Pete Barenbregge

Biography

Saxophonist, flutist and clarinetist Pete BarenBregge was born in Pittsburgh, PA. Growing up, the family lived in a number of locations but ended up in Wilmington, Delaware. Pete became hooked into music with the classic story of a dynamic band director and mentor, Hal Schiff, who inspired a student in whom he heard special musical talent. In high school, Pete really got in to music and achieved success on the tenor and alto saxophones, flute and clarinet and proceeded to win numerous awards at high school jazz festivals. Among the awards was a scholarship to the famed Stan Kenton Jazz Camp which became fertile ground for many jazz artists. Music was clearly the path of choice. He majored in music and graduated from West Chester University with a B.S. in music education and went on to teach public school instrumental music in Wilmington, all the while constantly playing and teaching jazz and making a name for himself in the Wilmington/Philadelphia area. Although he enjoyed teaching, the opportunity to join one of finest big bands in the world, the USAF Airmen of Note arrived in 1979. After a successful audition, he enlisted in the USAF, and moved to the Washington, D.C. area where the band is stationed. He was finally a full-time professional musician. With a brilliant career in the United States Air Force Band as featured soloist on lead tenor saxophone in the Airmen of Note, he rose rapidly through the system and was appointed musical director and NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge) of this elite group. As director, he quickly earned the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. Upon retirement from the USAF after 20 years, Pete accepted a full-time position with Warner Bros. Publications and the instrumental jazz editor, and then when Alfred Publishing Co acquired WBP, he was hired by Alfred in the same position as editor for instrumental jazz products.

Pete BarenBregge is a freelance professional musician recognized nationally as a saxophone/flute artist, clinician, educator and adjudicator. He is the Instrumental Jazz Editor for Belwin Jazz, a division of Alfred Publishing Co. His editorial responsibilities include acquisition and project manager for jazz ensemble and combo arrangements, improvisation, transcription, etude and pedagogical materials along with the production of educational CDs. A voting member of the NARAS, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, (GRAMMYS), he was twice elected to the board of governors for the Washington, D.C. chapter. He has written articles for DownBeat Magazine and is a contributing author for variety of educational publications. In addition, Mr. BarenBregge is the musical director of the Columbia Jazz Band, Columbia, Maryland. He directed and was featured soloist with the Columbia Jazz Band at Montreux Jazz Festival in 2008 followed by a nine day tour of Venice, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Vienna, Austria. Again under under Pete’s leadership, the CJB toured Northern Europe in 2010 through Amsterdam, Belgium, UK and Scotland. Another tour is planned for the summer of 2012 to Istanbul, Turkey, Italy and Nice, France. Performances are scheduled at the Istanbul jazz festival, Umbria jazz festival and Jazz a Juan jazz festival. As a free-lance musician, he works extensively in the D.C./Baltimore area performing on soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, flute, piccolo, alto flute, clarinet and bass clarinet. Married, he and wife Marcia have three children.