Christine Jensen

Alto Sax icon Alto Sax

53 age

April 1, 1970 Birthday

Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada Birthplace

www.christinejensenmusic.com Website

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Christine Jensen is a Canadian jazz saxophonist, composer and educator. She leads a jazz orchestra as well as smaller ensembles and has twice been awarded the Juno Award for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year (2011 and 2014). In addition to her own groups, Jensen works frequently with sister, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen. She is the founding artistic director and conductor of the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, as well as the past artistic director of Orchestre National Jazz de Montreal. She served on the faculty at McGill Univsersity and is currently an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music.

Trivia

Christine Jensen composed the title track for her sister Ingrid Jensen's debut album while still an undergraduate student; the song went on to win a Juno award in 1995. Christine Jensen attended the same high school as pianist/vocalist Diana Krall. Christine Jensen won an Opus Award for Jazz Concert of the Year in 2006 from the Quebec Council for the Arts.

Early Life

Christine Jensen, born in Sechelt, British Columbia in 1970, spent her childhood in Nanaimo in a musical family. Her mother played piano and taught music, and her two older sisters played trumpet and trombone. Jensen herself developed an interest in music at an early age. She began with the piano and later picked up the saxophone during 6th grade. She played in school bands throughout middle and high school before heading to McGill University where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance in 1994, followed by her Master's in 2006.