Biography Susanne Alt

Susanne Alt (1978)

was born in Würzburg, Germany and raised by parents who are musicians/music teachers. They taught her classical piano and guitar at an early age. When she was 12 years old, she switched to saxophone. At the age of 15, after winning regional and national prizes she became external student at the Meistersingerkonservatorium Nürnberg where she studied classical saxophone, while still being in school. When she turned 17 she moved to Nürnberg to study fulltime, still classic for one more year.

Between 1993-96 she attended jazz workshops in Erlangen where she won the prestigious “International Siemens Preis for young jazz talent” in 1996. This encouraged her to try the entrance examination for Jazz at the famous Hilversum Conservatorium (which later became the Conservatorium van Amsterdam). Susanne passed the audition and studied there from 1996-2000 at Ferdinand Povel, Jasper Blom and Albert Beltman. At about the same time (1997-2000) she was a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra Germany, conducted by Peter Herbolzheimer and John Ruocco. Because she wanted to develop her musical personality and own style further as well as to learn about composing, she studied from 2000-2003 at the Universität der Künste, Berlin, Germany at Peter Weniger, David Friedman and Sigi Busch. In 2000 she won prizes at the jazz competitions in Leiden and Breda, The Netherlands and was 2002 finalist of the Leipziger Jazznachwuchsfestival, Germany. In 2004 she became finalist of the “Dutch Jazz Competition” (now: European Jazz Competition)

Besides playing Jazz and doing a lot of freelance jobs she has performed with the Rosa King Band and the Soulcatchers, Female Force, Roots Riders (Tribute to Bob Marley), Brassed Off, touring through Europe. She played flute, saxophones and electric bass at the 2005 Ivo Niehe’s Theatershow. In 2006 she replaced saxophonist Jan Kooper at the theater tour of famous dutch singer Willeke Alberti.

She used to be a member of the Amsterdam Jazz Orchestra (2006-07)and the Funk Soul Sisters (2007-08).

Currently she’s a member of Graham B’s Jazz Juice.

Also she can be heard on house vinyls and regularly performing with house and jazz dj’s through whole Europe.

Some dj’s she works/has worked with:

Erick E, Roog, Natarcia, Promiss, Marvin B, Martin Damen, Leonardo, Ronald Molendijk, Marc van Dale, Cassie 6, Graham B, DJ Maestro, and all the dj’s at Wicked Jazz Sounds.

If you want to check out where Susanne and/or the Susanne Alt Quartet has/have been played before, feel free to visit the Concerts section and scroll down to previous concerts.

In 2004 the quartet reached the final of the Dutch Jazz Competition at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

The band’s first record "Nocturne" was presented 11 october 2004 at the old Bimhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Her second album “Delight” was released in September 2007.

In February 2009 she released her third album “On Track” which features guitarist Bruno Speight (Maceo Parker, SOS Band) and Fred Wesley (musical director of James Brown and funkiest trombone player of the world).

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