Walking on the Ceiling

Biography

Connor James Mikula is a student of Professor Joseph Lulloff in saxophone performance at Michigan State University.
He has dedicated his life to the advancement of the saxophone, especially in the area of new music. Both his solo and ensemble performances have brought him to such places as Carnegie Hall, the Yamaha Young Performing Artist winner’s concert, and the International Band and Orchestra Midwest Clinic.
Connor has performed in multiple premieres, has been a featured soloist with both bands and orchestras, and has received musical honors including a Yamaha Young Performing Artist designation, winner of the Walgreen’s National Concerto Competition Woodwinds Division, and winner of the Norbert Mueller Concerto Competition, among others.

More information

The proposal is for a recital of “Walking on the Ceiling”, a newly commissioned piece by the Mikula Family for Connor Mikula, composed by Dr. David Biedenbender. It is three movements, approximately 15 minutes long, for soprano saxophone and piano.

Dr. Biedenbender writes regarding his composition: “I remember approaching graduation myself, and, it was the first time I felt like my decisions had important, real-life consequences. I felt pressure to do something great with my life—to get a job, to figure things out, and to apply the things I learned during my education. I remember feeling overwhelmed. I wanted to strike out on my own and to defy expectations—to do something with my life that even I wasn’t sure I could do—to defy gravity. I had this image in my mind of doing the impossible, of walking on the ceiling. The three movements are titled “heavy”, “float”, and “run”. The first movement is groovy and funky, a quirky kind of swagger; the second is slow and reflective, a lullaby to my 18-month old son, Izaak, who is doing amazing new things everyday; and the last movement starts slowly but churns and bubbles until it is blazing and vibrant”.