Music
As part of my own artistic endeavors, I am committed to performing and programming works by historically excluded composers, and collaborating with other artists who are interested in the same. No Broken Links is a directory highlighting solo and chamber music by composers from communities who continue to face marginalization in the field of classical music. Brandon Rumsey and myself produce and edit a public-access directory which aims to champion diversity in classical music by forming an ambassadorship with those individuals presented on the directory.
As a performing artist, I have garnered numerous prizes in various national and international competitions, alongside appearing as a soloist at Carnegie Hall. As both a performer and scholar, I have contributed to notable national and international conferences including: Music Teachers National Association, Association for Arts Administration Educators, Strategic National Arts Alumni Project, North American Saxophone Alliance, and Sabre Festival in Zürich, Switzerland. Within my work as a guest clinician, I have been invited to teach and provide clinics at various institutions, such as Montclair State University, California School of the Arts, San Francisco Conservatory, Texas A&M International University, and Wagner College, among others. My primary teachers include Stephen Page, Geoffrey Deibel, Zachary Shemon, and Stacy Wilson.
Shams Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Saxophone Ensemble by Jean-Denis Michat
One of my favorite pieces to perform, there’s a jolt of electricity from the very start, for both performer and audience, which just makes me feel on top of the world. A passion project of mine, this saxophone ensemble version was recorded with a group of lovely friends, in October of 2020. Suffice to say, a global pandemic did not make this one easy… but we did it.
With Eyes Open by Ingrid Stölzel
This was the first piece in which I collaborated with pianist extraordinaire Evan Hines. What drew me to Evan was his gentle and subtle approach to music-making, and this piece of music has a kind of delicacy that feels so vulnerable (especially at the end). But his humor and compassion, and our similar love for Beyoncé has continued to foster a fruitful friendship.
This Earthly Round by Dr. Miriama Young
Oh, this one... It seems fitting that I studied this during the pandemic, because we felt “in the dark” as a society; questions and questions and questions. The soundscape here feels simultaneously right and wrong - you’ll see what I mean. The sounds are strange, and I love it. A great memory for me is playing this piece in a lesson for my now colleague Dr. Stephen Page. We both were like… “Oh, this is a good one”.
Look For Me by Nico Muhly
Chamber music is my bread and butter. I knew I wanted to be in a chamber ensemble when I began my doctorate degree at UT Austin, but I also wanted to do something different… Reed Quintet. Great friends. Fun rehearsals. Lasting memories. That’s all.