Nathan Mertens, saxophone

Casey Dierlam Tse, piano

Carmen Borregales, clarinet

Claudio Olivera, piano

Be Good, Giving, and Game: How to be a Good Commissioning Partner as a Performer

In today's ever evolving world, we as artists are faced with a responsibility to create work that reflects the thoughts, emotions, and reactions of "now". As performers, we can do this by commissioning living composers to write new music for our instruments. While all commissioning agreements are unique, the most fruitful commissioning projects come out of relationships that are true partnerships between artists -- partnerships where both composers and performers take active roles in the creation of a new work. From a performer's perspective, this involves educating composers about possibilities and limitations of an instrument, being willing to explore new techniques, and taking steps to help a piece be heard and performed by other instrumentalists. In a lecture titled "Being Good, Giving, and Game", Dr. Julia Lougheed will outline ideal composer-performer partnerships, and discuss strategies for performers to be the best partners possible in a commissioning arrangement.

Teaching Artistry: How to Approach Instrumental Teaching Through Inclusion

Being able to create meaningful connections through music has always been important for me in my life. I remember the first time I was able to make someone smile by playing a piece that reminded them of something they had gone through recently or being able to inspire joy through sound. ‘El Sistema’ was one of the first musical projects that combined the idea of performance with social impact, which has since become a world phenomenon. Now, how do we do that in music? Teaching Artistry promotes creative and educational practice to facilitate community building, social justice, and inspiring the joy of learning music. In this article, I will emphasize and introduce ways of creating deeper connections using a multi-sensory approach in teaching to accommodate visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and multimodal. Here are a couple of things to consider and to keep in mind while approaching group lessons.

Sarah Manasreh, clarinet

Evan Clark, saxophone

Savannah McDowell, saxophone

Georgia College and State University

Ināra Zandmane, piano

Gavin Martellotti, saxophone

University of North Florida

LeBaron Trio

Lori F. Ardovino, saxophone

Melanie Williams, voice

Laurie Middaugh, piano

Lucas Gianini, clarinet

Consistent or Complacent? Creating Variety in Your Warm-Up Routine

A carefully curated warm-up routine is an essential component for successful performances. Regardless of instrument or pedagogical lineage, everyone tends to gravitate toward a process that allows them to feel prepared for make music at the highest level. If left unchecked, this tendency to "settle" can create a false sense of growth and accomplishment with familiarity masquerading as improvement. Perhaps even worse, this leads to distraction and disengagement during the first moments of playing each day.

Variety that addresses core concepts through multiple modes allows for a modular warm-up routine, with different materials to rotate in and out as one pleases. A modular approach combined with elements of chance and working through materials in a manner different than one's first exposure creates a more invigorating and stimulating approach to the instrument. This lecture will be applicable to clarinetists and saxophonists of all ages and experience levels.

Woodwind Doublers Workshop

Exercises focusing on R/L Pinky Notes on the clarinet, the clarinet break, palm keys on the saxophone, flute embouchere, the third register on flute, and jazz/classical saxophone.

Melissa Venegas Vargas, clarinet

Sergio Hernández, guitar

Cynthia Cripps, saxophone

Rebecca Coberly, soprano

Turkish Classical Repertoire for Clarinet and Saxophone

This lecture explores works by Turkish composers Necil Kazım Akses (1908–1999) and Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907–1991) and Saygun’s American student, Edward J. Hines (b. 1951). Akses and Saygun were members of the Turkish Five, a conglomerate of composers who pioneered the composition and performance of nationalist Turkish music and paved the way for future generations of Turkish composers to create classical clarinet and saxophone works. It highlights the ways in which all three composers utilize elements of the traditional Turkish modal system (makamlar) and Hine's adaptations of them for performance by American musicians. Though widely unknown and rarely performed in Western concert halls, Turkish classical music, merging influences from western Europe and the Middle East, is a beautifully diverse musical culture. The educational opportunities and pedagogical value of these pieces make them a valuable asset to clarinet and saxophone repertoire, while also introducing both musicians and audiences to a unique style and sound that includes microtones, polyrhythm, and pitch fluctuation.

Brian Rodesch, saxophone

Cassandra Hibbard, clarinets

Natalie Szabo, bass clarinet

Preparation and Performance of "Las Dolly Sisters": A Lecture Recital

Jessica Lindsey (clarinet) and Ben Still (saxophone) joined a consortium in 2021 to commission Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz. The result of this commission is “Las Dolly Sisters,” a piece for clarinet and alto saxophone. The original Dolly Sisters were twin Hungarian dancers who rose to prominence in the early 20th century in the U.S. Las Dolly Sisters were two Cuban dancers who followed in the path of the original Dolly Sisters; however, they performed highly rhythmic dance styles (mambo, cha-cha-cha, etc.) and a wide variety of meter and tempo changes as emulated by Ortiz throughout the duo. This Carolina Premiere of the work is significant because it features a prominent composer who is underrepresented in the canon of repertoire for both instruments. Following this performance, Lindsey and Still will lead a presentation which outlines a brief history of Las Dolly sisters, including an interview with the composer, in addition to practice and preparation techniques for the work.

Bobbi Thompson, saxophone

Ariel Kasler, electric guitar

Coleman Wright, saxophone

Thomas Drummond, saxophone

Claudio Olivera, piano

Ian Jeffress, saxophone

Larkin Sanders, clarinet and bass clarinet

The Red Saxophone: Hanns Eisler and "Applied Music" in Weimar Berlin

The composer Hanns Eisler was one of the leading students of Arnold Schoenberg. Instead of taking his place alongside the likes of Berg and Webern in high-art circles, however, he turned to music driven by his leftist ideology in the late 1920s and early 1930s while living in the musical and political hotbed of Berlin. The author has identified twenty-six songs and orchestral works by Eisler that utilize the saxophone. This lecture will include a biography of the composer, a discussion of those works using the saxophone, and brief discussions of the use of thise instrument in select pieces, including illustrating recordings.

Defining the Reed Quintet

This lecture will take a look into the history, origins, and repertoire of this relatively new ensemble. The most important topics will include:

• Traditional Instrumentation
• What is the correct instrumentation? What alterations are acceptable?
• What role does each instrument embody?
• The Birth of the Reed Quintet
• How was Calefax Reed Quintet originally formed?
• What has led to their continued success?
• The role they play as advocates for the continuation of the ensemble.
• Professional Reed Quintets
• A brief look at the variety of professional reed quintets from around the United States and the globe
• How do they operate as a professional reed quintet?
• What is their origin?
• Academic & Functinal Uses
• How can these ensembles function in an academic setting?
• Original Masterworks
• A look & listen at a few of the most well-known and beloved compositions.

Bryce Newcomer, clarinet

Andrea C. Baker, bassoon

Keith Northover, clarinets

Ināra Zandmane, piano

Joanna McCoskey Wiltshire, bass clarinet

Kristine Dizon, clarinet

Ināra Zandmane, piano

The Jingle Book: A Pedagogical Approach to Fundamentals

The Jingle Book is a new multi-movement work for clarinet and piano written by composer and pianist William Hueholt. Born out of a collaboration with clarinetist Kelsey Paquin, these movements are based on tuneful melodies that explore different facets of the fundamentals of clarinet playing. These movements can serve as a fun alternative to traditional etudes. The lecture will feature an exploration and proposed approach to learning and teaching this piece. It will also include the world premiere of The Jingle Book. The audience will be able to ask the composer questions and there will be opportunity to view or purchase the new work.

Diversifying the Curriculum for Undergraduate Clarinet Studies

Geneva Gay argues the importance of diverse content stating that “to empower diverse students, curriculum content must be accessible to students and connected to their lives and experiences outside of school.” Studio professors have a unique opportunity to expose students to a diverse spectrum of content that can be tailored to each individual. In this lecture recital, I will provide and discuss an eight-semester, undergraduate clarinet studies guide that centralizes the idea of diverse and inclusive repertoire. This guide will include technical exercises, etudes, solo repertoire, orchestral and wind band excerpts, and auxiliary instrument training. Each semester will show a range of options for students in each category to accommodate for varying strengths and weaknesses of different players at the same level of education. I will perform a movement from four selected works included in this guide to demonstrate the progression of the curriculum.

Paradise Winds

Tiffany Pan, oboe

Joshua Gardner, clarinet

Patrick Murphy, saxophone

Stefanie Harger Gardner, bass clarinet

Joseph Kluesener, bassoon

Jeremy Ruth, clarinet

Andrew Allen, alto and tenor saxophones

Getting the Best Out of Your Instrument

You went to a reputable music store and bought a high-quality single-reed instrument made by a top manufacturer. It may have even been "hand-selected" by a world-class musician. The instrument sounds good and doesn't leak, therefore, it must be playing its best... right? Well... maybe not. Having quality equipment that sounds good and seals is very important of course, but it is only the beginning when it comes to getting the best out of your instrument. Modifications, undercutting, pad and material selection, cleaning and oiling methods, inspection methods, lubrication, after-market accessories, and (most importantly) communicating with your technician are just some of the topics to be covered. Join me for an overview of the techniques, methods, and materials that I have used to successfully repair and modify clarinets and saxophones for some of the top professors and symphony musicians in North America.

Black Dog Duo

Kelsey Paquin, clarinet

William Hueholt, piano

María Ortiz-Laboy, clarinet

Roddy Terrell, clarinet