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SFA to Present Faculty Saxophone Recital

Sylvia Bierschenk - January 8, 2008

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present Brian Utley in a faculty saxophone recital at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Ron Petti, director of accompanying at SFA, will provide piano accompaniment.

The duo will present Darius Milhaud's "Scaramouche" and Jules Demersseman's "Fantasie sur un thème original," one of the earliest pieces written for the saxophone.

"Demersseman wrote a number of well-known works for flute in the mid-19th century," explained Utley. "But he also wrote several pieces for instruments built by Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone."

Also included on the program is a new piece by Robert Bradshaw, "Sonatina No. 4," which was inspired by the composer's study of Henrik Ibsen's unconventional philosophy of life and art.

Bradshaw nicknamed the piece "Ibsenism," a word he says refers to the work's "unconventional construction, shifts of character or dramatic inventions."

"The work was completed in May, so this will be one of the earliest performances of it to date," explained Utley.

Utley, assistant professor of music at SFA, is a regular presenter at regionaland national conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance, including performances at the University of Iowa, the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, the University of North Texas and Southeastern Louisiana University. He has also performed at international events such as the 2003 World Saxophone Congress and the 2006 Conference of the International Clarinet Association.

He performs in a variety of chamber music settings, including collaborations with the Stone Fort Wind Quintet and numerous SFA faculty members. He is a co-founder of the award-winning Red Stick Saxophone Quartet and has recorded on the New Tertian Records and Magni Publications labels.

The Owensboro, Ky., native received his doctoral and master's degrees from Louisiana State University and his bachelor's from Murray State University in Murray, Ky. All the degrees were in saxophone performance.

Tickets to the recital are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, please call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.

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