Biography

German-born saxophonist Leonie Freudenberger travels between genres and styles, her main focus however is always on jazz music, may it be traditional or modern, the sound of a big band or a small combo. Her main instruments are alto and baritone saxophone. She also plays tenor and soprano sax, flute, clarinet and bass clarinet. She started out studying jazz at the Mannheim University of Performing Arts (D), then graduated in Jazz Saxophone at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague (NL) with a Bachelor’s degree in 2013, followed by a Master’s degree in 2015. Having graduated from the Conservatoire, Leonie decided to center her life in the musical environment of Berlin, while continuously traveling and working throughout Europe.

Recent and current projects include Markus Ehrlichs Flexible Eingreiftruppe, Hans Anselm Big Band, Peter Tenner Jazz-Orchester, Uri Gincel’s Tiny Big Band, afro-brazil free jazz project Oloyé Dez and Kenneth Dahl Knudsen Space Orchestra amongst others.

The Leonie Freudenberger Quartet dedicates itself to the tradition of the American Songbook with a focus on the altoist’s adaptation and improvisation. Leonie also composes her own music and writes arrangements for smaller and larger set-ups. Occasionally, Leonie joins the walking act – saxophone quartet Famdüsax, Berlin show act Brass Appeal, Hamburg-based mobile brass troupe Tätärä or supplements private and public events with jazz duo/trio performances.

During her stay in the Netherlands, you could see her playing the baritone in the funky horns section of Dutch-English singer Robin Brock or in the band of rapper Jon Tarifa. She was the altoist of Los Paja Brava, an upcoming band of Southamerican and European musicians which carries its audience away with a modern interpretation of traditional Cumbia music. The Gerardo Rosales Big Band, under the lead of the Venezuelan percussionist has widened Leonie’s repertoire towards Salsa and Cuban music.

She was invited to stages as big as Holland’s largest Park Pop Festival and the renowned North Sea Jazz Festival. One of Leonie’s personal highlights was the performance of Gil Evans‘ „Miles Ahead“ with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra and Ryan Truesdell. She was taught by John Ruocco, Toon Roos, Rolf Delfos, Simon Rigter, Eric Ineke, Jürgen Seefelder, Tom van der Geld, Dave King, Thomas Stabenow, Michael Küttner among others.