Alumni - Where Are They Now?

Troy Roberts - Class of 1998

Current Profession: 

Musician (saxophonist, composer, bandleader).

Where did life take you after graduation? 

I left high school after Year 10 as I was fortunate enough to be accepted as an early entrant to the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) to begin my Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) in 1996 at age 15. Upon graduating from WAAPA, I spent the better part of five years performing and touring around Australia and Europe with James Morrison - the great Jazz trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist. In 2005 I moved to the United States to complete a Masters of Music at the University of Miami and shortly after that I moved to New York City, which is where I have been living ever since. As a touring recording and performing musician around the globe with some of the greatest Jazz artists of today, I have three Grammy nominations, sixteen albums released as a leader, and appear on over sixty recordings as a side man. My music teachers at Lumen Christi College played a massive part in encouraging me to pursue a life in music.

What has been your biggest career highlight so far? 

Playing Gospel Fest with Aretha Franklin (2014), and Herbie Hancock‘s International Jazz Day at the UN, NYC (2012), Osaka, Japan (2014), Tangier, Morocco (2024), and touring the world with Joey DeFrancesco (2016-2022) – one of my childhood heroes.

What is your fondest memory of life at Lumen? 

Everything pertaining to hanging around the music department. I also fondly remember the New Zealand tour!

Have you been a part of any significant clubs, groups or affiliations since graduation?Career Highlights

• Recordings and extensive world tours with Joey DeFrancesco Trio, the Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts Quartet, the Kurt Elling Quintet, Van Morrison, James Morrison, Pharoah Sanders and various others.
• Performed at Herbie Hancock’s UNESCO International Jazz Day – UN General Assembly Hall, NYC (2012), Osaka Castle Park, Japan (2014), Tangier, Morocco (2024)
• Performances at notable venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Jazz Cruise, The Kennedy Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Philharmonie Kohln, Blues Alley, Jazz Alley, The Blue Note, Ronnie Scotts, Porgy & Bess, The Village Vanguard, Birdland, Smalls Jazz Club, The Jazz Standard, Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Carlyle, Yoshi’s, Keystone Korner, Jazz At The Bistro, The MIM, SF Jazz, The Jazz Showcase, and nearly all major jazz clubs in the world..
• Performances at prestigious national and international festivals including Newport Jazz Festival, The Jazz Cruise, North Sea Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival, Pittsburgh Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Burghausen Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival, The Jazz Cruise, Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, John Coltrane Jazz Festival, Tel Aviv Jazz Festival, EBE Jazz Festival, Thailand International Jazz Conference, Elo Jazz Festival, Pontevedra Jazz Festival, Ystad Jazz Festival, Kampen Jazz Festival, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, L’OFF Jazz Festival, Jazz Nad Odra, Jazz On The Dnieper, Jazz & Rib Fest DC, Sopot Jazz Festival, and nearly all major jazz festivals in the world.

Honors, Awards and Competitions

• 3 Grammy Nominations for Sammy Figueroa’s The Magician (Best Latin Jazz Album), Joey DeFrancesco’s Project Freedom (Best Instrumental Jazz Album), Dan Pugach’s Little Fears – featuring Nicole Zuraitis & Troy Roberts (Best Jazz Performance).
• Performance on Grammy Award Winning album by Dan Pugach: Bianca Re-Imagined (Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album).
• Performances on Grammy Nominated albums by Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band: Presence (which includes an original composition by Roberts) and The Intangible Between, The Terraza Big Band (One Day Wonder – title track is an original composition by Roberts) and Joey DeFrancesco (In The Key of The Universe – with Pharoah Sanders, Billy Hart, and heavily features Roberts on saxophones and acoustic bass).
• Winner of the 2001 James Morrison Jazz Scholarship, Semifinalist in 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, 2nd place winner in 2016 Wangaratta International Saxophone Competition.
• Exclusive artist endorsement by Vandoren

What advice do you have for current Lumen Christi College students? 

Regardless of what your high school peers are into, be true to what interests you in life. Strive to love what you do, or at least love why you do it. I imagine life would be pretty horrible if you lack passion for your profession.

Are you a Lumen alum? Join our Alumni Community website here.