Saxophone Workshop Day 4

Our big day. The 26 member saxophone orchestra (30 with the faculty) performed before hundreds in Lithia Park.












































Prior to the concert the ensemble rehearsed outside in front of the SOU Music Building, preparing for the wind, heat and acoustics. Little did we know we'd be competing against both a sprinkler system and a lawn mower! Who won? you be the judge.

Saxophone Workshop Day 3

It was hump day at the Saxophone Workshop and that means rafting the Rogue! We rehearsed from 9AM until noon, ate lunch, and loaded up the Momentum rafting vans and headed to the river.

It was 100 degrees and the cold water of the Rogue felt great. The faculty and students have been working very hard to prepare for concerts Thursday and Friday. The rafting trip was a well earned break in our schedule.

Tomorrow is the Saxophone Orchestra Concert in Lithia Park. Friday is the small ensemble concert.

Saxophone Workshop Day 2

Images of Saxophone Workshop from Dennis Dunleavy

Saxophone Workshop Day 2

Tuesday was a day of intense rehearsals. Today we decide we pick the music for the Thursday and Friday Concerts. In between rehearsals and classes, the students visit displays by Cripple Creek Music, Larry's Music and Yamaha Corporation. All the instruments are there for the students to try. Each store has music, reeds and instruments to purchase. Here is a video of the room:


In the early evening the faculty, Globe Saxophone Quartet, performed at the Eden Valley Orchards. In spite of the near 100 degree heat, the outdoor concert was well attended with many local saxophone fans and students of the workshop. The Globe Saxophone Quartet entertained the audience with a variety of classical transcriptions, original saxophone music and light audience favorites.

In this video Globe imitates Scottish bagpipes in the piece "Robert Burns Suite" by Paul Harvey.

Saxophone Workshop Day 1

The SOU and Britt Festival's Saxophone Workshop began like the Le Tour de France with a pre-workshop "prologue" on Sunday evening. We affectionately call it the "Meet and Greet." We have 26 students and 2 counselors, 2 staff and 4 faculty. Students have come from British Columbia, Hawaii, Washington, Wyoming, California and Oregon—including 6 from Creswell! Thanks Sandi. Green!
After meeting everyone, eating two fabulous desserts by Anahata Little (a French eclair and an Italian chocolate cake–did I mention going to Italy in September?) and passing out music; many of the students left to practice–as did the Globe Quartet.

Day 1 began on Monday morning with John Bleuel leading the 26 member strong Siskiyou Saxophone Workshop Orchestra. They will perform before the Ashland City Band Concert in Lithia Park on Thursday. Watch him work below:




After a break I assigned each student a quartet or a quintet. These smaller chamber ensembles are preparing to perform on our final concert Friday night at 6PM.

WyOregon Quartet
Tiffany Hurd
Keith Smelcer
Nick Waroff
Troy Thompson

Mazama Quartet
Kirsten Campbell
Jasmine Hankey
Aubrey Bauer
Jamie Krull

Pacific Quintet
Roy Abdun-Nur
Tovi Olivolo
Tang Di
Andrew Krug
Seth Singer

Cascade Quartet
Daryan Chitsaz
Robby Sheppard
Maycee Spence
Elise Heater

Rogue Quartet
Samantha Strunk-Hintz
Kathryn Annett
Meghan Jordan
Tiffany Letsom

Lithia Quintet
Lizzie Jossie
Garrett Little
Nick Heater
Bernard Hertz
Connor Bell

After lunch the afternoon session began with a performance by the Saxophone Quartet of the Air National Guard Band of the Northwest out of Spokane Washington. See them perform below:

Tonight at 6PM is the Globe Saxophone Quartet Performance at Eden Valley Winery. Please Join us.