Hashem Assadullahi
of Astoria, NY

Description

Hello! My name is Hashem Assadullahi and I’m a saxophonist who loves to make music. I currently reside in beautiful Astoria, NY .   I lead several of my own projects and play as a sideman in various ensembles performing music ranging from the big band repertoire of the swing era, to straight-ahead styles, to contemporary projects based both in NYC and the West Coast.  In recent years I have been privileged to perform with Ron Miles, Ben Monder, Wayne Horvitz, Tatsuya Nakatani, and Motown’s The Platters. In addition to my own release, “The Strange Neighbor” (8bells, 014), I have had the opportunity to record with several ensembles, appearing on the albums “Live at Jo Fed’s” with the Poisonous Birds (June 2008), “The Turning Point” with the Douglas Detrick Quintet (8bells, 015), as well as ”Walking Across”(8bells,016), and “Rivers Music”(Origin Classical Records, OC 33012) with the Anywhen Ensemble.   But my musical story goes further back than that…

circa 1996

I started my love affair with the saxophone in the Lone Star State, Texas, when I joined the 6th grade band–about 18 years ago. Even before I began band I had a deep love for music, growing up in a home filled with music on the radio, TV theme songs and music from Iran, my father’s motherland. All of this music has influenced the music I perform today. I had the great fortune to attend very strong middle school and high school music programs in The Colony, TX (sounds creepy but wasn’t), in which I had the opportunity to meet my long-time private lesson teacher, Rob Rose.

Over the years Rob taught me a lot of ins and outs of the saxophone and we formed a lifelong friendship. In the 9th grade I purchased my first Cannonball Adderley CD and in a moment my dreams of becoming a doctor were shattered and my life took on a new trajectory.

2001 UTA JO

In 2004 I received my Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Texas in Arlington where I continued to study with Rob, along with Ray Lichtenwalter and Bill Snodgrass–each stalwarts in their fields. While at UTA I learned a lot about music and in the process had the honor and fortune to participate in and win numerous classical and jazz soloist, concerto, and scholarship competitions. In 2007 I received a Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Oregon where I studied and taught as a Graduate Teaching Fellow under my mentor, Steve Owen.

Along with playing the saxophone I love to write music to perform with some of my very best friends, my band mates.  In addition to writing for my own bands I have been commissioned to write pieces for schools, events, and films.  As a writer , I often draw from elements of  pop music and TV themes, the musical sounds of my childhood, in addition to jazz and classical influences.

In addition to performing, I have a deep passion for teaching and sharing the gift of music with students of all ages. I have held positions teaching saxophone performance, theory, composition, music fundamentals and arranging, and I directed/coached large and small ensembles at various institutions including Mahidol University in Salaya, Thailand, Lane Community College, the University of Oregon, and South Eugene High School. Additionally, I have been a guest clinician and adjudicator at middle schools, high schools, universities, and community learning centers across the world including Oregon, Montana, California, Washington, Texas, British Columbia, Thailand and Malaysia.