Elad Sobol
宋雨翔

Professor of Music
Sichuan Conservatory, Pop Music Academy, Jazz Department, Chengdu, China 四川音乐学院流行音乐学院
爵士音乐系，中国四川成都

Educator, Composer, Bandleader, Multi Instrumentalist, Professional Musician, Lecturer, Arranger, Producer

Born to Israeli immigrants in Los Angeles.

Studied jazz music at University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A. 2006.

Studied music education at San Jose State University, California Teaching Credential Public School Certification 2010.

Peace Corps China 2013-2015 (RPCV China)

PhD student (jazz studies), University of Pittsburgh, 2024-present.

Prior to joining University of Pittsburgh's PhD Jazz Studies program in 2024, Elad Sobol taught in Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, China from 2015-2024. He was one of the founding team members of the Jazz Department there, teaching a wide range of courses in Mandarin. He was also very active in the local music scene, collaborating with locals and performing in a variety of professional settings, leading pop, funk, swing, salsa, big band and smooth jazz fusion groups. His arrangements have been performed at a number of Chinese jazz festivals, and he released a full-length studio album Vicissitudes in 2022. He has frequently been invited to lecture to the public on music in Mandarin, most prominent of which is a TEDx talk.

He has published and peer-reviewed for JENRing (Jazz Education Network Research Interest Group), presented at various academic conferences, worked on Sam Rivers’ archives, and is currently a co-editor at Society for Ethnomusicology’s graduate student journal, Rising Voices. His current research trajectory focuses on jazz and Western popular forms as global music and the relationship to the sociopolitical, economic and cultural environment in which music is created, performed, disseminated and consumed, particularly in the context of modern China.

He plays alto and bari saxes, flute, EWI, dabbles on Chinese flutes and loves collecting percussion instruments from around the world.

Endorsed by: Legere synthetic reeds, Omeibaige woodwind cases.
Oleg China representative 2019-2022.

Studied privately with notable music educators: Bruce Becker, Ray Brown, Dale Wolford, Rick Rossi, Doug Webb, Greg Osby. Masterclasses with Bob Reynolds, Bob Franceschini, Jeff Coffin, Chris Cheek, Dayna Stephens, Gordon Goodwin and David Sanborn. Regularly performed and led smooth jazz fusion band, jazz/pop band, salsa band and throwback swing band in Chengdu.

Academic CV