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Mieke Bruggeman is a Portland based multi-instrumentalist and educator. Three major life transitions, two trumpet players, one crummy first grade teacher and a whole mess of incredible mentors shaped Mieke’s charismatic and thoughtful approach to music. 

 

Mieke performs with long-time band mates and all-female saxophone quartet, the Quadraphonnes. Their 2014 album, Get the Funk Out (with special guest guitarist, Jennifer Batton) features all original compositions. Mieke’s piece, “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?” was inspired by a real life manicure gone awry. The Afro-Cuban band Melao De Cuba was one of Mieke’s first Portland gigs. Eighteen years later, she is still playing bari sax and flute, singing backup, and arranging parts for Melao’s 4-piece horn section. In 2021, Mieke began to record and tour with Ron Artis II & The Truth, opening for G-Love and performing at the Troubadour "one of the best rock clubs" according to Rolling Stone. Behind the scenes, Mieke plays multiple reeds for musical theater shows like Fiddler on the Roof, The Color Purple and In the Heights at Portland Center Stage. Notable recording session credits include “The Clapping Song” from the Netflix original All Together Now, “Walking the Plank” and “Belay” from the Disney Jr. show Jake and the Neverland Pirates and "The Holdovers", a Focus Feature film to be released in November 2023.

 

During her four-year stint as a musician in the United States Air Force, Mieke had the honor of performing as a soloist on tour and recording George Roumanis’ Concerto for alto saxophone,  American Ode. Other highlights of her time in the Air Force include performing at the 45th annual Monterey Jazz Festival, backing up The Miracles at the National Museum of the USAF and being a part of the showcase band on the Price is Right.

 

Mieke is deeply committed to spreading her love of music through education. When all teaching shifted to distance learning, Mieke developed a curated, project-based option for her private students. This has kept them fully engaged and motivated without added time in front of a computer screen. As education coordinator for the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble (PJCE), she heads the Young Jazz Composers  & Alumni programs. She is currently developing "The Music and Lyrics of the Blues" curriculum for Young Audiences' Arts for Learning program - the nation's leading provider of arts in education programs. Mieke has worked as an Artist in Residence at Portland Public Schools for various band programs, directed the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra 3 band (PYJO) and co-taught with the East Winds band camp and PPS Arts Academy. Whatever classroom she is in, Mieke uses her charisma and enthusiasm of all things music to demonstrate the technical and creative skills students need.

 

Mieke and her husband Kent enjoy tending to their garden, spoiling their two cats, nurturing their bee hives and chickens and spending as much time as they can camping all over Oregon and traveling abroad. Music is the one outlet that (as author Tom Robbins might say) keeps the oxygen from leaking out of her life.

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