About.
Max Allard is a banjoist, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Music in Composition from Oberlin Conservatory (class of 2025).
A new mature and poetic voice on the 5 string banjo. Beautiful compositions and a very nice touch.
— Béla Fleck
Max Allard is a banjoist, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Chicago. Max has always been interested in harmony, and he brings the influences of many genres, cultures and styles of music to his compositions, which are an unclassifiable mix of bluegrass, jazz, new acoustic, classical, and pop.
Max received a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Oberlin Conservatory, where he performed the world premiere of his banjo concerto with the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble, under the direction of Tim Weiss.
Max’s solo debut album, Odes / Codes was released in January 2022 and produced by Jayme Stone. He released his project March Maxness in 2023, which was 31 tracks written in 31 days of March 2021.
Max is currently the full time banjo player for the progressive bluegrass band Full Cord. He is a founding member of the bluegrass chamber ensemble EZRA. Max regularly performs as a solo artist and in a duo with his brother Otto Allard. He also tours with the Michigan based band Westbound Situation and the Virginia based band Hackensaw Boys.
