Erika Friedman

Biography

Hi! My name is Erika and I recently moved to NYC. In my time here, I've been a chair holder and substitute musician on Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. This holiday season, I am playing Reed 2 on “ELF” at the Marquis Theater! I was also the Reed 2 chair holder of “Jersey Boys” and "Beautiful: the Carol King Musical" at Paper Mill Playhouse. I enjoy being the Tenor Saxophonist of the Fort Lee Saxophone Quartet and the regular saxophonist of the Melodica Band, performing on stage to vibrant audiences throughout the tri-state area.

I have education and performance degrees from Ithaca College (B.M. in Music Education and Saxophone Performance) and New Jersey City University (M.M. in Multiple Woodwind Performance). My intensive undergraduate and graduate studies have helped me become a versatile performer, allowing me to excel in a variety of performance settings ranging from classical to commercial music.

After grad school, I spent several happy years on the road. I had the pleasure of touring as the Reed player for the National/International Broadway shows of "The Prom," "Kinky Boots," "The Bodyguard," "Annie" and "The Producers”. My travels have brought me to 49 US states, 7 Canadian provinces and parts of Southeast Asia!

My other passion is teaching and I've successfully maintained a private studio for the last several years, teaching woodwind and piano lessons to students of all different ages and expertise. Recently, I've found great success in virtual lessons!

I love meeting new people so don’t hesitate to reach out!