Caroline Davis Berklee Ensemble

The Signature Series presents acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and educator Caroline Davis leading students in the Caroline Davis Berklee Ensemble.

Matthew Stevens, associate professor of guitar and ensembles, and Gregory Groover, interim managing director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, selected the students and rehearsed them in preparation for the performance with Davis. A 2025 Guggenheim Fellow in Composition and recipient of the DownBeat Critics Poll Alto Saxophone Rising Star Award, Davis is known for her adventurous approach to improvisation and composition, creating music that explores connection, social inquiry, and creative expression. She has released eight albums as a leader, including Portals, and contributed to Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards, a landmark collection of jazz compositions by female-identifying composers.

Davis has collaborated with artists including Allison Miller, Lee Konitz, John Zorn, Nicole Mitchell, Miles Okazaki, and Angelica Sanchez. In addition to performing internationally, she is a dedicated educator, teaching at the New School and the Manhattan School of Music. Her work extends beyond the stage through advocacy for gender equity and arts access, reflecting her commitment to using music as a catalyst for connection and social change.