About Stefan

Stefan Loest is Chicagoland-based saxophonist and educator known for his creativity and versatility. Stefan’s debut album as a bandleader and composer, “Off Campus” was released in November 2025. Stefan received a B.M.E. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and is currently on faculty at Kaneland Harter Middle School, where he teaches concert band, jazz band, and guitar classes.

While at the University of Illinois, he had the opportunity to perform alongside jazz masters such as Christian McBride, Carl Allen, Ignacio Berroa, Troy Roberts, Steve Wilson, Ron Blake, Tito Carrillo, and Chip McNeill. He has also performed at the Midwest Clinic, the Jazz Education Network Conference, the Illinois Music Education Conference, the Reliaquest Bowl, the Citrus Bowl, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, as well as Chicagoland venues such as the Jazz Showcase, Andy’s Jazz Club, Fulton Street Collective, and FitzGerald’s. Additionally, he presented his artistry as a saxophonist and composer through multiple undergraduate recitals, including an album recreation project of Troy Roberts’ Nu Jive: Nations United, and a showcase of Duke Ellington’s music by a self-assembled big band consisting of fellow students at the University of Illinois. Stefan has had multiple arrangements performed in concert by the UIUC Concert Jazz Band, in which he held the first tenor saxophone chair for three semesters. Stefan has studied under the tutelage of Prof. Chip McNeill, Prof. Debra Richtmeyer, Prof. Ron Bridgewater, Dr. Jonathan Dufresne, and Chicago saxophonists Joel Moore and Rich Moore. 

In addition to teaching band at Kaneland Harter Middle School, Stefan has taught at the Illinois Summer Youth Music jazz session as Instructor of Jazz Saxophone, in which he directed Junior Jazz Band II and Jazz Saxophone Ensemble, co-led saxophone masterclasses, and coordinated jam sessions. Apart from music, Stefan enjoys spending time outdoors, running, biking, and watching college football and basketball.