A Night of Saxophone

On Thursday, March 22, the Deerfield High School Bands will present a “Night of Saxophone,” featuring guest artist Susan Fancher. She will perform the Concerto for Soprano Saxophone by Michael Torke with the DHS Wind Ensemble. Deerfield High School is a member of a consortium of seven high schools and universities from around the country that commissioned a special band arrangement of the concerto. This performance will mark the Chicago-area premiere of the arrangement.

Susan Fancher is known for her deep and poetic musical interpretations. Her work to develop the repertoire for the saxophone has produced dozens of commissioned works, as well as published transcriptions of music by composers as diverse as Josquin Desprez and Steve Reich. A much sought-after performer of new music, she has worked with a multitude of composers and has performed in many of the world’s leading concert venues and contemporary music festivals. Susan Fancher is a regularly featured columnist for the nationally distributed Saxophone Journal and an artist for the Vandoren and Selmer companies. She teaches saxophone at Duke University.

In addition to the concerto, Dr. Fancher will perform Bach’s Prelude No. 22 with a student saxophone quartet. Also featured are two saxophone ensembles who will play Poem and Dance and the Overture to Orpheus. The saxophone section of the DHS Jazz Band will present a “Supersax” arrangement of Charlie Parker’s “Au Privave,” which is a five-part harmonization of his bebop improvisations. DHS senior Avery DeMaria will make his conducting debut as he directs the Wind Ensemble in the fanfare, Cenotaph.

The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the DHS Auditorium. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public. For more information, contact Daniel Brame at 224-632-3165.

Dr. Fancher is also presenting a master class for saxophone students on Wednesday, March 21 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in the DHS band room. There will be a display of instruments and accessories sponsored by Music and Arts of Itasca. Her appearance is made possible in part by the DHS Friends of the Arts and the Vandoren and Selmer companies.