VIRTUAL ATLANTA SAXOPHONE DAY
Atlanta Saxophone Day is an annual event held in September. This year, Atlanta Saxophone Day is going virtual. Join us for an exciting day of saxophone presentations with guest clinicians, master classes, a lecture and recital with guest artist, Robert Young from the North Carolina School of the Arts. Registration is open to any saxophone enthusiast of all ages and experience levels both in and out of Georgia.
Each year, Atlanta Saxophone Day features a world-class guest artist. Recent guest artists include John Sampen, Chien-Kwan Lin, Claude Delangle, Frederick Hemke, and Debra Richtmeyer.
Robert Young joined the faculty of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in the fall of 2016. Dr. Young previously held teaching positions at SUNY-Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, Wichita State University, Albion College, and the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts. In the summers of 2007-2010 he was on the faculty of the M-Pulse Saxophone Workshop held at the University of Michigan where he taught with renowned professor, Donald Sinta.
As an active soloist, Young has been acclaimed for his “effortless expression and a facile technique” and his “true mastery of his instrument” (The Saxophonist Magazine). Highlights include performances with the PRISM Quartet, The Crossing, Chris Potter, Ravi Coltrane, Uri Caine, Charlotte Symphony, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestra, and University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra. Robert Young performed with the PRISM Quartet on the GRAMMY Award-winning album “Gavin Bryars: The Fifth Century” (available on ECM Recordings). He has appeared as a soloist with the Zagreb Players, Wichita State University Orchestra, Wichita State University Wind Ensemble, Minot Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Michigan Concert Band.
Dr. Young has appeared in residence as a guest at several institutions across the United States; including The University of North Texas, University of Michigan, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Pennsylvania State University. Most recently, in the summer of 2018 Robert was invited as a featured concerto soloist in Zagreb, Croatia at the XVIII World Saxophone Congress.
Dr. Young has received numerous awards of regional, national, and international acclaim including semi-finalist at the 2009 Concert Artists Guild International Competition (NYC), silver medalist at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, 3rd Prize Winner in the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition, 1st prize of the Society of Musical Arts Competition, Winner of Tuesday Musicale of Detroit Competition, 1st Prize in the Josie Etta Daley Young Artist Competition, 3rd prize in the 2005 MTNA National Collegiate Young Artist Competition, 1st prize in the 2002 MTNA National Woodwind Competition, winner of the USC Young Artist Concerto Competition, and a finalist in the University of Michigan Concerto Competition.
Dr. Young earned his Doctor of Musical Arts (2010) and Master of Music (2008) degrees in saxophone performance from the University of Michigan where he studied with Professor Donald Sinta. At the University of Michigan, he studied jazz saxophone with Dr. Andrew Bishop and was a recipient of the Lawrence Teal Fellowship. Young received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina (2006) in saxophone performance where he studied with Dr. Clifford Leaman.
Robert Young is a Conn-Selmer artist, and plays Selmer (Paris) saxophones exclusively. He is also endorsed by D’Addario and plays exclusively on D’Addario saxophone reeds.
Atlanta-based saxophonist, Matthew Hess enjoys a multifaceted career as a saxophone repair technician, teacher, and performer. As owner of Saxocentric, Matthew frequently presents masterclasses on saxophone repair topics and pedagogy throughout the United States.
In 2012, Matthew began his instrument repair career as an apprentice and team member in the Sax ProShop of MusicMedic.com. While there, Matthew learned the intricacies of high-end, meticulous saxophone repair; specializing in “Setup” and a unique “Tuning and Toning” process. In 2018 Matthew officially started his own saxophone repair business, Saxocentric, which specializes in high-end saxophone repair catered toward collegiate and professional saxophonists across the country. Through his repair endeavors, Matthew has had the unique opportunity to meet and work with saxophonists from around the world.
In 2017, Matthew founded Georgia Saxophone Retreat – a week-long saxophone camp for advanced middle and high school students in Georgia. Georgia Saxophone Retreat focuses on saxophone fundamentals, chamber music, and strives to bring in world-renown guest saxophone artists. Throughout the year, Matthew maintains a large private studio in the northern metro Atlanta area. Prior to moving to Atlanta, Matthew was the saxophone instructor at the Chapel Hill School of Musical Arts in North Carolina, and also served as the saxophone instructor at UNC School of Arts’ Community Music School.
Matthew has performed with a variety of chamber music and community wind ensembles. Most recently, Matthew has performed with Terminus Ensemble – an Atlanta-based contemporary classical music ensemble founded to promote the work of Atlanta-based composers. As a soloist, Matthew has been featured with the UNCSA Graduate Percussion Ensemble, and as part of artist Alexander Lee’s project, “The Tupapau Within” in New York City. Additionally, Matthew has given solo performances throughout the United States as a participant in North American Saxophone Alliance conferences, and as a guest artist at various schools and universities.
Matthew received a Bachelors in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a Masters in Saxophone Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Matthew’s teachers include Wildy Zumwalt, Timothy McAllister, Patrick Murphy, Christopher Creviston, and Taimur Sullivan. Matthew is a Conn-Selmer Performing Artist and plays on Selmer Paris saxophones and mouthpieces exclusively.
Shawna Pennock has been described as “rich and powerful, yet lightly effervescent” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) and “towering” (Textura). Pennock serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. At UNLV, she teaches applied saxophone lessons, music theory, woodwind pedagogy, instrumental pedagogy, and chamber music.
Pennock has won top prizes in competitions including 1st Prizes at the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition, ENKÖR Chamber Music Competition, Southern Division of Music Teachers National Association Chamber Competition North Carolina MTNA Chamber Competition, University of Georgia Concerto Competition, and the North Carolina MTNA Young Artist Competition. She has performed across three continents in Panama, France, Hong Kong, Thailand, Russia, and the United States.
Her solo CD “Fledglings“ includes new works by the following composers: Kathryn Koopman, Joel Love, Alan Theisen, David Vess, Sam Lipman, and Corey Dundee, These pieces were pedagogically conceived to guide the saxophonist to properly execute each technique. Pennock is currently the tenor saxophonist for the Dasch Quartet. Their debut CD “Necessary Edges” a collection of romantic string transcriptions by Dvorak, Puccini, and Smetana, was described as “immaculate” and “exquisitely done and played” (Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain).
Having a diverse background in education, Pennock has experience teaching Preschool through 6th grade music in public and private schools. She has blended this background with her experience teaching saxophone in higher education to create fun and engaging ways to teach saxophonists (beginner- advanced) technique and musicality.
Pennock earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Georgia. She holds a Master of Music degree and Professional Artist certificate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Bachelor of Music degree with an education certificate from The University of Iowa. Her former teachers include Connie Frigo, Taimur Sullivan, Kenneth Tse, and Robin Ciccotelli.
Atlanta-based saxophonist, Brandyn Taylor, is Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at Georgia State University and Reinhardt University. In addition to mentoring a thriving private studio of students from across the metropolitan region, he is the saxophone instructor for the Atlanta Music Academy and the Principal Saxophonist of the 116th United States Army Band. He is in demand as a clinician at schools throughout the state.
He has performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Saxophone Quartet, Bent Frequency, Terminus Ensemble, and Chamber Cartel. In his work as an Atlanta freelancer, he has performed with Grammy Award winners Patti LaBelle, Maxwell, and Brandon Bush. Brandyn has been featured on various NPR programs broadcasted across the north and southeast including “Atlanta Music Scene”, “In a Mellow Tone”, and MIT’s “Not Brahms and Liszt”. He made his Nashville recording debut in the summer of 2014 with the band RYE. Former students have been awarded top prizes/chairs in competitions across the southeast and earned full-ride scholarships to study music at prestigious universities.Brandyn holds degrees in music performance from Columbus State University and Georgia State University. His primary teacher was Dr. Jan Berry Baker, with additional studies from Dr. Frederick Hemke, Joseph Lulloff, and Mace Hibbard. Brandyn is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician and a Conn-Selmer Performing Artist.
Scott A. Stewart is on the instrumental music faculty as conductor of wind ensemble and orchestra at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the Music Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. From 1999-2013, he served as Director Wind Studies at Emory University, where he conducted the Emory Wind Ensemble and taught courses in instrumental conducting, wind band literature, and film music.
A native of Cicero, Indiana, he received a Bachelor of Music Education and a Doctor of Music in Conducting from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and a Master of Music Education from the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin. Stewart’s instructors include Ray Cramer, Stephen Pratt, David Woodley, Eugene Rousseau, Robert Duke, and Jerry Junkin.
An active saxophonist, he is a founder and a member of the Emory Saxophone Quartet, which has performed at the Rome Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum, and throughout the city. Stewart is saxophone faculty for the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Summer Music Clinic, and has performed on American Public Media’s “Pipedreams Live” hosted by Michael Barone, with the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, and at St. Phillip’s Cathedral (Atlanta) and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (New York City) with organist David Lamb. Two recent CDs feature his playing: “Beyond the Horizon, Volume 2” with Adam Frey, euphonium; and Michael Finnerty, piano; and “Gothic Chills and Reverberating Thrills” with David Lamb.
Fee and Registration information will be updated as it becomes available.
