About John O'Leary

John O’Leary is from Atlanta Georgia, and has performed professionally as a jazz saxophonist and with contemporary bands all across the US and abroad, while also maintaining a private studio of students on Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, and Piano, for about a decade now.

    He received his Masters of Music in Jazz Saxophone Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Music. Notable performance credits include the Stefon Harris Big Band, David Liebman, Marcus Roberts’ Modern Jazz Generation, the Nick Finzer Nonet, the Mingus Band, John Beasley’s Monkestra, Stephen Feifke Big Band. He has performed at such venues as the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Tallahassee Jazz Festival, the Harlem Stage, and Lincoln Center NYC. Over the years traveling, touring, and working on cruise ships, John has performed in over 20 countries throughout North America, South America, and the Caribbean.

    As an educator, John has worked for 10+ years in all kinds of teaching settings: private lessons, ensemble directing, classroom teaching, music camps, music department head. As a teaching artist, John has worked with MSM’s outreach program, FSU Jazz Camps, and he has been invited to perform at the Charles Mingus Festival and Carnegie Hall. His approach fuses traditional conservatory techniques with practical contemporary skills that will help prepare musicians for today’s music scene. In his lessons you will learn more than just how to play your instrument, you will also learn music theory, composition, ear training, sight reading, and other traits that will help you achieve musical fluency and mastery of your instrument.