Neal Postma

- Neal Postma (Bari Saxophone Carolina Saxophone Quartet & Winthrop University and Claflin University Saxophone Professor)

Dr. Neal Postma is a saxophonist based in South Carolina where he enjoys a multi-faceted music career. In addition to being an active performer and pedagogue, he works in arts administration as the president of a national single reed conference and in music business. 

As an educator, Neal currently serves on the faculties of Winthrop University and Claflin University where he teaches saxophone, clarinet, and music appreciation and directs chamber ensembles. He previously held the position of MYP Director of Western Music at the Guangdong Country Garden International School (an IB accredited institution) near Guangzhou, China. Sought after as a clinician, Neal has given masterclasses and recitals at the Cincinnati Conservatory, The University of Colorado, Colorado State University, the University of South Carolina, Emory University, Metropolitan State University of Denver and Denver School of the Arts.

Neal is a founding member and president of the American Single Reed Summit which had its inaugural event in 2018 at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. In addition to featuring internationally renowned artists, the summit included over 120 recitals, masterclasses, and lectures. 

As a soloist, Neal has been featured at conferences and festivals around the world. He has been the featured artist at the Blue Ridge Saxophone Festival, Palm Beach Atlantic University Front Wave New Music Festival, Franklin College Saxophone Day and others. Active in the saxophone community, he has also given performances at World Saxophone Congresses in Zagreb and Strasbourg, The North American Saxophone Alliance National and Regional Conferences, The US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, and the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music Conference.

An avid proponent of new music, Neal has commissioned and premiered over a dozen solo and chamber works by composers such as Carter Pann, Adam Silverman, Marc Mellits, Anthony Green, Brendan Keenan, Matthew Browne, Greg Simon, and Hunter Ewen. Neal has personally led consortiums commissioning two concertos from Matt Browne, a work for two saxophones and piano from Grammy-nominated composer Carter Pann, and a piece for alto saxophone and electronics by Anthony Green. In 2018 he premiered a new work for two saxophones and piano by Adam Silverman at the World Saxophone Congress. Neal Postma and Clifford Leaman recently recorded the work and it can be heard on Adam Silverman’s CD The Things that Go.

Neal is a Key Leaves Endorsing Artist, Yamaha Performing Artist, and D’Addario Woodwinds Artist and Clinician performing exclusively on Yamaha saxophones and D’Addario Woodwinds reeds and mouthpieces.

Neal holds degrees from the University of South Carolina (DMA), University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (MM) and the University of Colorado (BM). His primary teachers are Clifford Leaman, James Bunte, and Tom Myer.

 

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