BIOGRAPHY

Hailed as “the ideal collaborator for new music” by Brutal New Music Review, and as a “new music virtuoso” by Leslie Tate - saxophonist and new music curator Drew Hosler (he/him/his) is an advocate for contemporary music. Drew’s playing has been praised for its “beautiful tone and technique” by Brutal New Music Review and has been recognized for “his unwavering commitment to bringing fresh, contemporary compositions to the forefront.” by Local 4. Drew has commissioned and premiered over 200 pieces by award-winning composers such as Andrew Mead, Jamie Leigh Sampson, David Heinick, Marilyn Shrude, Matthew Kennedy, Quinn Mason, and Gregory Wanamaker. His debut solo album, delta waves, features thirteen world premiere recordings of 21st century works for the tenor saxophone. His 2020 EP Hope Will Carry Us featured thirteen new works for solo tenor saxophone. Additionally he has released recordings of works by Robert Lemay, Ehsan Saboohi, Robert Gross, along with others. Drew currently serves as the principal saxophonist of the Cleveland Winds and Cleveland Repertory Orchestra. He has performed with Canton Symphony Orchestra, Ohio Light Opera Orchestra, Lima Symphony Orchestra, Video Game Symphony, Saginaw Eddy Concert Band, Black Voltron, Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project Improvisation Orchestra, and the Decho Ensemble.

Drew is an avid performer as a soloist. He will be premiering Neal Endicott’s tenor saxophone concerto, Commodius Vicus with the Michigan Philharmonic during the 2025/26 season. He has given the world premiere of Griffin Candey’s tenor saxophone concerto, Double Aviaries, with Matthew Salvaggio and the Cleveland Repertory Orchestra and Josh Trentadue’s tenor saxophone concerto,, To fly and to fall, with conductor Kim Fleming and musicians at The University of Michigan. He can also be heard performing Robert Gross’ Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Nine Instruments on the album Penumbra from New Focus Records. He was a part of a consortium of 15 top U.S. saxophonists to commission Emma O’Halloran’s tenor saxophone concerto, Only Moments to Live. He has performed as a soloist with the Mercyhurst University Wind Ensemble, Bowling Green Philharmonia, Bowling Green State University Concert Band, Chagrin Falls Wind Ensemble, and The Video Game Symphony. He has performed concerti by Robert Ward, Walter Mays, and William Albright. He has also performed a variety of music for solo saxophone at Classical Revolution Cleveland, New Music Gathering, University of Kansas New Music Guild, 15-Minutes-of-Fame, New Music Mosaic, Boston New Music Initiative, Local 4’s She Scores Festival, as well as various North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences. He has also been featured on WSMR Florida’s Classical Music Station’s Modern Notebook hosted by Tyler Kline.

Drew has been awarded prizes for numerous competitions including the American International Music Competition, Cambridge Music Competition, Bach Music Competition, Vivaldi International Music Competition, Charleston International Music Competition’s Contemporary Music Competition, London Classical Music Competition, American International Music Competition, and the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Competition in Music Performance.

As a chamber musician, Drew has performed at the IDAGIO’s Global Concert Hall Arts@Future, Zagreb World Saxophone Congress, US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, District New Music Coalition, and various Bowling Green New Music and Art Festivals. As a member of the Tekhenu Quartet, he was awarded the Michigan Prize at the 2022 Briggs Chamber Music Competition for their performance of Griffin Candey’s God Forbid. He was awarded first and second prize at the Douglas Wayland Chamber Music Competition with the Epsilon Saxophone Quartet and the Fifth Circle Reed Quintet respectively. These ensembles have been heard on WGTE and WCLV.

Drew is the saxophonist, co-founder, and artistic director for the new music ensemble, The _____ Experiment. To date, the ensemble has worked with composers to premiere over 30 works for mixed chamber ensemble. In March 2020, The _____ Experiment released their debut album, Conversations, which includes seven world premiere recordings from five different composers which was funded partially by the Running Start Competition through Michigan State University. The ensemble has performed across the country, including for New Music Chicago, Michigan State University, Potsdam Crane School of Music, the Flint Institute of Music, University of Florida, University of Miami, and Narloch Piano Studio in Chicago. In addition, the ensemble was awarded multiple prizes through the Charleston International Music Competition’s 2021 Contemporary Music Competition.

Drew currently serves as the lead developer for the Tenor Saxophone Index as well as a member of the Professional Development Committee for the North American Saxophone Alliance. Previously, he served as the Assistant Managing Director for the Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project, an intern for the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts, a beta tester for Silverstein Works, the Marketing and Media Assistant for the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities, and an intern for the Akropolis Quintet. He also served as the Woodwind Coach for the Cleveland Pride Band.

Drew currently serves as Saxophone Faculty, Chamber Music Faculty, Director of Wind Studies, and Chamber Winds Conductor at the Cleveland Institute of Music Academy As well as a Music Instructor (Saxophone and Clarinet Faculty) for the Music Institute at the University of Akron. Previously he served as a Lecturer at Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Music.

Drew has participated in festivals such as the SPLICE Institute and the Frederick L. Hemke Institute at Snow Pond Music Festival. Additionally, he is a fellow for both the Cortona Sessions for New Music and The Next Festival of Emerging Artists. Drew holds a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance, a Master of Music in Chamber Music, and a Certificate in Arts Entrepreneurship & Leadership from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance. He also holds a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance from Bowling Green State University College of Music Arts. Prior to that, he studied at the Flint Institute of Music. His primary instructors have been Timothy McAllister, John Sampen, and Jeffrey Price.