Julien Berger

Saxophone

Julien Berger is a saxophonist, clarinetist, educator, and composer whose work across multiple disciplines aims to promote deep artistic connections between himself, his students, and his community.

Julien is an active performer as both a chamber musician and a solo artist. He is the alto saxophonist of the award-winning saxophone quartet Mixed Media, 1st prize winners at the 49th Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the 2022 Coltman National Chamber Music Competition, as well as winners of the American Prize in Collegiate Chamber Performance in 2023. He is also the core clarinetist for the Atlanta Contemporary Music Collective and regularly plays with the ensemble on clarinet and saxophone. Outside of contemporary classical music, Julien also plays in pit orchestras for musicals and with artists in hip hop, rock, and jazz music.

As a composer and arranger, Julien writes music rooted in storytelling for chamber and large ensembles. His music is heavily influenced by his upbringing as a saxophonist, featuring flavors of contemporary wind ensemble music, saxophone chamber and solo music, and other contemporary styles, such as hip hop, jazz, and pop. His pieces have been played across the country and he maintains an active calendar of commissions and compositional projects.

Julien advocates for music creation by prioritizing the education of young musicians. His teaching style focuses on mastery of the instrument and music theory to help fuel the personal artistry of the student. In doing so, Julien has maintained a private studio of saxophone, clarinet, and composition students for over seven years.

Julien has Bachelors of Music in both Saxophone Performance and Music Composition from the University of Georgia. Previous teachers include Dr. Connie Frigo, Dr. Brandon Quarles, Edward Fraedrich, Matt Rogers (saxophone), Dr. Adrian Childs, Dr. Peter van Zandt Lane, and Dr. Emily Koh (composition).