Mr. Soren

Heard on the popular radio programs Performance Today and Northwest Focus Live, saxophonist Soren Hamm teaches on the faculties of Seattle Pacific University and Pierce College Puyallup. He is the only person to win both the Solo and (with the Equus Saxophone Quartet) Chamber Ensemble divisions of Seattle’s Frances Walton Competition, and was a winner of the Northwest MTNA Competitions on multiple occasions. He has performed with some of the Puget Sound’s pre-eminent ensembles, including the Northwest Sinfonietta, Seattle Modern Orchestra, and Opus 7 Choir. In 2023, he made his Benaroya Hall debut as soloist with the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra on Ibert’s Concertino da Camera.

Mr. Soren is an avid promoter of new music for saxophone. His work with composers including Dai Fujikura, Marilyn Shrude, and Seattle’s John Muehleisen, among many others, has resulted in dozens of premieres, as well as performances at the Bowling Green New Music Festival, Ball State New Music Festival, and the New Music Gathering. Soren is a founding member of Onomatopoeia, the world's first flute/saxophone/horn trio, and helped commission the first original repertoire for this combination of instruments.

Mr. Soren holds degrees from Bowling Green State University (MM) and the University of Oregon (BM), graduating from the latter with the distinction of Outstanding Undergraduate Performer in Woodwinds; he also completed Music Education studies at Western Washington University. His teachers include John Sampen, Idit Shner, and Fred Winkler.