Chris Higgins
Bachelor of Music (Performance)
Saxophone, Clarinet
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Chris is a young freelance saxophonist and clarinettist based in Sydney, Australia who has already begun making his mark on the local music scene as a diverse performer and educator. Since completing a Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2016, Chris can be heard performing jazz, popular & original music, contemporary classical, as a pit musician and everything in between.

Working as a pit musician Chris has performed in the productions below on soprano, alto, tenor & baritone saxophones, Bb & bass clarinets and flute.

  • Squabbalogic’s ‘Sondheim on Sondheim’ (Australian premiere 2014)

  • Squabbalogic’s  ‘The Original Grease’ (Australian premiere 2016)

  • One Eyed Man’s ‘Side Show’ (Australian premiere 2016)

  • Little Triangle's 'The Wild Party' (2018)

 

Chris is a sought after recording artist due to his versatility. Highlights from Chris’s discography are listed below.

  • Another Journey: Live Recordings - Judy Bailey (2017)

  • Without Consent (Diane Busuttil) - Documentary Short Film (2017)

 

Chris is an active member of the Sydney jazz scene, leading his own gypsy jazz group The Djangologists and performing with Judy Bailey’s Jazz Connection big band.

The Djangologists have performed throughout NSW and interstate. They have appeared at several festivals including the Manly Jazz Festival, Newcastle Jazz Festival and The Entrance Winter Blues & Jazz Festival. They have had recordings played on Eastside Radio and Fine Music. 2019 will also see the release of The Djangologists’ debut album.

Working as a session musician Chris has performed with a variety of local and international musicians: Denis DiBlasio (USA), Lucy Kiely (Italy), Ross Irwin, Spyglass Gypsies, Gregg Arthur, Jacki Cooper and John Morrison.

 

As a classical saxophonist Chris performs with Flow: Saxophone Duo who featured at the 2018 Sax Radio Music Festival and 1st International Saxophone Music Camp in Taiwan performing with Nobuya Sugawa and the Sax Radio Ensemble. Chris has also worked with Australian composer Mark Oliveiro as part of Ensemble Mongrel and has performed tenor saxophone for Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances from West Side Story” and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with Simon Tedeschi featured as soloist with the Central Coast Symphony Orchestra.

 

Chris is in high demand as an educator working at some of Sydney’s elite schools including Wenona Independent School, Roseville College and Knox Grammar Preparatory School. Chris is a passionate educator always searching for ways to develop and refine his pedagogical methods helping students to reach their full potential.