Brian Handeland is a versatile and in-demand woodwind musician who is equally at home on all of the different saxophones, flutes, and clarinets. Brian’s musical journey has taken him to numerous countries across Asia (as a member of the pit orchestra for Shrek the Musical), as well as all across the United States and Canada. In addition to touring across Asia with Shrek, he has also toured North America with the musicals Flashdance and Elf, and around the Midwest with pianist Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra. As a professional musician living in Minneapolis, MN, Brian had the opportunity to perform behind a variety of musical acts including The Temptations, Juan Luis Guerra, Kurt Elling, Gretchen Parlato, Wycliffe Gordon, Curtis Stigers, Bobby Shew, and Maria Schneider. He is equally comfortable playing in a variety of musical styles, including jazz, rock, funk/R&B, blues, classical, folk, New Orleans brass band, Afro-Cuban, and even dabbles in both Irish flute and Klezmer music!
As a member of the oboe/saxophone duo BS Project (along with oboist Susan Miranda), Brian has performed/given masterclasses at a number of high schools & colleges across the Midwest and Central USA, and is currently a Class Notes artist through YourClassicalMPR in Minnesota. Brian loves teaching students of all ages and backgrounds! He has taught woodwinds at K&S Conservatory in Woodbury, MN, St Croix Prep Academy in Stillwater, MN, East Ridge High School in Woodbury, MN, Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights, MN, and at the 2022 MN All-State Orchestra Camp, and has worked as a clinician at numerous jazz festivals across the Upper Midwest. Brian studied classical saxophone/clarinet at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and jazz saxophone/classical flute at the University of North Texas, where he was a member of the DownBeat award winning UWEC Jazz Ensemble I, the DownBeat award winning UNT Latin Jazz Ensemble, and the Grammy-nominated UNT 1:00 Lab Band. His primary teachers have included Drs. Richard Dirlam & Nancy McMillan (classical saxophone), Brad Leali (jazz saxophone), Drs. Mary Karen Clardy & Amy Thiemann Leal (flute), and Dr. Richard Fletcher (clarinet).
