Bernard van Rossum - Saxophone

Bernard gives saxophone lessons at Music For Life. He is an Amsterdam based saxophonist, composer and arranger.

As well as playing his original music and touring regularly with “Bernard van Rossum Quartet”, he is the leader of “The BvR Flamenco Big Band”. This exciting XL flamenco-jazz ensemble won the 1rst prize in the 18th edition of the Meerjazz International Big Band Competition in May 2014. Their debut album “Jaleo Holandés" will be released in September 2014 and will be presented among other festivals and stages, in the Netherlands' most prestigious Flamenco event; the 2015 Flamenco Biennale.Bernard grew up in multicultural setting, born and raised in Spain by an English mother and Dutch father. After a rocking adolescence playing drums, he discovered the saxophone and with it, the universe of jazz. After completing his science degree in Scotland, he established himself in Barcelona studying saxophone at "Taller de Musics. In 2007 he started a Bachelor degree in Jazz at the “Conservatory del Liceu”, and travelled to the USA as an exchange student at UNT (University of North Texas) during his second year. In 2009 he transferred to Amsterdam Conservatorium, where under the guidance of Jasper Blom, Ferdinand Povel and Jure Hanstra, he graduated with a master degree in November 2013.

He is a founding member of the Catalan group "Lunar Project", with which he released "Supernova" (New Mood Jazz) and won the "Enderock" best new jazz project award 2008. In the 2012 Amsterdam Conservatorium “Arrangers Project”, his composition “Acuarela” was selected and played by the Concertgebouw Big Band in the Amsterdam Bimhuis, featuring Dick Oatts as a guest soloist. In 2013 he was also a semi-finalist in the Keep an Eye on Jazz competition with “the 5th Element” and in the Jazz Award Zeeland with his own quartet. He has performed in Festival de Jazz de Canarias, Festival de Jazz de Tenerife, Festival de Jazz de Terrasa, Mighty Sounds Festival, Middelburg Jazz Festival, Meerjazz Festival, as well as in clubs and concert halls such as El Auditori, El Palau de la Musica (Spain), Jamboree, Paradox, Mahogany Room (South Africa), Moloko (Russia) among many others. As well as a leader, Bernard is a versatile side man, playing in projects ranging from ska and funk, to flamenco-jazz and South African music.

He is also active as an educator, teaching saxophone, music theory and arranging, as well as leading flamenco-jazz workshops.