Harry Miedema

Harry Miedema

(August 15, 1946 – Present)

Harry Miedema, saxophonist, educator, arranger, and composer, was a professor in the music department at the University of Indianapolis from 1985-2014 and founded its Jazz Studies program in 2000.

A graduate of Lawrence Central High School, he received degrees from Indiana University in the 1970s and studied jazz with David Baker. 

During this time he authored the book Jazz Styles and Analysis: Alto Saxophone published by Downbeat.

After a stint in the Army in the U. S, Military Academy band at West Point, he spent the next three decades on the road with the top names inR&B, including the Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye, the Spinners, the Temptations, the Supremes, the Four Tops, Lou Rawls, and Natalie Cole. From 1976 to1997, he played sax and served as musical director for EMI recording artists The O’Jays, earning gold and platinum record honors, and appearing on NBC’s “Today,” VH1’s “Hard Rock Live,” “The Arsenio Hall Show,” “Oprah,” and other shows. 

He was a first-call saxophonist for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. For many years, he led an Indy-based combo called Deep 6 and his own Bossa Rio Sextet, a group of local all-stars who play Latin-tinged jazz at Indy clubs like the Chatterbox and the Jazz Kitchen. During summer breaks, he directed the Circle City Jazz Camps for

young musicians.  Drawing on personal and professional connections, Miedema would bring respected national and local players to UIndy for concerts and classes. He also hosted a weekly program “How Jazz Works” on the University radio station WICR-FM 88.7 at 9 p.m. each Saturday to try to demystify some aspect of his favorite music for a lay audience.  Harry retired from teaching in 2014 as professor emeritus. He was awarded Teacher of the Year honors in Indiana and Jazz Teacher of the Year by the IndianapolisJazz Foundation.