DEREK GRANGER | saxophonist & educator
Upcoming and recent events
Solo Recital
Flights of Fancy: A Saxophone Recital for the Birds
July 5, 2024
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
Blodgett Recital Hall, 7:30pm
A recital of contemporary saxophone pieces by Yoshimatsu, Nagao, Tower, Tanaka, Cockcroft, and Williams in collaboration with Marie Blair, piano.
Music Teaching
Saxophone Instructor
@ Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
June 25-July 7, 2023
Session 1
Northern Michigan
I look forward to returning to Blue Lake for a fifth season to teach the awesome BLFAC campers in saxophone techniques and sectionals!
Guest Teaching
The Young Saxophonist's Institute
June 10-14, 2024
North Houston Location
I will teach lessons, masterclasses, and chamber music for the advanced track of the YSI North Houston summer camp.
Faculty Solo Recital
At the Seams: Faculty Saxophone Recital
March 25, 2024, 7:30pm
Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center Theatre
Tarleton State University
I will present my debut TSU recital in collaboration with Drs. J. Bradley Baker (piano) and Benjamin Charles (percussion). This program of contemporary works traverses an array of sonic/emotional landscapes using a variety of saxophones, with works by Rodney Rogers, Doïna Rotaru, Ned Rorem, Jay Batzner, and Baljinder Sekhon. At the Seams (written by Sekhon in 2020) is both the final piece and namesake of the recital.
Conference Recital
Legend II by Doïna Rotaru
I Am by Benoit Menut
Hommages by Béla Kovács
March 16, 2024, 10:05am, SU 203
NASA 2024 Biennial Conference
Oklahoma State University
Solo recital which explores "voice" both as a performance element (as in the Rotaru and Menut) and the conscious adoption of another's compositional voice (as in the Kovács).
Conference Recital
Legend II by Doïna Rotaru
I Am by Benoit Menut
non-poem 8 by Jonathan Ragonese
Hommages by Béla Kovács
January 13, 2024, 11:30am
Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium
George Mason University, MTB 2013
Solo recital which explores "voice" both as a performance element (as in the Rotaru and Menut), the conscious adoption of another's compositional voice (as in the Kovács), and stylistic plurality (Ragonese, written for me in 2022).
Concert
Escapades by John Williams
Mon October 23, 2023, 6:30pm
First United Methodist Church
Stephenville, TX
Recital performance with Ben Charles, percussion and Bradley Baker, piano
Music Teaching
Saxophone Instructor
@ Tarleton Summer Band Camp
June 11-15, 2023
Tarleton State University
Stephenville, TX
Music Teaching
Saxophone Instructor
@ Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
June 20-July 16, 2023
Sessions 1 and 2
Northern Michigan
I look forward to returning to Blue Lake for a fourth season to teach the awesome BLFAC campers in saxophone techniques and music theory courses!
Premieres
Conference Recital
@ NASA Region 4 Conference
April 14th-16th, 2023
University of Texas Arlington
Arlington, TX
Irons Recital Hall, 3:00pm
non-poem 8 by Jonathan Ragonese (world premiere)
Suite from The Quarantine Variations (based on poetry written and read by Patrick Kindig, with Vinuth Gamage, saxophone)
Hommages for solo clarinet (M. DeFalla and R. Strauss) by Béla Kovács
Scholarship, pedagogy
Conference Lecture
@ NASA Biennial Conference
March 30th-April 2nd, 2023
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS
March 31st, 9am, RC Room
This presentation is based on my dissertation, which explores historical and current pedagogies of voice and saxophone to identify and evaluate instances of voice concepts appearing in saxophone texts. This comprehensive study brings needed insight into the manner in which saxophone pedagogues use the voice as a model for saxophone playing, ranging from useful applications to inappropriate conclusions. My evaluation of saxophone pedagogy results from critically comparing saxophone pedagogues’ statements about tone production with those from mainstream vocal pedagogy and science.
Conference Presentation
Two-Minute Teaching Tip
@ International Conference for Saxophone Pedagogy
and Performance
February 26, 2023
9:25am EST
Online (register on website)
Mini-presentation on positive and concrete strategies to help students use mistakes productively in the practice room.
Music Teaching
Saxophone Instructor
@ Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
June 22-July 17, 2022
Sessions 1 and 2
Northern Michigan
I look forward to returning to Blue Lake for a third season to teach the awesome BLFAC campers in saxophone techniques and music theory courses!
Chamber Recital
Graduate Reed Quintet Recital
@ The Hartt School
May 10, 2022, 7:30pm
Berkman Recital Hall
The Hartt School
Hartford, CT
Open to the Hartt campus and guests
Streaming link click here
A program of classical and contemporary works for reed quintet by Mozart, Schumann, Biedenbender, and Gershwin. (Originally planned to occur at the Macauley but now will be streaming to the residents of the Macauley due to Covid restrictions)
Class Recital
Music of India Ensemble
An Evening Recital of Ragas
April 25, 2022, 8:30pm
Room 21
The Hartt School
A collection of Hindustani ragas performed by the members of the Music of India Ensemble (myself on saxophones and clarinet), led by Suhail Yusuf, sarangi with Pranav Ghatraju, tabla.
Lecture Recital
DMA Lecture Recital "The Vocal Model"
April 19, 2022, 5:00pm
The Hartt School
Berkman Recital Hall
In-person and streaming
The Vocal Model: Evaluating Influences of Bel Canto on Saxophone Pedagogy with New Applications for Tonal Development
Studio Recital
Spring Fling::A Saxophone Studio Recital
April 15, 2022, 7:30pm
The Hartt School
Berkman Recital Hall
In-person and streaming
The graduate reed quintet will perform David Biedenbender's Refraction. I will also play a graduating student feature and conduct the saxophone ensemble in Bennett's Suite of Old American Dances.
Ensemble Concert
Foot in the Door Ensemble
Milhaud La création du monde
March 2, 2022, 7:30pm
The Hartt School
Lincoln Theater
In person and streaming on Hartt Livestream
Virtual Conference Recital
Conference Performance
@ International Conference for Saxophone Pedagogy and Performance
February 26, 2022, 3:00pm
Online only
Registration required
www.saxophonepedagogyandperformance.com
Wood Song by Jenni Brandon, Vocalissimus by Chase Jordan
Concerto Performance
Paranov Winners'Concert
Ingolf Dahl Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble
February 4, 2022, 7:30pm
The Hartt School
Lincoln Theatre
In-person and streaming
Catch the entire concert including all four Paranov soloists on Hartt Livestream. Glen Adsit, James Jackson and Edward Cumming, conductors.
Solo Recital
Derek's DMA Solo Recital #2
November 19, 2021, 5pm
The Hartt School
Berkman Recital Hall
In-person and streaming
Join pianist Elisabeth Tomczyk and me for an evening of contemporary saxophone works in my second and final solo recital for my Doctorate of Musical Arts degree. Works by Gryc, Leroux, Sekhon, Jordan and Dahl.
Ensemble Concert
Foot in the Door Ensemble
Stephen Gryc's Fantasy Variations
September 22, 2021, 7:30pm
The Hartt School
Lincoln Theatre
In-person and streaming
Hartt faculty emeritus composer Stephen Gryc's Fantasy Variations on a theme of Béla Bartók is scored for soprano saxophone solo and string quartet. Inspired by his own Slavic ancestry, Gryc's variations go beyond the historically formulaic genre with wide musical and expressive contrasts. Catch the Gryc and the entire concert on the Hartt Livestream! Glen Adsit and Edward Cumming, conductors.