Sarah Koussevitzky
Piano | Saxophone | Clarinet | Music Composition
Sarah Koussevitzky is a saxophonist and passionate music educator based in Chandler, Arizona. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies with a minor in Arts Management and Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
Sarah’s musical journey has been shaped by renowned mentors such as Roxy Coss, John Mills, Barbara Laronga, Kenny Rampton, and Brice Winston. Her performance experience includes appearances at internationally acclaimed festivals like the Next Generation Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the North Sea Jazz Festival. She has shared the stage with jazz greats including Terrell Stafford, Cyrus Chestnut, Kenny Rampton, Conrad Herwig, and Joe Lovano.
A strong advocate for music education and community engagement, Sarah co-founded Jazz Girls TX, an initiative that empowers young women in jazz. She has also worked with organizations such as Jazz Outreach Initiative, ReedGeek, WIJO (Women in Jazz Organization), MacSax Austin, and Jazz Houston, where she currently serves as Brand Coordinator.
As an educator, Sarah is known for her student-centered and inclusive teaching philosophy. She approaches music as a language—emphasizing the importance of learning to read, write, and speak it fluently. Her supportive and adaptable teaching style has resonated with students who may have struggled in traditional settings or felt hesitant about lessons. Sarah creates an environment where students feel heard, inspired, and empowered—musically and personally.
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“Sarah is such a gifted musician and teacher with an incredible balance of discipline and order, and at the same time kindness and leaning in. She brought out music in every one of my (8) children she worked with. I have my naturally musical children and not, and she really showed me every single one of them to play music whether it comes naturally or not. My children gained so much from being able to see if they could do something difficult and I am sure it helped them believe in themselves more. I have had about 6 piano teachers over the last 18 years and I have never experienced a teacher with the gift that sarah has of being able to bring out the music in everyone along with the sidekick gift of discipline, structure, and routine, giving my kids their own sense of responsibility for their music practice.“
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“Sarah’s passion and warmth are infectious! She is committed to discovering how her students find inspiration and joy in music. She will preservers with even the most uninterested students, utilizing a variety of resources and teaching styles. Within 6 months, my daughter has gone from hating piano to practicing on her own several times a week. I am so glad we found Sarah!”
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“Your work with each one of my kids has been such a blessing and I feel so grateful and glad for them. I think it is worth so much more than the music, even though the music itself is huge, in addition to that the confidence in their abilities is huge.”