Earthquake in Sichuan

A 7.9 earthquake centered in Wenchuan county 55 miles north of Chengdu struck China yesterday May 12. Current SOU student Tang Di is from Yibin, Sichuan and went to school in Chengdu. SOU alum Brent Weber is currently teaching in Chendgu at the Sichuan Conservatory. Incoming SOU student and CMC scholarship student Qi Wenjun is studying at the conservatory. She will arrive in Ashland this fall. Yesterday was one of worry and concern. We finally heard from Professor Li Yusheng and Brent last night. They are okay and Chengdu seems to have been spared the damage of the outlying areas. Our thoughts go out to all who are suffering in Sichuan. I leave for Chengdu in a little over a week. Pictured are SOU students with Sichuan Conservatory students, Mr. Li, Brent Weber, Steve Thorpe and myself.

From Brent Weber:
Nimen hao!

First of all, thank you for your concern regarding the earthquakes in China. Fortunately, I was on street level during the quake and none of my friends of students were injured. I was standing in front of SCCM when the first tremor hit, and felt the ground move for close to 2 minutes. Luckily, the police were very organized, and put us at ease. Now, we're all mourning the losses of the many in Sichuan province and throughout China. Again, thank you for kind wishes and I will relay your concern to my students and friends and co-workers.

Best Wishes,
Brent Weber

From Li Yuseng:
Dear Rhett,
Thank you very much for you e-mail.
Brent, I and my family are well in the quake. Our experience is very dangerous yesterday,but we are safe today.
Power,water and food,traffic as same as usual. I kept in touch with Brent.

Thank again!
Yusheng Li

May 21st Concert Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:

Sunday, April 27, 2008

For further information contact:

Colleen Graves, Music Department

541-552-6102

Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra SOAR

ASHLAND, OR. The Southern Oregon University Department of Music presents a session of SOAR–Southern Oregon Arts and Research—with a concert featuring the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra on Wednesday, May 21st at 8:00 PM in the SOU Music Recital Hall. This is the inaugural year of a two-day, university-wide celebration of faculty and student research and artistic activity.

The fourteen members of the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra (SSO), directed by Dr. Rhett Bender, will showcase the artistic achievements of students and faculty. Featured will be three composition world premieres by Southern Oregon University students: Jenifer Jaseau, DooDeeDu; Travis Moddison, Collisions; and Keith Smelcer, Gimmicky. The orchestra will also perform arrangements of Bach, Copland and Marcello, arranged by SSO members Vicki Purslow, Rhett Bender and Jenifer Jaseau. Dr. Bender will also present a solo performance of Tag! by Eric Stokes.

The Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra (SSO), under the direction of Dr. Rhett Bender, highlights the unique voices of the entire saxophone family: bass, baritone, tenor, alto, soprano and sopranino. SSO performances showcase styles from classical music favorites, American big band hits, and world music, as well as original pieces written for the SSO. In October the SSO traveled to China, where they performed to crowds of admiring music fans. As the guests of Mercury Saxophones, the SSO performed at the China Music Trade Show in Shanghai and at the northern seaside resort city of Yantai.

The Siskiyou newspaper quotes audience members from a recent concert: “It was wonderful. I really enjoyed myself.” “They were great. It's amazing that saxophones can have such power. I didn't want it to end.” “It was another great event offered by the music department.” For more information about the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra, please visit www.sou.edu/music/siskiyousaxophone.

Rhett Bender is an Associate Professor of Music at Southern Oregon University and is sought out internationally as a saxophone artist. He has presented master-classes throughout the United States, Europe, China and Mexico. Bender is a founding member and soprano saxophonist with the Globe Saxophone Quartet and teaches each May at the Sichuan Conservatory of Classical Music in Chengdu, China as artist-in-residence. He is one of the featured saxophonists on AUR’s landmark seven-volume CD set, America’s Millennium Tribute to Adolphe Sax, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2000. Rhett Bender is a Yamaha Performing Artist and clinician. www.sou.edu/music.bender

Tickets for this performance are $8 for general admission and FREE for students. Tickets and season passes may be purchased by calling 541-552-6101 or at the Music Box Office prior to the performance. For more information, please visit Southern Oregon University’s Music Department website at http://www.sou.edu/music.

Globe Concert in Laramie

The six hours of rehearsal were put to good use last night. The University of Wyoming Day of Saxophone Orchestra played a half-hour pre-concert program followed by a full recital by Globe. I had a lot of fun playing sopranino in the saxophone orchestra. John conducted the group. He is a great conductor and always an inspiration to work with.


We began the Globe recital with a concerto grosso by Handel. Jennifer, Scott and I played the solo parts while John conducted the orchestra. The concert was very well received. After Handel we played Glazunov, Fox, Ulla in Africa, Dvorak, Robert Burn's Suite and finished with Rivier. Keep checking for audio from the concert.

Also attending the concert were my aunt and uncle who live in Laramie and my parents who drove all the way from Iowa--11 hours to see the concert. It was great to see them all.

Globe Rehearsal in Laramie

After driving through a blizzard on the boarder of Colorado and Wyoming, John and I rolled into Laramie on our rented 4Runner. Globe then crammed an exhausting 3 hours of rehearsing into our evening before a late dinner. Today is Saturday and begins the Wyoming Day of Saxophone. Globe will play a concert tonight so we got up early and began rehearsing again. Because of the distances we are from each other (Georgia, Wyoming and Oregon) rehearsal time is precious. We'll play tonights concert after an intense six hours of rehearsing. Several of the pieces we've never played together.

John is currently rehearsing the saxophone orchestra. They'll give Globe a "pre" concert performance tonight. All prepared in just 2 hours by John.

Stuck in Denver airport

The spring snow continues to affect travel. I'm supposed to be headed to Laramie, Wyoming with Globe member Scott for the Wyoming Day of Saxophone. Instead, I'm stuck at the Denver airport because I-80 is closed in Wyoming. Once baritone saxophonist John has arrived from Atlanta we'll rent an SUV and head north hoping the road eventually opens. This was supposed to be a half day of travel and then rehearsal. It is looking like it will be more travel than rehearsal. I'm bored so I'm blogging.