Susan Fancher performs in the Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival at Augustana College -- February 26.
Saturday, February 26
Augustana College's Larson Hall, Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts, 3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL
Boasting performances from Augustana College faculty members, students, and guest artists, the college's Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival will, on February 26, treat music lovers to a day's worth of solo and chamber music in an event exploring new compositions, improvisation, extended performance techniques, micro-tonality, electronic music, multi-media, and other experimental elements.
Among the festival's gust artists is Susan Fancher, an internationally recognized classical saxophonist known for her expressive tone and poetic musical interpretations. She has inspired and premiered over 100 new compositions and continues to collaborate with composers both young and more established to create new, vibrant repertoire for the saxophone. Fancher has performed in numerous settings, including serving as a concerto soloist, headlining performances for saxophone with electronics, performing recitals with pianist Ināra Zandmane, and being showcased as vocalist and soprano saxophonist with the band The Difficulties.
In addition, Fancher is the former soprano saxophonist of the Amherst, Vienna, and Rollin’ Phones saxophone quartets, and has appeared in many of the world’s leading venues including Sala São Paulo, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, Filharmonia Hall in Warsaw, and the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Having appeared in concert in countries including Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and Spain, Fancher earned her Doctor of Music from Northwestern University and the Médaille d'Or from the conservatory in Bordeaux, France. She also teaches saxophone and coaches chamber music at Duke University, and is an artist clinician for Selmer and Vandoren.
Also performing in Augustana's Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival is composer Mark Engebretson, a recipient of a Barlow Commission (for Bent Frequency), North Carolina Artist Fellowship in Composition (for the Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra), and a Fulbright Fellowship for studies in France. He has also received major commissions from Harvard University’s Fromm Music Foundation, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Thomas S. Kenan Center for the Arts, and the Barlow Foundation.
The schedule for the Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival is: at 10 a.m., a concert with Augustana's John Cummins and the University of Iowa's Elissa Kane, featuring members of the Augustana Saxophone Studio; an 11 a.m. saxophone master class; a 2:30 p.m. concert with Augustana's Randall Hall and Tony Oliver; a 3:30 p.m. guest-artist Q&A featuring Fancher and Engebrelson; and a 7:30 p.m. concert showcasing the two guest performers plus additional Augustana faculty and student artists.
The Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival takes place on February 26 in Augustana College's Larson Hall, located in the Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts building. Admission to all of the day's events is free, and more information is available by calling (309)794-7306 and visiting Augustana.edu.
