biography
Caroline is an American saxophonist, teacher and festival organizer based in Bologna, Italy. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, appearing in notable festivals such as the Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi, Ravenna Festival, Bologna Festival,
Piccolo Spoleto USA, as well as with associations such as Amici della Musica (Italy), Associazione Musicale Etnea (Sicily), New Muse Concerts (USA), and the Fondazione Gioventù Musicale d’Italia.
Caroline holds first prizes in numerous competitions as a soloist, including the University of Georgia’s Concerto Competition, and in chamber music, notably Italy’s Premio delle Arti. She was selected as one of five musicians for the Changes artistic residency with Swedish composer Ellen Arkbro, presenting concerts throughout Italy, and was recently named a winner of Bologna Festival’s, Classica in Sneakers, Call for Artists. An active chamber musician, Caroline gave the European premiere of David Maslanka’s Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble under the baton of Lorenzo Passerini.
Caroline teaches saxophone at the Scuola Comunale di Musica Malerbi in Lugo and the Officina della Musica in Ravenna and serves as the co-artistic director of Ulysses Festival under the Associazione Fattorini.
She holds degrees from the University of Georgia (2017), the Conservatorio di Musica “F.A. Bonporti” di Trento (2020), and is the first saxophonist to graduate in Chamber Music from the Fondazione Accademia Internazionale di Imola “Incontri col Maestro” (2023). Her primary teachers include Marco Albonetti, Connie Frigo, and Marco Zuccarini.
Caroline is a JLV Sound Paris Ambassador.
Select notable concert appearances in the last five years include:
Amici della Musica di Modena, Amici della Musica di Trapani e Calatafimi Segesta, Ravenna Festival, Bologna Festival Classica in Sneakers, Associazione Musicale Etnea, Associazione Concerti Citta di Noto, Accademia Filarmonica di Messina, Fondazione Gioventu Musicale d’Italia, Nei Suoni dei Luoghi Festival, Festival Lago Maggiore Musica, Stagione Concertistica di Camerino, Stagione Concertistica di Chioggia, BolsenArte Classical Music Festival, Paesaggi Musicali Toscani, Cafe Concert del Teatro Fraschini, Sagra Musicale Malatestiana, Panorami Sonori, Teatro Galli, Asolo Musica, Timucua Arts Foundation International Chamber Music Festival, Festival del Capo del Leuca, Rossini Open, Remington Concert Series, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Ulysses Festival, New Muse Concerts, Rassegna Musicale d’Autunno di San Marino.
Chamber music Projects
Duo Saxophone & Piano
Caroline has collaborated with pianists Greg Hankins in the United States, and Luigi Moscatello, Giulia Cester and Alexandra Tchernakova in Europe. As part of a saxophone and piano duo, she has recently performed for New Muse Concerts (USA), the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (USA), the Festival di Capo del Leuca in Puglia, the Timucua International Chamber Music Festival (USA), the SaxArts Festival in Faenza, the Remington Concert Series (USA), Rossini Open in Lugo, as well as at Teatro Titano in San Marino and Teatro Mazzacorati in Bologna, to name a few.
Gershwin Quintet
Four saxophonists and a pianist come together in a unique project that pays homage to American composer George Gershwin. This all-female ensemble reimagines American music through a fresh and distinctive lens. Current collaborations include work with jazz singer Sara Jane Ghiotto.
Letizia Ragazzini, soprano sax
Mariella Donnaloia, alto sax
Caroline Leigh Halleck, tenor sax
Laura Rocchegiani, baritone sax
Maria Giulia Cester, piano
Duo Asterope
SEVEN SISTERS
A set of newly commissioned works inspired by ancient myths across diverse cultures for saxophones, voice and electronics. A growing list of composers including Renato Grieco and Nicolas Cline contribute original pieces written specifically for the duo, weaving mythic narratives into immersive sonic experiences.
Caroline Leigh Halleck, saxophones
Laura Zecchini, soprano
Saxophone & Electronics
Caroline has presented a variety of solo saxophone and saxophone and electronics concerts throughout the United States and Italy. Recent appearances include Bologna Festival, Classica in Sneakers, Fondazione Sabe in Ravenna, Festival Panorami Sonori, Antica.mente Festival, and with Tribu Baap Association.
Current programs include Let the Soil Sound, Liminal, and from Bach to Billie.
Saxophone & Choir
A collaboration with Gruppo Vocale Viriditas and their director Francesca Paola Geretto, this project explores the unique blend of saxophone and choir.
The saxophone—renowned for its lyrical, voice-like quality—intertwines with the purity of choral sound, creating a seamless dialogue between instrument, voices, and text. Featuring music by Dutch composer Guillermo Lago, the performance offers a moving interplay of tone and poetry.
Recent concerts have taken place in Venice, Faenza, Arco, Imola, and Caorle.
The Peacock and the Snake
In the vibrant tapestry of human creativity, two threads have always stood out for their profound ability to evoke emotion and convey complex narratives: visual art and music. In this unique collaboration with visual artist Alessandro Roma, sound and image become one—interwoven into a seamless harmony of the senses.
The Peacock and the Snake was first performed at Villa Roberti in Padova as part of the Mutevoli Forme series. Since then, it has been featured at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (USA) in collaboration with Redux Contemporary Art Center, and for Festival Ulysses by Associazione Fattorini in Italy.
Collaborations with Large ensembles
Camerata degli Ammutinati
Caroline regularly plays as a saxophonist for the young contemporary music collective, La Camerata degli Ammutinati under the association WunderKammer Orchestra.
La Corelli Orchestra
Caroline has performed with La Corelli Orchestra most recently in the project Stabant Maters in collaboration with Paolo Marzocchi and Guido Barbieri for the Ravenna Festival and Rossini Open, as well the the Disney project, Dreaming Melodies.
Senzaspine Orchestra
Caroline has played as a saxophonist for the Senzaspine Orchestra in Bologna, most recently for the production of an American in Paris by George Gershwin at Teatro Duse.
past projects
Mestizo Quartet
Caroline was a founding member of the award-winning saxophone quartet, Mestizo. Mestizo is originally a word from Spanish, which translates to a person of mixed cultural ancestry – perfectly describing this quartet’s global diversity from Israel, Costa Rica, and the United States.
Mestizo took first prize in Italy’s prestigious competition, il Premio Nazionale delle Arti in Messina, Sicilia and enjoyed an extensive performing career throughout Europe.
Organi di un Paesaggio Mitico in Divenire
An exploration connecting art, dance, and music with artist Alessandro Roma and dancer Paola Ponti. First performed in Faenza’s Museo Zauli in 2021 for the IV Ceramic Performance Festival.
