Issue No. 13: NewMusicShelf Saxophone Anthology Anniversary

This week marks the one-year publication anniversary of the NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Alto Saxophone, Volume 1, curated by yours truly. To celebrate this occasion, I am dedicating Issue No. 13 of The Theisen Journal to reflecting on this project’s inception, goals, composers, launch recital, and further developments.

In January 2019, I was in New York for the launch recital of Megan Ihnen’s curated NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Mezzo-Soprano, Volume 1. Before the show, NewMusicShelf founder Dennis Tobenski and I took an hour to grab beverages at a nearby bar. He told me he had originally intended on publishing anthologies for voices but was considering expanding the mission to include instruments. Dennis asked if I would be interested in curating the first saxophone volume and I agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

The plan was set in motion: put out a call for scores, select the works to be included, publish, then perform a marathon recital of (almost) all of the anthology’s pieces within twelve months.

The race was on.

My Goals for the Anthology

The call for scores during the spring of 2019 yielded over one hundred submissions. To select the sixteen pieces (or movements from larger compositions) that would ultimately be included in the Anthology, I focused on a critical phase of a developing saxophonist’s life: the end of high school through the undergraduate senior recital. The anthology, therefore, is designed to be accessible to performers in those years and to assist in the growth of their technique, tonal concept, range, and overall musicianship.

I also deliberately wanted the works to reflect a diversity of compositional style and composer identity.

Furthermore, I desired pieces that would not only be intended for undergraduate students to learn behind closed studio doors! Every composition in this anthology is absolutely suitable for programming by graduate students, professional performers, and concert organizers.

Pieces/Composers Selected

Excerpt from Anthony R. Green’s dhakira, included in the NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Alto Saxophone, Volume 1

The NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Alto Saxophone, Vol. 1 includes the following pieces and composers, presented in alphabetical order by composer last name:

It is my sincere belief that music by Boyd, Flinn, Gianopoulos, Green, Hsu, Laitman, Mason, Myers, Shatzer, Shore, Sternfeld-Dunn, Wieland, Williamson, Yamamoto, and Zare could (and should!) be heard as frequently as our revered saxophone repertoire classics by Creston, Ibert, Glazunov, Desenclos, and Denisov.

The Launch Recital

On January 4 2020, pianist Marianne Parker and I performed fourteen of the sixteen Anthology compositions during a single two-hour-long recital in Scorca Hall at National Opera Center (New York). We were thrilled to have a full house including several of the represented composers!

Pianist Marianne Parker and saxophonist Alan Theisen

Scorca Hall, National Opera Center, New York. Huge thanks to Black Tea Music, Trudy Chan, and Ed Windels for their support!

World premiere performance of Quinn Mason’s Bounce at the NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Alto Saxophone, Vol. 1 launch recital in New York City (4 January 2020). Alan Theisen, alto saxophone and Marianne Parker, piano. Video: David Bird.

Further Developments

“For me as a performer and educator, this anthology helps solve several problems: the pieces are thoughtfully selected for quality and variety, the publication is very affordable, and its presence in my studio is a strong step toward currency and representation in concert saxophone music. All are for solo alto saxophone or saxophone and piano, so the performance logistics are simple (no large/unusual ensembles, electronics, or other potential barriers). The pieces are playable by undergraduate-level students (but, as Theisen points out in his introduction, ‘absolutely suitable’ for more advanced players as well). It’s an easy, cheap, and practical way to grow my performing and teaching repertoire.”
— Bret Pimentel, multiple-woodwind artist

Despite 2020 being a challenging year for musicians, I am happy that the Anthology has taken flight.

Several copies were sold at the 42nd U.S. Navy International Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia at a booth manned by Dennis Tobenski.

Multiple-woodwind artist Bret Pimentel wrote an unsolicited positive review for his website: “For me as a performer and education, this anthology helps solve several problems…”

Allison Adams, associate professor of saxophone at University of Tennessee-Knoxville, structured a major project around the NewMusicShelf Anthology as part of her studio’s Fall 2020 semester. Students were assigned various pieces from the publication to study and learn during the semester. They then recorded excerpts with backing tracks (graciously provided by Marianne Parker) and posted to the studio’s official Facebook page.

Huge thanks to Dennis, Bret, Allison, and Marianne for their creative support of this publication!

Now YOU Do It!

Saxophonists, this is your call to action. You can easily acquire your own copy of the NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music for Alto Saxophone, Vol. 1 for only $34.99 then explore, learn, and program this exciting repertoire.

Let me know what you think of this volume in the comments, on social media, through email, or via direct message!

NewsAlan Theisenclassical, saxophone, anthology, publication, recital, composers, pedagogy, new music1 Comment