Aurora Nealand

Aurora Nealand is an American multi-instrumentalist (saxophone, clarinet, accordion), singer and composer. Among her many musical endeavors, she leads her own traditional jazz band, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses. Early life and education Nealand was born the youngest of four children in Pacifica, California, In 2001, Nealand earned a degree in music composition from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she created her own major in music composition. Nealand moved to New Orleans in 2004. Along with the Royal Roses, Nealand also performs as a member of the rockabilly band Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers and solo under the name The Monocle. In 2019, Nealand, under the name Monocle, brought her project “KindHumanKind” to the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center, receiving a positive review from OffBeat magazine. Nealand began playing musical scores to the silent films of comedian Buster Keaton. Awards and honors * 2021: South Arts: Jazz Road Creative Residencies grant recipient * 2020: Downbeat Rising Star: Soprano Saxophone; Clarinet * 2018: Offbeat Best of the Beat Award: Best Saxophonist * 2018: Downbeat Rising Star: Soprano Saxophone; Clarinet * 2017: Downbeat Rising St