Updated: November 26, 2024
Tobias Hoffmann was born in Göppingen (Germany) in 1988 and discovered his passion for music and the saxophone during his high school years.
From 2008 until 2010 he studied at the University for Music, Drama and Media in Hanover and from 2010 at the Prins Claus Conservatorium Groningen
(The Netherlands), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in June 2013. From 2013 until 2015 he studied Jazz Saxophone at the Musik und
Kunst Universität Wien (Austria) and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) with distinction. At the same time he studied Jazz Composition and
Arrangement and graduated with distinction in 2018.
Besides working on his own projects, Tobias Hoffmann is a sought-after sideman, composer and arranger for a wide variety of lineups and styles.
Concert tours have taken him to several European countries. He has played with musicians such as Bob Mintzer, Joe Gallardo, Alexander von
Schlippenbach, Paul Kuhn, John Clayton, and Benny Golson.
In 2019, he released the album Retrospective with his Tobias Hoffmann Nonet. In 2022 the album Conspiracy and in 2024 the album Innuendo with his
Tobias Hoffmann Jazz Orchestra followed. All productions were received very positively by the national and international press.
Between 2005, when he started performing, and 2016, he won some national and international awards while playing in different formations. Among
those were a second prize at the “Jugend jazzt” competition 2007 of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, a first award (cum laude) at the
competition of the "International European Music Festival 2011 in Neerpelt" (Belgium) and a first award at the “Euroregio Big Band Contest 2013“ in
Enschede (The Netherlands).
Since 2016, some of his compositions have been awarded prizes at various competitions worldwide. Among them are awards by the American Society
of Music Arrangers and Composers in Los Angeles (USA) or the Downbeat Magazine (USA).
His Tobias Hoffmann Nonet was awarded the 1st prize in the “Band” category at the international online competition Made in New York Jazz
Competition 2019 by a top-class jury including Lenny White, Randy Brecker, and Mike Stern.
In the summer of 2021, Tobias Hoffmann was a guest of the NDR Big Band in Hamburg (Germany) as part of the “Podium for Arrangers” and was
invited to rehearse and record his compositions there.
In December 2021, he was one of five composers from all over Europe to be invited by the renowned Subway Jazz Orchestra in Cologne (Germany) as part of the project “European Composers - Sound of a Generation” to write a composition and to rehearse and perform it with the band.
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Tobias Hoffmann Jazz Orchestra: Conspiracy
by Jack Bowers
While listening to Conspiracy, German-born composer-arranger Tobias Hoffmann's second album, the thought arose that “Stan Kenton would have loved this." Like Kenton, Hoffmann is an explorer who approaches music from a cerebral point of view but never overlooks the need to swing and to keep an audience engaged by varying the tone, tempo and color of his orchestrations. Several of Hoffmann's compositions, in fact, would have found a suitable home in the Kenton orchestra's library, as they lay bare the ...
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...or were mentioned in an All About Jazz article.
„His music is incredibly well crafted, with a sense of completeness and depth that demonstrates his knowledge as well as his respect of the tradition of jazz composition. The flow and form of his music feels inevitable without being predictable, taking the listener on a journey with refreshing (and even sometimes surprising) twists and turns along the way“
Ed Partyka
Professor for Jazz Composition and Arrangement at the KUG Conservatory in Graz, Austria
Chief Conductor of the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra
Artistic Director of the Zürich Jazz Orchestra
"I was blown away by what I heard on these recordings, to say he has matured as an Arranger/Composer is an understatement. The writing is fresh, exciting and requires serious listening."
Michael Abene
Grammy® winning Producer, Composer, Arranger & Educator
“A high quality album on many levels. A first class ensemble that excels in excellent tutti performance and outstanding soloists, great arrangements and compositions that never disengage the audience. Bravo!”
Chris Walden
Seven-time Grammy® nominated Composer, Arranger & Conductor
"Hoffmann manages to bring back the full glory of a well arranged and splendidly executed classic sound of a large Jazz band, which of course is still an integral part of the Jazz tradition.“
Adam Baruch – The Soundtrack of my Life || 24.1.2020
Primary Instrument
Composer / conductor
Location
Vienna
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
I am teaching saxophone, composition, arrangement and music theory. I have been teaching various levels of students for 6 years at a music academy in Vienna, Austria. I am teaching in person lessons, online lessons and I teach both individual students and small groups. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail and we talk about what your needs as a student are and what I can do for you.
Mail: [email protected]
John Hollenbeck
drums
Jim McNeely
composer / conductor
Michael Abene
piano
Maria Schneider
composer / conductor
Bob Brookmeyer
trombone
Alan Ferber
trombone
Mike Holober
piano
Edward Partyka
composer / conductor
