Dr. Benjamin Cold is currently the Teacher/Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Clarinet at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he teaches applied classical and jazz saxophone and clarinet. Previously, Dr. Cold was the Artist/Assistant Professor of Woodwinds at McNeese State University (Lake Charles, LA), where he taught applied single-reeds and double reeds, and directed woodwind chamber ensembles including saxophone quartet and clarinet choir. As a passionate advocate of new music, he has been involved in the commissions and premieres of dozens of compositions for solo and chamber saxophone, most of which were dedicated to him. His work has been performed and recorded on Classical Minnesota Public Radio, National Public Radio, and The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. Dr. Cold’s career has included performing and teaching obligations across the United States as well as France, Germany, Spain, and Cuba as an internationally acclaimed woodwind specialist. Dr. Cold is the tenor saxophonist of the internationally acclaimed ANCIA Saxophone quartet.
Dr. Cold completed his D.M.A. in saxophone performance and pedagogy at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, where he studied with Eugene Rousseau. There he was a recipient of the prestigious Berneking Fellowship, the Cohen Fellowship and instructed undergraduate and graduate saxophone quartets as a teaching assistant. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, and his M.M. from Kansas State University in saxophone performance and pedagogy. During his graduate education, Dr. Cold expanded his studies to include private instruction in conducting, teaching strategies and score study with KSU – Director of Bands, Frank Tracz, and jazz band rehearsal techniques with KSU Director of Graduate Studies, Frederick Burrack. His previous teachers include Eugene Rousseau, Thomas Liley, Fred Hemke, Anna Wytko, Nancy Mcmillan and Greg Keel.
Benjamin Cold is a Conn-Selmer Performing Artist and plays on Selmer Series III saxophones. He is also an E-Rousseau Mouthpieces and Legere Reeds Performing Artist and Clinician.
The Department of Music is thrilled to have Dr. Cold join the faculty this fall.