Jason O
Instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Music
Styles: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Hip Hop, Swing, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band
Jason O
Instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Music
Styles:
Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Funk, Hip Hop, Swing, Bossa Nova, Soul, Marching Band
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 8-80
Master Degree: Queens College- Music Performance, Bachelor Degree: Berklee College of Music- Music Education and Performance
2007 Berklee College of Music World Tour Scholarship
2007-2011 Received Academic Honors, Dean’s List
2012-2016 Lead Tenor Saxophone for One More Once Big Band
2012-2015 Lead Tenor Saxophonist with New York’s Most Dangerous Big Band
Experienced music transcriber, arranger, and composer
I am a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where I completed my degrees in Music Education and Saxophone Performance. During my time at Berklee, I studied notable professors such as Bill Pierce, Shannon LeClaire, Dino Govoni and Jeff Harrington. Additionally, I also completed his Master’s degree in Saxophone Performance at Queens College under the direction of Antonio Hart. As of now, I currently reside in New York as both a freelance musician and teacher. I have performed in groups such as BCJAS Quintet, New York’s Most Dangerous Big Band, Dowling College Big Band, U.S. Sounds Big Band, Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra, Eclipse (Pink Floyd Tribute Band), and the Jason O’Connor Quintet. Some of the notable venues where I have performed include the Berklee Performance Center, The Paramount, Treme, Port Jazz, Rudi’s Bar and Grill, Cask’n Flagon, Regis College Fine Arts Center, The Shrine, Somethin' Jazz Club, and Le Frak Concert Hall.
My first true teaching experience happened around the age of sixteen, which was by tutoring my siblings’ friends and preparing them for NYSSMA. I found this to be a truly enjoyable experience and realized that this was a passion that I wished to pursue in the future. From there, I enrolled in several music education courses when I attended Berklee College of Music. After learning from a variety of different music educators from various different backgrounds, I felt that I found my calling and knew that I was pursuing a career that I was passionate about.
The method books I use vary depending on the student and the district they attend. If a student isn’t committed to one particular type of method book, I usually suggest the Standard of Excellence series because I feel it has a logical order of progression in terms of concepts. For students interested in learning jazz, I typically use books written by Jim Snidero, Lennie Niehaus, Hal Leonard, and Bob Mintzer just to name a few. For students interested in learning how to improvise (solo in jazz), I use Jamie Aebersold series. In addition to this, I create a lot of my own materials as well to help students craft their ideas in addition to transcribing (writing) solos using their ear.
My style is catered to you! Of course we have to learn our fundamentals which include the notes and rhythms of music, however, once the foundation is set, we can learn songs that interest you! Whether this means learning a pop song, rock song, jazz song, or classical piece, it’s all about keeping you interested in the music. I have found that this is the most successful way to teach music to my students. It’s also worth noting that I can sometimes write out a song for my students using my music programs on my computer. Some of the pieces I’ve written myself include We Will Rock You, Happy (by Pharrell), We Don’t Talk About Bruno, Havana, The Hey Song, Smoke on the Water, Star Wars, and much more!
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