World famous saxophonist Eugene Rousseau will appear in a free concert at Bradley University’s Dingeldine Music Center in the closing event of Saxfest on the Hilltop on Saturday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m.
Rousseau’s appearance is a return to Bradley after a very successful Saxfest on the Hilltop in the spring of 2013. On the closing concert this year, Rousseau will play several pieces as well as join his long time friend Bradley saxophone professor Keith M. Zimmerman in a performance.
The program also will include performances by the Bradley Saxophone Quartet, the Bradley Saxophone Quintet, and the world’s only professional group of its kind, the Illinois Saxophone Quintet led by Zimmerman. Rounding out the concert will be an ensemble made up of the Bradley saxophone groups, the Illinois Saxophone Quintet, and Eugene Rousseau.
The concert will conclude several days of master classes and discussions with Bradley saxophone students, music majors, high school students, and the general public.
On November 6, Rousseau will meet with Bradley saxophone students and ensembles for master classes and with all music students for a discussion about his preparation and experiences for the many kinds of recordings he has made, his work in career promotion, and his work with instrument and mouthpiece design.
Rousseau will work with a select group of area high school student saxophone soloists in a public master class on Saturday and at 3 p.m. will hold an open public discussion of his work as a saxophone teacher, concert artist, writer, and other facets of his long career.
All of the events are free and will be held in the Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Avenue.
Eugene Rousseau’s career has spanned decades. Originally from Blue Island, Illinois, he co-founded the World Saxophone Congress in 1969 and is a past president of both the North American and World Saxophone Congress. He served for years as the eminent saxophone professor at Indiana University and he recently retired from the University of Minnesota. He is the author of important articles and books on saxophonists and saxophone playing, and has recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Haydn Trio of Vienna, and made numerous solo recordings.
For more information contact the Bradley Department of Music at 677-2595.
