Steven Hardy is a Downbeat award-winning saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Rochester, New York. He is a member of the Dave Rivello Ensemble and has performed around the world with the top ensembles of the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, and Brigham Young University. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media at Eastman in August 2025, with current research in classical-jazz genre interactions and compositional approaches to the saxophone quartet. His performances on saxophone, flute, and clarinet can be heard on his album Encompassed, a collection of his original small-group jazz compositions.
Steven has performed with luminaries such as David Sanborn, Wayne Bergeron, Gladys Knight, Wycliffe Gordon, Tanya Darby, Dennis Mackrel, and Terrell Stafford, among others. He has collaborated with bassist/composer John Clayton in multiple concerts at Eastman, notably a premiere of Clayton’s large-scale work for the Eastman Jazz Ensemble, Keys are Black, Blacks are Key. While studying at Indiana University, Steven played lead alto saxophone with the Brent Wallarab ensemble, which won second place at the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s inaugural Jack Rudin Jazz Championship. In addition to performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Dizzy’s Club in New York, Steven has toured with various ensembles in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Australia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
As a composer, Steven has written for various ensembles in multiple genres. His 2024 big band work, The Module Approach, was named an Outstanding Graduate Composition by Downbeat magazine. He learned several of Bob Brookmeyer’s compositional techniques while studying with Dave Rivello, and most recently he has studied with Christine Jensen.
As an educator, Steven has taught classes ranging from beginner to graduate level in jazz theory and improvisation, composition, and jazz history. He has directed the Eastman Jazz Workshop Ensemble along with other big bands and jazz combos. While teaching at Alfred University, he helped rebuild the jazz program while also supporting broader aspects of the music program. At the high school level, Steven has taught at summer jazz camps at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Door County, Wisconsin, and continues to teach at the Eastman Community Music School.