Connor Macleod

Connor MacLeod is a saxophonist, bandleader, and educator based in NYC. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Connor has received his bachelor's degree from the Manhattan School of Music and is currently pursing his Master’s at the Juilliard School. Having studied both classical and jazz traditions, he continues to search for a personal artistic approach in both performance and education. Connor has received national acclaim from prestigious institutions such as the National YoungArts Foundation, and has won eight awards from DownBeat magazine for composition, arrangement, and improvisation. In NYC, Connor has had the opportunity to perform at a variety of venues, including Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and popular jazz clubs such as the Django and Cellar Dog. Connor’s passion for music extends beyond the stage and into the classroom. His private teaching studio invites students to study the traditions of classical music, jazz, composition, and instrumental performance at all levels from beginners to advanced. Connor’s past students have won a variety of awards and competitions: top chair spots in the all-state bands, acclaimed soloist awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, and scholarships into the top conservatories in the world, such as the Manhattan School of Music. Currently, Connor is a MAP Teaching Fellow at the Juilliard School. He teaches studio classes, observes lessons, rehearsals, and works alongside world-class faculty through the Music Advancement Program.

My journey as an artist began as a middle school band kid at my high school jazz showcase. I had been assigned to watch a young saxophonist play a ballad with a big band as a graded assignment- which I wasn't terribly interested in. I had played the saxophone for about two years at this point, and I had always enjoyed it. I liked how shiny it looked when I took it out of the case and how it felt to run my fingers across the keys, but I had very little passion for music itself. I was sitting in the back of an auditorium expecting to hear a similar version of any other piece I had played in my middle school, but I was wrong. As they began, I was immediately struck by the unique texture and sound of the band. The mellow trombones combined with the reedy attack of the saxophone section felt surprisingly human. I didn't know it yet, but in the next few moments, my life was about to change. As the saxophone soloist entered, I was enthralled by his expressive and breathy sound. It seemed to break all the rules I had learned about music and following exactly what was on the page- and I loved it. He continued with his solo, embellishing the melody with trills, runs, and bends between notes, making it his own. I began to see the power jazz gives to its beholders, allowing them to play their own interpretation, telling their story every time. It felt as though I was dreaming, transported from a somewhat smelly high school auditorium to the Village Vanguard or Birdland Theater in New York City. From this moment, I knew that I didn't only want to play the saxophone- I wanted to become a musician. I continued to learn as much as I could over my last ten years of study, studying both classical and jazz music, a variety of different instruments, and learning from many different teachers. I have tried to share what I have learned with every audience I’m fortunate enough to play for and each student I get to work with, hoping to one day share that experience I had in that old high school auditorium. What I saw that day was not just a musical or artistic demonstration, but passion. I’ve since made it my own goal to get to share this with as many people as I can. I’ve been fortunate to play around the country and all around New York City, and I hope to one day bring that same feeling to as many people as I can through performance and teaching.