Zzyzx Saxophone Quartet
Members |
Recordings |
Formed in 2007, the Zzyzx Quartet has quickly gained high regard after performances at the 2010 and 2008 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference, the 2009 Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, World Saxophone Congress XV in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as numerous guest recitals, workshops and masterclasses across the United States. Zzyzx is committed to the advancement of saxophone quartet repertoire, and has commissioned and premiered new works by composers such as Erik Norman, Elliot Bark, Matthew Peterson, Ian Stewart, Sarah Gibson, Laura Kramer, Jonathan Sokol, John Leszczynski and David Rokowski. Zzyzx won 2nd Prize in the inaugural North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition and was selected as a semi-finalist in the Plowman Chamber Music Competition in 2008. Each of the members have also been recognized as award-winning soloists, receiving awards in prestigious national and international competitions including the Gaudeamus International Competition, North American Saxophone Alliance Competition, MTNA Young Artist Competition, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Competition, and the Carmel Music Society Instrumental Competition. Zzyzx Quartet is a Rico Performing Artist and endorses Rico Reeds.
The Name "Zzyzx"
We are often asked why our group chose such an unusual name and the short answer is this: Zzyzx (pronounced 'zie-zix') Road stretches a mere 4.5 miles off of I-15 in California at Exit 239, which is along the route our bari player takes whenever he drives to his home in Costa Mesa, California. The name is strange, memorable, and not to mention special as it is the last word listed alphabetically in atlases, dictionaries, and directories in which the word is contained. A degree of mystery surrounds the area that Zzyzx Road leads to and local legends have dubbed it "the road to nowhere."
When our quartet formed in 2007 we spent a great deal of time trying to come up a good name for ourselves - we wanted something catchy but meaningful. When Dana mentioned Zzyzx, we instantly agreed that we would call ourselves the Zzyzx Quartet.
STACY WILSON is a saxophonist with the West Point Concert Band in New York. Prior to her appointment, she served as an Associate Instructor of Saxophone at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music from 2003-2008. A recipient of Indiana University's prestigious Performer's Certificate, the highest honor performance award at IU, Stacy has garnered top prizes in many national and international competitions including 1st Prizes in the William Byrd International Competition, MTNA Young Artist Competition, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition, 3rd Prizes in the prestigious Gaudeamus International Competition in Amsterdam and the North American Saxophone Alliance Solo Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the Jean-Marie Londeix International Saxophone Competition in Thailand. As an international performing artist, Stacy has performed with the New York Philharmonic, at the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, Juilliard in New York was as a featured soloist with the Flint Symphony and the West Point Concert Band.
Described by noted American composer Libby Larsen as "fearless on stage," STEPHEN PAGE has performed extensively both nationally and internationally. Mr. Page has won top prizes at several international and national competitions, including the NASA Solo Competition, NASA Quartet Competition, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, MTNA Chamber Music and Young Artist Competitions, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Competition, AUREC Saxophone Competition, and the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition. Currently, Stephen is featured on two discs of the "Millennium Tribute to Adolphe Sax." His first solo album entitled Holy Roller, is scheduled for release in late 2011, featuring works by Decruck, Larson, Feld, and Charpentier. Mr. Page has received degrees from the University of Minnesota, Indiana Unviersity Jacobs School of Music, where he served as Associate Instructor of Saxophone, and is now finishing a DMA at the University of Iowa. Stephen presently serves on the faculty of Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. Stephen is a Rico and Yamaha Performing Artist.
MATT EVANS is currently pursuing the DMA in Saxophone Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Chien-Kwan Lin. Previously, Matt completed his MM and BM at the Indiana University Jacob's School of Music as a student of Otis Murphy. Matt garnered several accolades as a student at IU including winning second prize in the annual Woodwind Concerto Competition, winning a prize in the annual Travel Grant Competition which subsequently allowed him to attend the Aeolus International Competition for Wind Instruments in Dusseldorf, Germany, and he also earned a Performer's Certificate, the highest performance distinction awarded at the school. Matt has earned prizes in several competitions as a soloist and chamber musician including second prize in the Lake Shore Wind Ensemble Young Artist Competition and third prize in the AUREC Classical Saxophone Competition, and he has also participated as a finalist in the MTNA Young Artist Competition. Matt has been featured as a guest soloist with the Indianapolis Youth Wind Ensemble and the Kokomo Park Band.
DANA BOOHER serves as Adjunct Woodwind Faculty at Vincennes University and Associate Instructor of Saxophone at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University, and is now pursuing the Doctor of Music degree at the institution. He was awarded the Performer's Certificate from Indiana University by unanimous decision of the jury, the highest honor that can be given to a music student. Dana has won top prizes at numerous competitions, including Grand Prize at the Carmel Music Society Competition, 1st Prize at the Ladies Musical Club Competition and Indiana University Travel Grant Competition, and 3rd Prize at the North American Saxophone Alliance Solo Competition. Additionally, he was selected to perform as a featured soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Dana is in demand as a guest clinician, recitalist and soloist, having performed and taught at various colleges and universities across the United States.