Last updated on September 18, 2023
Joe Allard, saxophone master, playing principles and pedagogy.
About great Joe Allard and his woodwind (clarinet and saxophone) playing principles and pedagogy. He was a professor of saxophone and clarinet at The Juilliard School (1956-1984), Manhattan School of Music (1970-1987), New England Conservatory of Music (1970-1987), Mannes School of Music (1971-1976). He worked with Red Nichols (1931), DuPont Cavalcade of America (1935-1957), Red Norvo Orchestra (1936-1939), Bell Telephone Hour (1940-1965), WOR Radio Orchestra, Cities Service Band of America (1947-1957), NBC Symphony Orchestra (1949-1954), Voice of Firestone (1949-1956), Symphony of the Air (1954-1963). Among his famous students are Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Bob Berg, Willie Schwartz, Dave Liebman, Stan Getz, Paul Winter, Marty Ehrlich, Victor Morosco, Eric Dolphy, Harvey Pittel, Steve Grossman, Lee Konitz, Ray Beckenstein, Paul Winter, Harry Carney, Kenneth Radnofsky, Teo Macero, Pete Yellin, Dave Tofani, Billy Kerr, etc.
Art has to have variety. Unless a tone has variety of color and variety in volume, unless vibrato has variety in pulse, you don’t have art. —Joseph Allard
When the effort is lost in the result, the latter is said to be artistic. —Joseph Allard
Resources about Joe Allard principles, pedagogy and concepts
- Joe Allard – Basic Principles
- Joe Allard – Interview @ YouTube
- The Master Speaks – Joe Allard – this is a video workshop made in conversation format with his former student Ira Jay Weinstein and although on this video Joe shows obvious signs of dementia, it is invaluable to watch
- Saxophone Overtone Exercises – by David Demsey, adopted from Joe Allard
- Dave Liebman – Developing a Personal Saxophone Sound book based on Joe Allard school of teaching is highly recommended. In this video Dave is explaining saxophone embouchure
- Exercise II by Phil Barone – from the Sax on the Web Forum (SOTW)
- The Joe Allard Saxophone (Woodwind) Method from David Valdez @ Casa Valdez Studios
- Remembering Joseph Allard – pdf – Joffe Woodwinds blog (great resource about Joe Allard)
- Remembering The Master: Joe Allard – pdf – Dave Liebman’s website
- The Joe Allard Project website, maintained by Adam Michlin
- Eddie Daniels on studying with Vincent J. Abato, Daniel Bonade and Joe Allard, watch video
- An Inside Look into the Joe Allard Approach of Saxophone Playing: Memories of the First Three Lessons – by Gary Jones on SOTW
- More about saxophone embouchure
If you have any questions, contact me, also visit my teaching page.