On Nov. 5, The Nebraska Saxophone Project performed a recital to celebrate the birthday of the inventor of the saxophone, Adolphe Sax.
The recital acted as the final of three saxophone concerts, held on Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, respectively. The concerts featured guest musicians from around the country to perform pieces to highlight the saxophone.
On Oct. 30, New York-based saxophonist and composer Jacob Chung performed a free concert in the Westbrook Music Building. Chung was awarded Outstanding Soloist in DownBeat Magazine’s 2024 Student Music edition.
Chung, originally from Toronto, released his sophomore album, “The Sage,” last year and received critical acclaim. It was heralded as one of the best Canadian Jazz releases by the Ottawa Citizen.
The second free concert was performed by Xin Gao, an associate professor of music (saxophone) at Truman State University. Gao won the first place prize in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition in 2011.
The two guests also helped give lessons to current music students, with Gao also providing a clinic that was open to the public.
The Nebraska Saxophone Project is a quartet consisting of professors, alumni and professional players. Members of the group are associate professor of saxophone Paul Haar on soprano sax, graduate student of music Daniel Oshiro on alto sax, Bob Fuson on baritone sax and Wade Howles on tenor sax.
When Oshiro was asked by Haar to join his saxophone quartet, Oshiro couldn’t say no to his old professor.
“When Dr. Haar asked, I jumped on it. I said ‘I’d love to play,’” Oshiro said.
To Haar, celebrating the birthday of Sax is very important as he sees the saxophone as one of the most important instruments ever.
“Adolphe Sax invented the most unique and popular instrument created in the last 200 years,” Haar said. “It is one of the most influential modern instruments and is capable of such tonal flexibility and color.”
The Nebraska Saxophone Project started as a way to connect saxophone players of different levels in the Lincoln area.
“I thought it would be a neat thing to do to bring students, amateurs and professionals together to perform unique music for the saxophone,” Haar said.
The small size of the group is one of the things that enticed Oshiro into joining The Saxophone Project.
“Quartet is really where a lot of the music making, at least in the saxophone community, happens,” Oshiro said.
Haar started playing the saxophone when he was around 11 years old, being inspired by American saxophonist Stan Getz.
“There was something about it that, for lack of a better term, resonated with me; the sound, the expressiveness, the color,” Haar said.
It wouldn’t be a birthday party without cake, so of course there was cake for guests to enjoy in honor of Sax’s birthday. The cake was something that Haar said would bring a new audience to the sax world.
“My hope is that the sheet cake is going to help get people out of their comfort zones,” Haar said. “People will do a lot and sit through a lot for sheet cake.”
One of the things that Haar said was important about this concert was reaching a new audience and showing them the power of live music.
“I think it’s important for people, particularly younger generations, to support live music because it is truly special,” Haar said.
For The Nebraska Saxophone Project, their instrument of choice truly means a lot to them, so it made sense to celebrate the instrument.
“It’s in pop music, it’s in rock music, it’s in smooth jazz, it’s ubiquitous, it’s everywhere,” Haar said. “So what we’re doing is we’re celebrating the birth of this instrument through the birthday of the creator.”