Jeff Cattie is a composer/saxophonist from the suburbs of Philadelphia. Former principal saxophonist and soloist in the PMEA band, he graduated cum laude from the Boyer College of Music with his Bachelor of Music in Music Education. There, he studied saxophone under widely-acclaimed saxophonist Marshall Taylor, and jazz saxophonists Jaleel Shaw and Dick Oatts. While pursuing his passions for performance and teaching, he has nevertheless kept his writing in the foreground of his college career, and has sought every opportunity to further his compositional abilities.

Through his unique education and elected course of study in composition, he has written several full-length tonal works, including three piano sonatas, a set of two variations for piano, a flute sonata, a series of duets for saxophone, a suite for Temple's Wind Symphony, and a string symphony. Among his more explorative works include a recent sax sonata; Phasing Light On The Surface Of Dangling Vertical Blinds (2006), an art piece for various orchestral instruments and set drum; Conversation for Five Saxophones (2007); Alma Mater (2006), an atonal arrangement for oboe, band, and piano; and Visum Apocalypticum (2008), a symphonic tone poem based on Revelation. Jeff also has a passion for the contrapuntal element in his work, and has his own finished version of Bach’s Contrapunctus XIV, which he performed in an arrangement for four saxophones.

Well-versed in jazz, he has performed with the Temple University Jazz Ensemble in Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and has studied jazz composition with grammy-nominated composer and pianist Bill Cunliffe. This jazz influence finds its way into most of his contemporary work, along with 20th century French and American influences. All of this in addition to his experiences with marching bands and arranging for string band contribute to the diversity in Jeff's style and approach.

Before graduating from Temple, he interned at Theodore Presser Company, where he gained insight into the publication and engraving process. He has always had an eye for detail in his work, and this translates into the detail of his scores, both musically and aesthetically. Maintaining a prodigious compositional output and still seeking new and different opportunities, he hopes to continue his education and earn his Masters in Composition.