Praised for his “extreme virtuosity” (Philadelphia Inquirer), his “elegant and pure sound” (Saxophone Journal), and as “versatile and virtuosic” (Fanfare Magazine), American saxophonist Timothy Ruedeman is active as a soloist, collaborator, orchestral musician, and woodwind doubler.
Performing highlights from recent seasons include: an appearance as soloist for the New York Philharmonic CONTACT! performing Franco Donatoni’s Hot for solo sopranino/tenor saxophone and ensemble, performance for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Celebrating Sax: Adolphe Sax bicentenary exhibit, radio broadcast for WWFM Classical with the New Hudson Saxophone Quartet, Lincoln Center Festival, Mostly Mozart Festival, featured guest artist at soundScape festival in Macagno, Italy, appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman and Live! with Kelly and Michael, and the Bang On A Can Marathon.
Winner of the 2004 Olga Koussevitzky Winds and Brass competition, Mr. Ruedeman has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Bridgeport Symphony, Long Island Philharmonic, New Jersey Pops, Discovery Orchestra, Metro Chamber Orchestra, and Juilliard Symphony, and has appeared as soloist with Greenwich Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Metamorphosis Orchestra, the S.E.M. Ensemble, Hanover Wind Symphony, University of Houston Winds, Rutgers Orchestra, Montclair State Wind Ensemble, and NYU Symphony.
A vital part of New York City’s new music scene, Mr. Ruedeman has performed with many of its premiere ensembles: Absolute Ensemble, International Contemporary Ensemble (I.C.E), Argento Ensemble, American Composers Alliance, Composer Concordance, S.E.M. Ensemble, Wet Ink, North-South Consonance, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Imani Winds, and Cantori NY. He is a founding member of the new music ensemble Flexible Music and the Grammy-nominated New Hudson Saxophone Quartet, and can be heard on recordings for the Naxos, Capstone, Bridge, Albany, New Focus, Ravello, CcnC, and Allegro labels. He has given the premieres of over sixty new works and has collaborated closely with established and emerging composers including Louis Andriessen, Lukas Foss, Eric Ewazen, and Nico Muhly, to name a few. Equally at home in commercial and jazz music, Mr. Ruedeman has toured and recorded with rock and indie legends The Cars, Todd Rundgren, Rostam of Vampire Weekend, M. Ward, David Foster, Christopher Cross, Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Hamilton Leithauser, Denny Laine of Wings, Paul Shaffer, and The Walkmen.
In addition to performing, Dr. Ruedeman is an active researcher and scholar and has presented research for the American Musical Instrument Society, New York Performing Arts Library, Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and Nicholas Roerich Museum, as part of his ongoing research and performance project: Entartete Musik: Degenerate Music, music and composers suppressed by the Third Reich.
Dr. Ruedeman serves on the faculty of NYU where he maintains a vital and active saxophones studio, coaches chamber music and is the Artistic Director of the NYU Saxophone Orchestra. He also serves on the faculty of William Paterson University, and CUNY Queen College, and has been visiting faculty at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a PhD from New York University.