Born in Rüsselsheim, Germany in 1984, Oliver Naumann has built an international career at the crossroads of performance, composition, and cultural collaboration. His musical journey began at the Peter Cornelius Conservatorium in Mainz, where he entered the pre-college jazz program on the saxophone. Further studies took him to the Conservatorium van Amsterdam for a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance and music education, and later to New York, where postgraduate work at SUNY Purchase and The City College of New York brought mentorship from Dick Oatts, Jon Gordon, Jim Rotondi, and John Patitucci.

Returning to Germany, Naumann completed a Master of Music at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, balancing his life as a performer and composer with editorial work for Schott Music. In this role, he collaborated with authors and internationally known artists such as Jim Snidero on publications of method books and transcriptions. From 2023 to 2025, he also worked with the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz, gaining a unique perspective on orchestral production, staging, and performance.

Naumann’s creative output includes collaborative recordings, original compositions, and educational jazz theory apps for iOS. His work has been supported by several composition scholarships, a research grant from GVL Germany, and funding from Musikfonds Germany. In 2022, a Goethe-Institut residency in Zamora, Spain provided the opportunity to compose new works on location, exploring the relationship between place, culture, and improvisation.

In 2025, he relocated to Paris, where he continues to perform, compose, and collaborate internationally. His current projects integrate improvisation, research, and digital tools within the city’s diverse artistic environment, with a focus on fostering connections between musical traditions and audiences.