attend the 2013 Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music, a three-week intensive residency where she collaborated with artists such as Vijay Iyer, Esperanza Spalding, and Ravi Coltrane.

In addition to performing and teaching privately, Alexa was appointed Show Host and Producer to launch the Eastman School of Music’s weekly radio show titled “Jazz@Eastman: Past, Present, and Future,” broadcast on Rochester’s WGMC Jazz90.1. Early guests and topics include Harold Danko on the music of Marian McPartland, Clay Jenkins on his recent album with Gene Bertoncini and Ike Sturm, and Maria Schneider on her Eastman experience and life in New York City.

Alexa’s playing and writing can be heard on modern jazz ensemble COLOSSUS’ self-titled album, featuring original music for a large ensemble of musicians in the Rochester area, as well as the New England Jazz Ensemble’s “It’s a Grand Night for Swinging!” with an arrangement of “The Summer Knows,” written by Alexa and former teacher John Mastroianni, featuring flautist Ali Ryerson.

Alexa completed her undergraduate education at the Eastman School of Music, studying with New York City-based saxophonist and woodwind doubler Charles Pillow. She graduated with degrees in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Music Education, as well as a certificate in Arts Leadership. She is a graduate of Hall High School’s award-winning music program in West Hartford, Connecticut. Throughout high school, she achieved recognition in several competitions including Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Competition and Music for All’s Honor Jazz Band of America. She also attended several workshops, among them UMass Amherst’s Jazz in July, Skidmore Jazz Institute, and Litchfield Jazz Camp.

Appreciative of having grown up in a community that fostered jazz education, she hopes to share her skills to create a similar experience and nurturing environment for the next generation of aspiring jazz musicians.