Alex Hahn

Alex Hahn is an Adjunct Professor in the Jazz Studies department at the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California, and serves as the director of jazz at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). A Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer based in Los Angeles, he performs globally with artists like Herbie Hancock and Esperanza Spalding while maintaining active studio and educational roles.

Hahn's educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Music from the University of North Texas (2014)
• Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the USC Thornton School of Music
• Master of Music from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz

His creative scholarship centers on jazz performance and composition, emphasizing strong melodies, groove, and improvisation across diverse instrumentation. He explores genre fusion while maintaining core jazz principles through both performance and pedagogy.

Hahn's five studio albums (2014-2023) demonstrate progressive artistic development in jazz composition, characterized by melodic accessibility, rhythmic sophistication, and harmonic innovation. These works span contemporary jazz subgenres while consistently prioritizing improvisational depth and ensemble interplay.

Hahn's accolades include:

• Grammy Award
• Downbeat Magazine award (6 times)
• Next Generation Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist (3 times)
• North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz Saxophone Competition (1st place)
• Perform with Mintzer International Saxophone Competition (winner, 2015)
• Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition (1st place, 2019)

As an educator, Hahn mentors students at USC and LACHSA while maintaining a global private studio. His students have earned scholarships to Juilliard, Berklee, and USC. He has published educational resources including transcription etudes and online courses, and performs on major film/TV projects like 'Coming 2 America' and 'Glee'.

Hahn leads ensembles for his recordings featuring collaborators like Bob Mintzer and Michael Mayo, and has performed with the John Daversa Progressive Big Band and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band.