Rob Scheps could be described as a child prodigy who grew up.

He began studying tenor saxophone at age 9, attended the Manhattan School of Music on Saturdays when he was 13, entered Eastman School of Music at 15 and graduated – with honors – from the New England Conservatory at age 20 with a bachelor’s degree with honors in performance.

He is fortunate to have been exposed to great musicians and teachers, he said. He chose to attend the New England Conservatory because, “Joe Allard, the greatest sax player who ever lived, taught there.”

He soloed with Buddy Rich at age 16 on the Merv Griffin Show. He played with Lionel Hampton at Carnegie Hall in 1984. He played “Volare” with Bobby Rydell at the Aquidneck Bowling Lanes in Rhode Island. He frequently plays classical music as well as jazz with the Oregon Symphony. He has played at the Smithsonian and Banff, Alberta.

Born in Eugene, he and his family moved to New York City before his first birthday. Aside from the groups he played with and led in Manhattan, he played in Boston for six years with his own groups.

He returned to Oregon in 1997, leaving the tensions of the metropolis, to live closer to nature and still have a jazz career.

“There comes a point in your career when where you live doesn’t matter,” he said. “You need to see yourself as an international musician based in Portland.”

Currently he leads the Rob Scheps 16-piece Big Band, and groups in Chicago and Kansas City. He plays with groups in Seattle, New York City and several other cities in addition to writing music, teaching and playing his tenor and soprano saxophones and flute.

Beginning in October, he and three musicians from New York City will begin a tour in Italy where they will play 12 cities in 12 nights. Past tours have included Japan, Norway, France and Jamaica.