Work premiere for Alto Saxophone and Piano

Website(s) : http://glengillis.com / http://artsandscience.usask.ca/profile/GGillis / http://www.msrcd.com/catalog/cd/MS1524

Biography

Glen Gillis is Professor of Saxophone, Conducting, and Music Education at the University of Saskatchewan. Having performed at many NASA Biennial/Regional and World Saxophone Congresses, he hosted the 2013 NASA Region 9 Conference. He released SaxSpectrum and SaxSpectrum 2 (2009 & 2014, MSR Classics Label) highlighting new works for saxophone. He also can be heard on didgeridoo.diversions (2007, Hoot/Wisdom Records) and Devotion (2014, Ice Music Press). In 2012 he performed in five China Provinces promoting traditional and contemporary saxophone works, including his and other Canadian composers. He has several published compositions for saxophone through Eighth Note Publications. His accompanist, Bonnie Nicholson has collaborated with Dr. Gillis on many occasions, including the China tour.

More information

Glen Gillis’ proposal will consist of him and his accompanist Bonnie Nicholson performing a World Premiere of his latest composition for alto saxophone and piano entitled, Fantasia (2014). This work was recently recorded on SaxSpectrum 2 (MSR Classics Label, www.msrcd.com) but has not been performed live in public. Fantasia, comprised of 7 sections separated by brief transitions, pushes the tonal boundaries within the conflation of stylist worlds; ranging from disjunct melodic movement with an infusion of pointillism, to lyrical modal passages, to a high-energy jazz-infused swath of notes placed within episodes of serious, wit, tranquil, and spirited moods. The performance length is 10 minutes. The submitted mp3 recording is Glen Gillis and Bonnie Nicholson performing. Gillis and Nicholson have purposefully waited to world premiere Fantasia at the World Saxophone Congress.