About

Joe Wagner, originally from Dallas TX, is a saxophonist, composer, and educator currently in the Boston area. He began playing and studying music at age 7 and then performing professionally at the age of 16. At a young age, Joe was performing in big bands and smaller ensembles around Dallas which allowed him to begin to develop his musicianship and focus on his craft.
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Joe recently graduated with Academic Honors from New England Conservatory with his masters degree in Jazz Studies. During this time, Joe studied with Ben Schwendener, Frank Carlberg, and Ken Schaphorst with an emphasis on composing and performing in both small and large ensemble settings. During his studies with Ben Schwendener, Joe focsed on applying Schwendener's Organic Music Theory methodology (advancement of George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept) in both composition and performance.

Joe graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music with a B.M. double major in Jazz Composition and Saxophone Performance. During his time at Berklee, Joe has had the opportunity to study, both in the classroom and in one-on-one settings, with renowned musicians such as George Garzone, Godwin Louis, Greg Hopkins, Ayn Inserto, Steven Feifke, Miguel Zenon, Ed Tomassi, and many others who have been influential in shaping his personal sound and compositional voice.​

Joe is actively performing and composing in and around the Boston area in addition to maintaining many private study students focusing on the saxophone, composition, theory, and improvisation.