Chris Hemingway

Chris Hemingway is a New York alto saxophonist equally fluent in the classical and jazz traditions. He spent more than a decade with the New Century Saxophone Quartet, the first ensemble of its kind to take first prize at New York's Concert Artist Guild competition, and has anchored the reed sections of Valery Ponomarev's big band and the Stan Rubin Orchestra while leading his own Chris Hemingway Quintet. Rooted in the Pittsburgh scene before settling in New York, he performed as a featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony at age 21 and won a 2007 Emmy for his playing on WQED's "Live From Studio A." His credits range widely, from Benny Golson, Lew Tabackin, Roger Humphries, and Sean Jones to Patti LaBelle and the salsa band Azucar.