Missouri State University’s Arktos Quartet advanced to the final round of competition at the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) conference March 12-15 in Columbus, Ohio.
Arktos members are seniors Conlan Boatman and Lorelei Brem, sophomore Ryan Hunt and junior Preston Thorpe. All four students are Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Education majors in the Department of Music.
By reaching the final rounds, the Arktos Quartet is now among the top student saxophone quartets in North America, said Assistant Professor of Music Matthew Tracy.
“Witnessing their musical and professional maturity has been a highlight of my year,” he said. “They are as exceptional in character as they are in talent.”
Arktos is the Greek word for bear, Tracy explained. The Ursa Major or “Great Bear” constellation is in the northern sky. The word arctic comes from Arktos.
The quartet will celebrate their accomplishments with a recital at 7:30 p.m. April 17 in Hamra Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Sharing the stage with professional musicians
Members of Missouri State’s saxophone studio also participated in the conference. They performed as part of the conference program as well as in competition activities, Tracy said.
He added that the NASA conference is one of the major national professional gatherings for saxophonists. Students benefit from the experience by learning more about the professional music world and their place in it, he said.
Tracy personally enjoyed a true “full circle moment” when his students performed with Joseph Lulloff of Michigan State University. Lulloff is Tracy’s former instructor.
“The opportunity to hear some of the greatest classical and jazz saxophonists in the world, one after the next, all week long, is truly inspirational,” he said. The moment was “a testament to the enduring power of our saxophone community.”
Success motivates and inspires
Brem has been playing saxophone for a long time. “I joined band in sixth grade because each one of my family members had done it,” she recalled. “I chose the saxophone because my cousin played it.”
Her interest in the saxophone shifted from mere family influence to professional curiosity when Brem met Tracy at a band camp.
“I was inspired to become a saxophone professor when I went to band camp, met Dr. Tracy, and heard him play,” she explained. “I never knew what the saxophone was capable of.”
For Brem, reaching the final rounds represented the highest accomplishment she has made in her music career so far. It also inspired her to continue working hard. Now, she hopes to teach saxophone at the collegiate level and, perhaps, inspire the next generation of saxophonists the way Tracy inspired her.
Meanwhile, Hunt said he enjoyed nearly everything about the conference: the presentations, the concerts and the chance to see old friends. He described the experience as an “amazing presentation of artistry, innovation and camaraderie.”
“There is something very special about sharing a passion with more than 1,500 people who are all attending the same event,” he said.
Like Brem, though, competing as part of the Arktos Quartet and reaching the final round was the conference highlight for Hunt.
“After a powerful performance in the semi-final round, we anxiously waited for the finalist announcements,” he recalled. “When we were announced as finalists, the excitement and shock was palpable.”
He plans to continue his education by pursuing a Master of Music in saxophone performance. “The saxophone is a tool of expression for me,” Hunt said.
“Bear Pride” — saxophone style
Hunt attributes the quartet’s success to daily rehearsals and a positive group mindset. “We were able to represent Missouri State well on such an important stage,” he said.
While Brem found it meaningful to work with some of the biggest names in the saxophone world, she felt equally proud to perform with her fellow Arktos saxophonists.
Tracy was pleased with the entire Missouri State saxophone studio. “I am very proud of the way our students represented us on this national stage.”
Photo credits: Matthew Tracy.
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