ABOUT
Michael Brogan BMus(Hons) is a Scottish saxophonist, educator, and Henri Selmer Paris and D'Addario Woodwinds Artist. A versatile musician, his work includes live performance, music/film recording and production, and education projects.
As a performer, Mike regularly works with a variety of groups including his art-pop ensemble Marram, the Scottish Saxophone Ensemble, and the Soul Establishment. He has previously worked with artists including Emma Pollock, Eugene Twist, Slow Gear, the Scottish Swing Orchestra, the Apollo Saxophone Orchestra, and the London Saxophonic. Notable performances include sell-out appearances at multiple Edinburgh Fringe and Jazz Festivals, Prague Fringe Festival, Beijing Concert Hall, and broadcasts for BBC TV and radio. In 2022, Mike was appointed co-Musical Director of the Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra.
Mike spends much of his time producing music and film projects as a director of Transgressive North. In 2024 we celebrated the 10th edition of our annual Folk Film Gathering (the world’s first festival of folk cinema), and are now curating the Move Sessions music residency project (2019-ongoing). 2022 saw the launch of Map of Stories at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. A unique multimedia celebration of Scotland’s rich oral storytelling heritage, the project features an interactive map of Scotland, populated by our filmed performances of some of the country’s leading storytellers. Earlier releases include our award-winning films Blackbird and When The Song Dies, and the critically acclaimed Everything Is New! project including two albums (8/10 Clash; 8/10 NME; 9/10 Exclaim) and a feature film in collaboration with artists including Jarvis Cocker, Four Tet, Son Lux, Irvine Welsh, and Owen Pallett.
Mike was chairman and principal baritone of the National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain, and led their tours of China, Holland, Thailand, and the Czech Republic. He was also Assistant Director of the 2012 World Saxophone Congress in St Andrews, Scotland, and has performed several world premieres at other WSCs in Thailand, Slovenia, and France. As a chamber musician with saxophone quartet ‘Quadrophonia’, Mike won the CASS quartet competition and reached the finals of the St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Music Competition, The Tunnell Trust Scheme and the semi-finals of the Royal Overseas League Chamber Music competition.
Since studying saxophone at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Mike has also enjoyed a busy career as an educator. He is saxophone tutor for Napier University and Edinburgh University, and runs a busy private teaching practice. Mike has taught at St Andrews University, St Mary's Music School, and lead many workshops for the Youth Music Initiative, Live Music Now!, Chamber Music Scotland, and Big Noise education projects. He is a director of the Scottish Saxophone Academy which leads residential courses and play-days for adults, a summer school for younger students, and the International Masterclass Series for more advanced players.
LESSONS, GIGS, RECORDINGS
I teach and perform across the UK, and am available to book for private lessons, workshops, session recordings, and gigs. If you'd like to get in touch, please fill in the contact form, below: