The reed quintet is an intriguing and innovative chamber ensemble that offers adistinctive soundscape to the genre of chamber music. Through significant efforts to legitimize the ensemble, the reed quintet now exists as a viable option for chamber musicians. However, a significant challenge remains in the limited accessibility of repertoire suitable for developing musicians interested in reed quintets. REED REVOLUTION: A Fundamental Approach to Reed Quintet represents a comprehensive solution, offering aspiring student chamber musicians the essential pedagogical tools and materials needed to excel in a reed quintet setting. This method book encompasses a wide array of strategies aimed at fostering a functional and collaborative ensemble, establishing foundational chamber music skills, and introducing five original compositions commissioned specifically for this project. With REED REVOLUTION, student reed quintets can begin their chamber music journey equipped with tools to become a successful ensemble prepared to explore the existing reed quintet repertoire. Additionally, the method book includes a collection of online resources and recordings, performed by the Arcane Reed Quintet, produced by Dr. Joshua Gardner, and recorded by Jin Studios, LLC. These resources include reference recordings and practice tracks for each instrument and the ensemble, serving as invaluable aids in the learning process.

This project addresses the issue of a shallow repertoire for the saxophone ensemble with a multimedia, interdisciplinary contribution of Gustav Holst’s The Planets. Beyond expanding the ensemble repertoire, this arrangement introduces a routinely excluded instrument and its respective musicians to repertoire they would otherwise not have the privilege to play, and to apply the culmination of skills acquired throughout my experience in academia: saxophone, arranging, visual art, and audio/video editing. This project consists of my arrangement of Holst’s The Planets for large saxophone ensemble, my audio recording of the arrangement, scans of thirty five of my paintings which serve as visual accompaniments to the recordings, a scoring guide detailing the justifications in the arrangement choices, and a performance or rehearsal guide for each of the seven movements.

Saxophonists regularly transcribe works from the 19th and 20th centuries in order tobolster our repertoire from those eras. As one of the youngest concert instruments, few substantial works exist for the instrument prior to the mid 20th century. By regularly transcribing works that are standards in other instruments’ repertoires, we have perpetuated the historical underrepresentation of female composers from the same time period. In answer to this, I have researched, analyzed, transcribed, and recorded four works originally for violin and piano written by female composers born in the 19th century. This program represents differing styles and nationalities, while being a cohesive program of works. The repertoire consists of a set of character pieces by Ika Peyron, sonatas by Dora Pejačević and Germaine Tailleferre, and finally a theme and variations by Teresa Milanollo to serve as a closer. Each chapter provides insights into my transcription process and tables of the alterations made to the original material, as well as short analyses of each piece. i

This project includes recordings, composer biographies, and performance guides for four original works commissioned for me. All four compositions were written specifically for the baritone saxophone and piano accompaniment, to contribute and expand the repertoire for baritone saxophone while incorporating pedagogical and performance practices that will aid in the development of a baritone saxophonist. In addition, I will highlight the problems that have become consistent with the limited amount of repertoire for baritone saxophone, and how these commissioned works can be one of many ways to amend these issues. Within these four works, I will discuss and expand on fundamental pedagogical concepts, suitable healthy practice and performance habits to ensure wellness to the performer, as well as my personal approach to each piece. Two of these four original compositions were recorded in Organ Hall at ASU on April 19, while the other two compositions were premiered at the 2023 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference held in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on Friday, March 31st. Furthermore, all four compositions will be recorded in a recording studio by the Azure Duo, which consists of myself on baritone saxophone, and John Fabius Solari on piano. Recordings will be done at the recording studio Fusion on First, located at Arizona State University Downtown Campus in June 2023. The first piece, On the Hunt (2022) was written by Jorge Machain (b. 1993). The second piece, written by Brooke Herndon (b. 1995), is titled Vignettes (2022). The third piece, Fantasia V (Five) (2023), was written by Kevin Day (b. 1996). The fourth and final piece in the set of commissions is Lonepine (2023), written by Tanner Bayles (b. 1999).