Friday, March 24, 2017

Julia Nolan Master Class, UVic March 24, 2017.

The UVic Saxophone Studio was honoured to host a well attended master class with distinguished saxophonist Dr. Julia Nolan.

Dr. Nolan is well known among Canadian and, in particular, West Coast saxophonists. She has established an international reputation for musical excellence and expressive performances.

Dr. Nolan's visit included a performance with the University of Victoria Wind Symphony under the baton of Dr. Gerry King.

The master class included solo and ensemble adjudication of two quartets and three soloists. A brief performance was given by the Vancouver Island Saxophone Ensemble (VISE) under the baton of Wendell Clanton (Instructor, UVic).

Performances featured T. Morgan (Sonata/Muczynski), M. Melnicky (Divertimento/Boutry), M. Fichter (Escapades/Williams), Introduction et variations sur une ronde populaire (1934: Pierné) for Quartet (Stairs-Morgan-Reid-Brewka), Andante from Andante et Scherzo (Bozza) performed by Quartet Eriksen-Melnicky-Vielguth-Fichter, and Nessun Dorma (Puccini) performed by VISE.

Solo performances were ably assisted by UVic School of Music pianists J. Keeler, M. Chow, and V. Lee.

Click on Images to Enlarge
L-R: Clanton, Melnicky, Eriksen, Morgan, Nolan, Reid, Brewka
Cramaro, Stairs, Beaton and Izon.
Missing: Fichter, Vielguth, and alumni Nicholl and Jasieniuk.




Saturday, March 18, 2017

The Year in Review: part one. Scenes from Semester Two (Jan.-March 2017)

Quartet Quinsam | Queen of Sheba
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Camas Quartet (Winner, 2016 Victoria Performing Arts Festival)
La Muerte del Ángel/Piazzolla

University of Victoria School of Music Friday and Tuesday student concerts are open to the public. Admission is free; donations are welcome.

UVic Saxophones with The Civic Orchestra of Victoria, March 18th.



Under the direction of Maestro Yariv Aloni, four University of Victoria Saxophonists performed this afternoon the London Suite by Eric Coates with the The Civic Orchestra of Victoria.

Connor Stairs (Yr 3), Todd Morgan (Yr 1), Jesse Reid (Yr 1) and Matthew Fichter (Yr 2) gave a confident and expressive performance of the three movement Suite at the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre.
  1. Covent Gardens (Tarantelle)
  2. Westminster (Meditation)
  3. Knightsbridge (March)


LtoR: C. Stairs, M. Fichter, Maestro Aloni, J. Reid & T. Morgan

Congratulations to the quartet!

Monday, March 13, 2017

March 2017 Ensemble Concert Collage

Congratulations to all saxophone students on the occasion of your individual and collaborative achievements this past weekend. Well done!

Click on Images to Enlarge




A special note of thanks to Lutheran Church of the Cross for being gracious hosts and for making available a building with such excellent acoustical properties.

2013 World Premiere • Omar Khayyam In Belfast

2013 World Premiere • Omar Khayyam In Belfast
UVic 50th Anniversary Faculty Concert

"φ ↓ ψ" or "Joint Denial" or "Neither/Nor" by Nathan Friedman