Professional activity: Composers, Improvisers, Interpreters
Biography
* 17. 05. 1958.
Alex Rüedi was born in Wattwil, St Gallen. After his compulsary education he completed an apprenticeship in carpentry.
In 1978 he began a three-year study at the Swiss Jazz School in Berne studying the saxophone under the tutelage of Andy Scherrer and the transverse flute under Irniger.
In 1982 he began four years of classical saxophone study under Iwan Roth at the 'Musikakademie Basel' (Basel Academy of Music) and flute studies under Gail Roth at the 'Musikschule Basel' (Basel School of Music). In 1982 he commenced work as a teacher at the Oberwalliser Music School and in 1986 graduated with a teacher's diploma. 1986 also saw the founding of the Alex Rüedi Big Band and the Rhodan Saxophonquartett. He was a founding member of the Oberwalliser Wind Band in 1987. Since circa 1990 he is additionally active as a freelance composer.
Since 1987 he organises the annual chamber music week in Goppisberg, Rosswald, and since 1997 the Rock and Jazz Week in Blatten.
Since 1994 he is a course instructor (big band) at the summer music course in Arosa. In 1995 he attended a directing and composition course given by the internationally acclaimed bandleader and composer George Gruntz.
He also attended a course in 1996 in Basel given by the top saxophonist Michael Brecker from the USA. Since 1997 he is saxophonist, composer and arranger with the Oberwalliser jazz formation Jazz GmbH. In 2001 he received an invitation to the Northern German Big Band Festival in Dinklage (Bremen) with the 'Alex Rüedi Big Band' and in September 2001 he was invited to the International Jazz Festival in Vinnytsia (Ukraine) with the Jazz Quartet 'JPtrio plus one'.