Saxophonist and conductor Andrew R. Steinberg has been recognized for his “beautiful tone” (composer Hans Kox) as well as his “astute and refined leadership” (Boston Musical Intelligencer) throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. As a concertizing soloist and the Music Director of the Megalopolis Saxophone Orchestra, Steinberg has sought to perform needlessly neglected works from the repertoire alongside music by today’s composers. An advocate of music that challenges popular conceptions of the saxophone, Steinberg’s performances focus on reimagining the saxophone’s tone and range in ways never heard before.

As a recipient of grants from the Alice M. Ditson Fund, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and the Boston Opportunity Fund, Steinberg has commissioned over a dozen works for saxophone and has premiered countless more for the instrument. Recent performances featured new compositions by Molly Herron, Hayes Biggs, and Niki Harlafti, as well as premieres of works by Tera de Marez Oyens, Eric Moe, and Lei Liang. Upcoming projects include new works by Nicola LeFanu, Josiah Catalan, and Yuting Tan. In addition to his commissioning efforts, Steinberg has performed with world-renowned musicians including Leonard Slatkin, Jerry Junkin, David Newman, John Kennedy, Joshua Gersen, Phil Smith, and Joe Alessi, among others. Performance venues have included Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, NJPAC, Lincoln Center’s Bruno Walter Auditorium, Dock Street Theatre, Eisenhower Hall at West Point, the Dimenna Center, and the Holstenhalle, located in Neumünster, Germany.

A highly sought-after orchestral saxophonist, Steinberg has been invited to perform at music festivals worldwide, including Verbier, Round Top, Spoleto, and Schleswig-Holstein. In addition, Steinberg has shared the stage with ensembles including the Callithumpian Consort, the New York Repertory Orchestra, the Richmond County Orchestra, the Greenwich Village Orchestra, and Le Train Bleu.

On top of his work as a soloist and an orchestral musician, Steinberg’s chamber music performances include Anton Webern’s Quartett, op. 22, the world premiere of Steve Cohen’s Quintet for Alto Saxophone and Strings, the US premiere of Michael Nyman’s Something Connected with Energy, the Boston premiere of Wolfgang Jacobi’s Cantata, as well as the Boston premiere of Franco Donatoni’s Rasch II.

Since receiving his doctorate from New England Conservatory, Steinberg has presented lectures and master classes at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Georgia State University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Boston University, the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The scope of his research has included topics such as The Life of Adolphe Sax, The Saxophone in the Weimar Republic, Historically Informed Performance Practice of the Saxophone Repertoire, and The “Rascherian” Approach.

Steinberg’s mentors include Paul Cohen and Kenneth Radnofsky, as well as additional studies with Harry White, Wildy Zumwalt, James Houlik, Ronald Caravan, Patrick Meighan, Chien-Kwan Lin, and John Moore. 

Andrew R. Steinberg serves as faculty at Palomar College and is the Music Director of the Megalopolis Saxophone Orchestra.