Winds / Brass

Instruments - Clarinet, Saxophone

Elaine Paul Alt is a composer, instrumentalist, teacher, and multi-dimensional artist who has been active as a bandleader and producer for three decades, and is an ongoing student of musical approaches, including Jazz, western Classical, diasporic Afro-Cuban, and Indian Hindustani and Nautanki musical theatre.

Elaine studied clarinet performance, composition, and conducting with Herbert Tischman and Chris Vassiliades at the Manhattan School of Music, Michael Webster at the New England Conservatory, Charles Bruch at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and Orchestra Musicians, and with Evan Ziporyn, John Harbison and Ian Greitzer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a degree in Mathematics and Physics.

She runs the Flaming Hakama studio at the 1890 Bryant St. studios, and participates there as part of Artspan Open Studios.  From Flaming Hakama, Elaine produces the Jazz Combustion Uprising Jazz quintet, and the Alt Jazz chamber orchestra, as well as audio engineering for albums, and cues for for Film & TV placements.  

Alt's Album releases include Self-Immolation by Jazz Combustion Uprising, Open the Gates! by the modern Jazz trio Alt Tal, and Laundry for the Nineties by the composers' quartet Lydian People's Front.  

Ferdinand started teaching in 2019 and is excited to share his passion for music. As a teacher, he emphasizes good listening and using your instrument as your voice. He believes it’s important to understand that music is a language, and that it’s joyful to hear someone expressing themselves through their instrument. A student of jazz, he has played with and arranged music for various groups, including the City Jazz Ensemble, CCSF Big Band, and Anthony Blea’s Charanga Orchestra.  

Originally from Hartsville, South Carolina, trombonist Miriam Snyder currently lives in San Francisco, California, where she is working towards a master’s degree in trombone performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and freelancing in several Bay Area orchestras. Prior to attending SFCM, Miriam lived in Rochester, New York, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and performer’s certificate in trombone performance from the Eastman School of Music. Throughout her career, Miriam has achieved many successes, including participating in many festivals, master classes, and honors ensembles. As a passionate solo and chamber musician, Miriam has competed in several competitions, with her most recent accomplishments including placing third in the national level of the 2017 MTNA Senior Brass Competition and placing first in the 2021 American Trombone Workshop’s National Quartet Competition as a member of the Outer Loop Trombone Quartet. Her primary teachers include Dr. David Hamilton, Larry Zalkind, Paul Welcomer, and Timothy Higgins. Miriam’s professional goals include teaching privately at the collegiate level and playing trombone in an orchestra. Outside of playing trombone, Miriam enjoys arranging, baking, running, and taking care of her cat and plants.