About
Cercie Miller is an Assistant Professor of Ear Training at Berklee College of Music and Jazz-World Music Program Director at Wellesley College, where she also serves as Senior Music Instructor of Jazz Saxophone and Director of the Wellesley BlueJazz Big Band. She holds a background from the New England Conservatory (NEC), where she studied under Joseph Allard and received National Endowment for the Arts grants to study with saxophone masters David Liebman and Jerry Bergonzi. Her career includes performances with artists like Patty Larkin, Lisa Thorson, and Didi Stewart, and she leads the Cercie Miller Quartet, recognized in the Boston Music Awards. She has authored online courses in Ear Training and taught Jazz History at Harvard University, receiving the Bok Teaching Award. Her work bridges jazz, world music, and education, emphasizing saxophone performance and ensemble direction.
Education: Studied at New England Conservatory.
Research & Teaching Focus: Jazz pedagogy, ear training, saxophone technique, and cross-cultural musical collaboration. Her quartet's albums Dedication and Blue Vistas reflect her compositional and improvisational expertise. She has presented masterclasses globally, including in Argentina, Chile, and Denmark.
Awards: Bok Teaching Award (for Jazz History at Harvard).
Grants: National Endowment for the Arts Study Grants.
Labs/Teams: Directs the Wellesley BlueJazz Big Band and leads her quartet. Collaborates in interdisciplinary music programs at Wellesley.
