Paul Bro has performed throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Austria, France,Paul Bro has performed throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Austria, France,Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. As a soloist, Bro hasperformed concertos with the U.S. Navy Band, the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, the RoyalAir Force Band of Belgium, and the Tambov Symphony Orchestra (Russia). His featuredrecordings include Nostalgie: A Retrospective of the Saxophone Music of M. William Karlins aswell as Libby Larsen's Holy Roller, a work written for him, with the Indiana State UniversityWind Ensemble on the compact disc Symphonies & Such. He also has performed with theChicago Opera Theater, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Grant ParkOrchestra of Chicago, Lydian String Quartet, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and St. LouisSymphony (on tour to Carnegie Hall).

A member of the Chicago Saxophone Quartet for over 30 years, Bro appears on the group's threecompact discs, The Chicago Saxophone Quartet, Capriccio, and July. As the principalsaxophonist of the Philharmonia à Vent, he has appeared on all seven of the group's compactdiscs. The Bro-Fowler Duo for saxophone and cello has commissioned several distinguishedcomposers, including Alexis Bacon, Dorothy Chang, Frank Felice, Libby Larsen, Zhou Long,and Augusta Read Thomas.

He has given clinics at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Indiana MusicEducators Association Convention, and numerous colleges and universities throughout theUnited States, Canada, and France. He also has served as an artist-in-residence at the BanffCentre in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Bro, Dr. William Street, and Jean-Marie Londeix are co-foundersof the saxophone research websites SaxAmE.org (Saxophone in America and Europe).

Dr. Bro is a professor of music at Indiana State University, where he was recognized in 1996with the Educational Excellence Award from the ISU College of Arts and Sciences. He receivedhis Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Northwestern University, where hestudied with Dr. Frederick Hemke, and his Bachelor of Music degree from Iowa StateUniversity, where he studied with Dr. Joseph Messenger and was awarded in 2005 with theDepartment of Music’s inaugural Outstanding Alumni Award. Dr. Bro has served asMembership Director, First Vice President, President-Elect, President, and Past-President of theNorth American Saxophone Alliance (NASA).

After graduating from Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo Japan, he completed his graduate studies at Northwestern University. In 1984, he made his recital debut in Tokyo. Participated as an instructor at the FLHSI 2015. In 2016, he was a visiting professor at Indiana University in conjunction with Professor Otis Murphy's sabbatical leave. In 2017, invited to perform and give a master class at the United States Navy Saxophone Symposium. In 2018, invited by the North American Saxophone Alliance to perform and give a master class. In 2020, he accompanied the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev on their Japan tour as a guest performer. Solo CD  "Tone Studies" (specially selected by Record Geijutsu magazine and nominated for the 56th Record Academy Prize). He is a professor at Kunitachi College of Music Graduate School. He is the leader of the "Masato Kumoi Sax Quartet".

Guest Artist

Noa Even is a versatile saxophonist primarily dedicated to the creation of new music through close collaboration with composers, improvisation, and most recently, composition. Atomic, Noa’s solo commissioning project, features multimedia music that explores themes of human connection. Her studio recording of Emily Koh’s b(locked.orders), one of the first atomic collaborations, is on Koh’s recent album released on the Innova label. Noa’s duos, Ogni Suono and Patchwork, have commissioned dozens of works, toured extensively, and recently released albums on New Focus Recordings. Both ensembles often combine college campus performances with master classes, student composer reading sessions, and discussions on arts leadership and career planning.

In addition to teaching and performing, Noa has made contributions to the field through various creative projects and administrative roles. She recently launched The Saxophone Repository, a free online list of resources for saxophonists that focuses on living, historically excluded composers, musicians, and authors in the field. Another new endeavor is co-hosting Talking Free Music, a virtual interview series featuring practitioners of free improvisation. She currently serves as Treasurer of the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA), Advisor of the Committee on the Status of Women+ in NASA, and on the editorial board of The Saxophone Symposium. In 2017, Noa co-founded Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project (CUSP), a non-profit organization that champions new and experimental music by curating a year-round concert series, presenting an annual festival, and organizing professional opportunities for young composers.

Currently based in Philadelphia, Noa is Lecturer and Head of Woodwinds at Rowan University. She is a Conn-Selmer Artist-Clinician and on the Vandoren Artist Roster.

Kyle Horch won numerous prizes as a young musician at competitions in Britain, Europe, and the United States. He made his London debut at the Purcell Room in 1989, and since then has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at many venues in Britain and abroad. His recordings ChamberSax, AngloSax, and Flotilla have received international praise: “This is a stunning album” American Record Guide (forAngloSax). As a freelance musician, he has performed on concerts, broadcasts, tours, and recordings with many ensembles including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, the chamber ensemble 'Counterpoise', the ‘Art Deco Trio’, and Michael Law’s Piccadilly Dance Orchestra. Kyle studied with Frederick Hemke at Northwestern University in Chicago, and with Stephen Trier at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He has been a saxophone professor at the Royal College of Music in London since 1991, and he has given masterclasses at many other institutions in Britain, France, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, Singapore, Australia, and the USA.

Debra Richtmeyer, internationally renowned soloist and pedagogue has performed throughout North America and in China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Spain   and Thailand. Professor of Saxophone at the University of Illinois since 1991, she has performed as concerto soloist with numerous bands and orchestras, including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Slovak Radio Orchestra, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Washington D.C. United States Navy Band and was principal saxophonist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (1981-1991) and the St. Louis Symphony (1992-2002). She has commissioned and premiered numerous compositions and was the first woman to perform a featured concerto with orchestra and to give a master class at a World Saxophone Congress. Twice a Grammy List Nominee, Richtmeyer’s solo CDs have received reviews such as "flawless...an extraordinary album" by the American Record Guide and “first-class solo playing” by the Dallas Morning News. She has adjudicated state, national and international competitions, including the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Jean-Marie Londeix International Saxophone Competition, and is the recipient of prestigious awards including the North American Saxophone Alliance’s Honorary Life Member Award and the University of Illinois’ Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching. Richtmeyer’s students have won numerous national and international prizes and are teaching and performing in the United States, Europe and Asia. Previously on the faculty at the University of North Texas and Lawrence Conservatory, she received her degrees from Northwestern University and was a student and Teaching Assistant for Dr. Frederick Hemke.  Richtmeyer is a Selmer Artist/Clinician, Past President of the North American Saxophone Alliance and Elected Member of the International Saxophone Committee. Her book, Between the Notes: A Saxophonist’s Guide to Practice, Performance and Pedagogy is in press with the Theodore Presser Co. and will be released soon.

Susan Fancher is an internationally-recognized concert saxophonist known for her expressive tone and poetic musical interpretations. In addition to her solo performances, she has performed as the member of many chamber music ensembles, including the Red Clay, Amherst, Vienna, and Rollin’ Phones saxophone quartets. A much sought-after performer of new music, Susan Fancher has inspired and premiered over 100 new works for saxophone.  Most recent premiere performances include Scott Lindroth’s Quintet for soprano saxophone and string quartet with Duke University’s resident Ciompi String Quartet, and a concerto for soprano saxophone by Charles Nichols.

Susan Fancher is an active recitalist, performing frequently with pianist Ināra Zandmane, and presenting master classes as an artist clinician for the Selmer and Vandoren/DANSR companies.  She has performed in many of the world’s leading venues including Sala São Paulo, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, Filharmonia Hall in Warsaw, and the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.  Tours have taken her to Albania, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and throughout the US. 

Over the past decade, Susan Fancher has championed a growing repertoire of concertos for soprano saxophone, including concertos by Mark Engebretson, David Kirkland Garner, Hilary Tann, and Michael Torke.  She premiered Mark Engebretson’s Concerto for soprano saxophone and orchestra in Sala São Paulo under the baton of Ligia Amadio.  The version with wind ensemble was performed with the Chicago College of Performing Arts Wind Ensemble, conducted by Steve Squires, and with the State University of New York at Fredonia Wind Ensemble, conducted by Paula Holcomb.  Susan Fancher gave the premiere performance of David Kirkland Garner's Concerto, based on Celtic themes, with the Duke University Wind Symphony under the direction of Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant, and more recently performed it at the North American Saxophone Alliance’s Region 7 conference with the Western Carolina Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Margaret Underwood.  Together with a consortium of wind ensembles, Susan Fancher commissioned and premiered the wind ensemble version of Michael Torke's Concerto for soprano saxophone.

Susan Fancher’s discography lists over twenty CDs on Arizona University Records, Philips, New World, Lotus Records Salzburg, Parma, Mark Records, Extraplatte, and Innova Records. Her CD release “Of Erthe and Air: Susan Fancher and friends play music of Hilary Tann” on Arizona University Records features a live performance of Tann’s soprano saxophone concerto Shakkei with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, performed in 2009 in Bangkok at the World Saxophone Congress.

Susan Fancher earned her Doctor of Music from Northwestern University, where she was a student of Dr. Frederick Hemke, and the Médaille d'Or from the conservatory in Bordeaux, France, where she studied with Monsieur Jean-Marie Londeix.  She teaches saxophone and coaches chamber music at Duke University and at Wake Forest University.

For more information, visit susanfancher.com

Masahito Sugihara is the associate professor of saxophone at Sam Houston State University. Mas has appeared as recitalist and clinician in Brazil, Canada, England, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Japan, Scotland, and United States. He is a member of Awea Duo (flute & saxophone) and Amethyst Saxophone Quartet, and has performed in the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Chicago Chamber Musicians, Chicago Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Dal Niente, Grant Park Orchestra, Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Network for New Music, New York City Ballet, and Reading Symphony. As an avid arranger, Mas has transcribed a wide range of compositions for flute/sax duo, reed quartet, saxophone quartet, and larger saxophone ensembles. He earned the Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Northwestern University as a student of Dr. Frederick L. Hemke. Previously, he was the assistant professor of saxophone at Morehead State University and has taught saxophone and chamber music in the Chicago area at Northwestern University, Roosevelt University and Trinity Christian College. Mas is a Conn-Selmer/Selmer Paris and D’Addario Performing Artist.

Saxophonist Nathan Nabb maintains an active and multifaceted concert schedule, with numerous performances in solo, chamber and orchestral settings throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As an orchestral musician, Nathan performs with the St. Louis Symphony and the Houston Symphony, and has also performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, New World Symphony, IRIS Chamber Orchestra and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Recent orchestral highlights include concerto performances with St. Louis and Houston Symphonies, as well as European tours with both orchestras, featuring concerts at the BBC Proms, Berlin Musikfest, the Klara Festival and in some of the most vaunted concert spaces, including Royal Albert Hall, Salle Pleyel, Berlin Philharmonie, Berlin Konzerthaus, Vienna Konzerthaus, and the Elbphilharmonie, among others.

Dr. Nabb makes regular appearances as a soloist and clinician. Recent invited solo recitals include performances across North America, and Asia. He was featured as concerto soloist at the Region IV North American Saxophone Alliance conference in 2015 and has performed solos at World Saxophone Congress, North American Saxophone Alliance, Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, as well as prominent schools of music and saxophone studios throughout the United States, France, Taiwan, Japan, Spain, Greece, Norway, Canada and China.  He can be heard on the BIS, Innova, Myrios Classics, Pentatone, Teal Creek, and AMP record labels.

Nathan is the soprano saxophonist in Oasis Quartet, an ensemble that enjoys an international performance agenda as recitalists, concerto soloists, and clinicians. Oasis Quartet has performed with numerous orchestras and bands in the United States, and given performances and clinics throughout the North America, Asia, and Europe.  Their self-titled album was released in 2009 and features the music of Glass, Gotkovsky and Escaich. As supporters of contemporary music, Oasis has been a part of numerous commissions and premieres in addition to performing staples of the repertoire and artistic adaptations from other chamber music genres.

Dr. Nabb holds teaching positions at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he is Professor of Saxophone and an Associate Director of the School of Music, and at Chongqing Normal University, where he is Distinguished Professor of Saxophone. Nathan’s students have won many competitions in solo and chamber music settings, and have been featured in performances and master classes at North American Saxophone Alliance regional and national conferences, as well as other venues around the United States.

Nathan received his Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees in saxophone performance from Northwestern University, where he studied with Dr. Frederick Hemke. His Bachelor of Music degree is from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he studied with Professor Debra Richtmeyer.

Nathan proudly endorses D’Addario and Selmer products and performs on D’Addario reeds and Selmer Paris Saxophones.

Saxophone

As one of America’s leading concert saxophonists, John Sampen is particularly recognized as a distinguished artist in contemporary literature. He has commissioned over 125 new works, including compositions by Adler, Babbitt, Bolcom, Cage, Rzewski, Rands and Shrude and has premiered saxophone versions of music by Lutosławski, Stockhausen and Tower.

In 1970, Sampen was recitalist and certificate winner at the prestigious International Geneva Concours in Switzerland. He has soloed with ensembles from all over the world, including the Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Internazionale d’Italy, New Mexico Symphony and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble.

 Saxophone

Piano