It’s easy to imagine pulsating synthesizers, booming microphones and screaming guitars when picturing the college-age music experience. It’s also easy to picture the dancing lights and wild rush of energized crowds. This romantic, stereotyped image, however, exists in stark contrast to Georgia State School of Music’s Saxophone Day.
Saxophone Day will be held at the Kopleff Recital Hall Sept. 20 with artist registration prices ranging from $60 for regular participants to $85 for masterclass participants. All attendees will be able to view the day’s events in full.
Performing artist and saxophone professor Jan Berry Baker founded the event eight years ago with Scott Stewart, wind ensemble director at Emory University. Together, they created the Atlanta area’s biggest celebration of the saxophone.
“It started out as Emory Saxophone Day because I was teaching at Emory at the time. I wanted to introduce myself to the community and give back,” Baker said. “I wanted to bring amateurs, college students, professionals and avid saxophone players together.”
Bringing saxophone admirers together is exactly what Saxophone Day has done for the past eight years. Since its inception, the event has grown from an audience numbering in the dozens to include anywhere from 70 to 100 saxophonists from the Southeast alone.
According to Baker, the event has grown steadily over the years since its inception.
“The last few years it’s been big. We have students coming from University of Central Florida. We have students from the University of North Florida and all the colleges in state. It got bigger,” Baker said.
Students from Georgia State, Valdosta, Columbus State, Kennesaw and more will attend this year’s Saxophone Day in addition to students from middle and high schools.
“It’s an idea to meet people and get people of all ages and levels together. It really is a community event. It’s for everybody,” Baker said with a smile.
Saxophone Day isn’t just inclusive, however. It’s also expansive. The day’s events will include a number of activities ranging from warm ups, choir rehearsals, artist recitals, professional master classes, sponsor exhibits and lectures.
Renowned American saxophonist Frederick Hemke will be giving two masterclasses over the course of the day, instructing students on playing technique in addition to giving a lecture. Hemke has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Premiere Prix du Saxophone and the Kappa Kappa Psi Distinguished Service to Music Medal.
Additionally, Masahito Sugihara, assistant professor of saxophone at Sam Houston State University, will perform a recital. Over the years, Sugihara has performed in numerous quartets, operas and ensembles in addition to numerous countries across the world including the United States, Norway and Brazil.
While individuals from a variety of universities, careers and saxophone skill levels are invited to join the day’s activities, Baker said that she was particularly excited to see her own students perform.
“They always make me proud, so I’m looking forward to that,” Baker said. “I’m also looking forward to hearing the high school students play, because I think it’s an important beginning step for them. For a lot of them, it’s the first time they have played as a soloist in public, and that really takes a lot of courage. It’s an important moment.”
Jack Thorpe, 19-year-old sophomore saxophone performance major, has been playing the saxophone since sixth grade in his middle school band and has been a student of Baker’s since he was 15 years old. He’s scheduled to perform during the day’s saxophone choir and as a soloist during Hemke’s masterclass.
“I love playing the saxophone and it is great to meet and listen to other saxophonists of all ages from around the area,” Thorpe said.
According to Thorpe, playing in a group allows him to better understand the sounds and intonation of different instruments coalescing, ultimately helping him to better perform in smaller groups of players.
“I have attended before and it definitely has affected my musicianship. I went to my first Saxophone Day in 2010 and every year since then I have learned from listening to others play in masterclasses for our guest artists,” Thorpe said.
Thorpe, just like his teacher, also believes that Saxophone Day is more than just a learning opportunity for musicians to better their own craft. He also sees it as a way of strengthening the musical community.
“Saxophone Day has acted as a major instrument in the growth of enthusiasm within the saxophone community of middle and high schoolers who otherwise would not have a way to meet other kids who are passionate about saxophone music,” Thorpe said.
