Dana saxophone quartet finishes first in competition

Staff report

Youngstown

The Dana School of Music Saxophone Quartet took first place in state at the Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Chamber Music Competition earlier this month at Bowling Green State University.

They now advance to the East Central Division regional competition in early January at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Quartet members include Mark Higgins of Pittsburgh, soprano saxophone and junior instrumental performance major; Brian Newell of Peoria, Ill., alto saxophone and first-year graduate student in saxophone performance; Kevin Snyder of Pittsburgh, tenor saxophone and junior music performance major; and Aaron Lockhart of Rochester, N.Y., baritone saxophone and senior saxophone performance major.

At the state competition, the quartet performed Desenclos’ “Quatuor pour Saxophones,” Guy Lacour’s “Quatuor pour Saxpohones” and Singelee’s “Grand Quatuor Concertant.”

They will perform these pieces at the regional contest, where they will be competing against state champions from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

The winner of the East Central Division regional then will go on to compete in the nationals against the winners of five other regional competitions.