Album Release: ALCHEMY

After two years of fundraising, rehearsing, recording, editing, negotiation, and anticipation, I am pleased to share that my debut album, ALCHEMY, is now available! Performed in collaboration with pianist and composer Benjamin Nylander, ALCHEMY presents a curated selection of new music by established and emerging composers alike. This is a significant release for 2022 showcasing world premiere recordings of the best new music for saxophone and piano performed by Duo Aurous.

Tracks include:

1. John Anthony Lennon: Distances Within Me (1979)

2. Marilyn Shrude: Lacrimosa (2006, premiere recording)

3. Mischa Zupko: Simple Song (2019, premiere recording)

4. Benjamin Nylander: Body of Water (2022, world premiere and premiere recording)

5. Viet Cuong: Sanctuary (2020, premiere recording)

Digital downloads are available TODAY through Clarinet & Saxophone Classic Recordings, CDs ship in 1-2 weeks, and streaming closer to November.

Some crucial acknowledgments:

• Thanks to my wife Kenzie Heaney for her unending emotional support, partnership, and audience throughout the realization of this project.

• Thanks to John Sampen, Marilyn Shrude, and Michael Laurello for their continuing advice and keen artistic guidance throughout planning, recording, and production.

• Thanks to Dean Bill Mathis and Bowling Green State University for providing the use of Bryan Recital Hall.

• This recording was funded in part by the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music at the College of Musical Arts of Bowling Green State University and the BGSU College of Musical Arts Student Professional Development Fund.

• Recording Engineering and Editing: Robbie Dunham.

• Mastering: Willowhayne Records

• Artwork: Hannah Jacoby-Brooks

Click the link and give ALCHEMY a listen, TODAY!

Review: Backun Vocalise TM1 & TM2 Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces

Today, I’m happy to share my review on the brand new Backun Vocalise TM1 & TM2 mouthpieces! Many thanks to Meridian Winds for supplying the review copies.

These mouthpieces were designed in a collaboration with soloist Timothy McAllister, mouthpiece craftsperson Richard Hawkins, and Backun Musical Company. These mouthpieces were made to fit the needs of students and professionals alike and promise high consistency of manufacture. A point of interest is the custom chamber and throat design!

While the TM2 was more to my preference than the TM1, both were well-made and responded easily to air and articulation. Check out my full thoughts below:

The Easiest Way to Learn Saxophone Embouchure

Hello world, it’s been a minute! Apologies for my general absence and spotty posting. Last semester I spent much of my time grinding for DMA comprehensive examinations and finishing most of my remaining cognate coursework. This is in addition to my part-time teaching at Heidelberg University and assistantship duties at BGSU. Anybody who has completed a terminal degree can back me up when I say that this put me through wringer, to say the least. At any rate, it’s good to be back and (hopefully) posting more regularly; onward!

Today, I am sharing a video that talks about the easiest way to explain and learn proper saxophone embouchure. It is all too easy to get lost in anatomical terminology and nitty gritty when explaining embouchure to beginners. Rather than falling into this pedagogical trap, teachers instead must find familiar experiences or sensations that students can refer when learning a new skill. In the case of the saxophone embouchure, we should all suck our thumb!