Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Leiva.
Noah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started out in public school orchestra, playing cello all through middle school and into community college, where I focused mainly on classical music. Along the way, I got curious about jazz and eventually met my mentor, Jonathan Fisher, while he was performing at the Balcony Club. Studying with him for a year completely changed my path and led me to the University of North Texas, where I earned my degree in Jazz Studies for Strings in 2024.
Since graduating, I’ve been teaching, performing, and contracting as a full-time musician and educator. I’m currently studying with Jeremy Harmon and working on my first EP while continuing to explore what kind of music feels most authentic to me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not a smooth road. The biggest challenge for me was making the switch from classical to jazz. It felt like starting completely from scratch, I hated everything I played at first, and I didn’t understand form or improvisation at all. Coming from a classical background where your role is pretty defined, you read the music, follow the markings, and essentially imitate European white men from centuries ago, it was a shock to move into a style that values freedom, individuality, and risk-taking. But that struggle was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. It forced me to rebuild my relationship with music from the ground up.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a freelance musician, I do a little bit of everything under the big umbrella of “music.” I perform, teach, record, and contract, but right now, I’m especially focused on developing my sound and working on my first EP. I’ve also picked up a weekly residency at Aura Coffee, where I perform solo cello looping sets. It’s been an amazing space to experiment with ambient textures, effects, and improvisation, and it’s pushed my playing in new directions.
I’m really proud of the community I’ve built through music. I get to play in one of my best friends’ bands, and being part of their artistic journey has been both heartwarming and inspiring. What sets me apart, I think, is that I’m constantly blending genres, bringing jazz phrasing and improvisation into classical technique, and treating the cello like both a traditional and experimental voice.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
This would be a very long paragraph if I listed all they did for me and in which ways, here is the list of amazing people who deserve all the credit: Charlsie Griffiths, Jonathan Fisher, Scott Tixier, Kathy Morgan, Jeremy Harmon, My Mom, Ally Hocking Howe, Marijn Meijer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://noahbenmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noahbenmusic/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@noahbenmusic
Image Credits
Maria Crane
@mariacranemedia
mariacranemedia.com
