A woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a black floral top, standing outdoors during autumn, holding a gold saxophone, and smiling at the camera.

Hi, I’m Hannah Hickman. I grew up in Sheldon, Iowa, where I first started practicing the saxophone in a small music studio my dad built inside our family’s red barn. From the beginning, music was a path I knew I wanted to follow. That path led me through four music degrees and across the country, studying with incredible mentors (including my personal saxophone heroes), performing on international stages, collaborating with inspiring artists, and learning how to teach and lead with intention.

Today, I live in Connecticut, where I perform, teach, and create music-centered projects that connect with a wide range of communities. I’ve played with orchestras like the Albany Symphony, New World Symphony, and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and as a soloist with the University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and the Hartt Wind Ensemble. I performed at the Festival of Contemporary Music as a Fromm Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in 2024 and was named a Yamaha Young Performing Artist in my undergraduate years. I have premiered dozens of new works and performed at major events like the World Saxophone Congress in Gran Canaria, Spain, and the International Saxophone Symposium. In Fall 2025, I’ll be releasing my first album, Unknown Horizon (cmntx records), featuring the music of J. Taylor Arnold and including works for solo soprano saxophone, soprano saxophone duo with piano, and a 16-part saxophone ensemble piece. I recorded each part of that ensemble myself – four full quartets layered in the studio.

I currently serve on the music faculty at Connecticut State Community College, where I teach applied saxophone lessons. I have previously held positions at The Hartt School of Music, Theatre and Dance, Mount Holyoke College, and Westfield State University, teaching applied lessons, saxophone ensemble, woodwind studio class, and woodwind chamber music. I’ve also worked with students in middle schools, high schools, and summer programs across the U.S., including the American Saxophone Academy and the Kansas City Saxophone Workshop. I love working with learners of all ages and lead a private studio of students ranging from age 5 to 74. In 2020, I founded KeySpark, an online platform designed to support middle and high school saxophonists who may not have easy access to private lessons. This idea was born from my own experience as a teenager in rural Iowa navigating online forums, videos, and articles to piece together a saxophone education on my own. I wanted to make that journey easier for others.

Now, as a doctoral candidate at The Hartt School, I’m expanding that mission through my research. My doctoral project focuses on creating engaging, inclusive saxophone curricula for senior adult learners, combining pedagogy with research on cognition, age-related physical changes, and motivation in adult learners. I am exploring ways to collaborate with retirement communities and local community music initiatives to make the benefits of music-making more accessible at any age.

Before my doctoral degree in Connecticut, I earned degrees in music education and performance from the University of Missouri- Kansas City Conservatory, the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. Along the way, I’ve discovered that building a career in music, especially as a saxophonist, requires entrepreneurship, grit, and a real love for the learning process. Every step of this journey—from barn-room practice sessions to the big stage—has deepened my belief that music can transform lives and reach an emotional depth in us that no other medium can. Whether I'm performing, teaching, or collaborating with other inspired people on a new creative project, I’m committed to sharing music that connects, challenges, and uplifts. Thanks for taking the time to learn more about me.

If you have any ideas, opportunities , or advice, I would love to hear from you!

A woman in a maroon floral dress holding a gold saxophone outdoors in a garden. 
photos by Joseph Abad
A woman with long wavy brown hair smiling, holding a gold saxophone, sitting outdoors next to green bushes, wearing a maroon, floral dress.

“Hannah has the rare ability to transfer the soul of music, something that can’t be found in any method book. She uses examples I’m familiar with to explain even the most complex concepts. I never got tired of being her student. She connected the music not only to my fingers but also to my soul.”

– Henry S.

“Hannah is great about being encouraging yet also giving constructive criticism. She also hears all sorts of more subtleties & suggests different helpful approaches to playing & practicing.”

– Jamie R.