SFA's Utley to present faculty saxophone recital

SFA Associate Professor of Saxophone Brian Utley will present a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Cole Concert Hall.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - Brian Utley, associate professor of saxophone at Stephen F. Austin State University, will present a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus. Performing with Utley will be three other members of the SFA music faculty.

Christopher Ayer, associate professor of clarinet, will join Utley in presenting Gregory Wanamaker's "Duo Sonata," a piece which Utley says shows off the technical abilities of both instruments.

Utley and Scott Harris, assistant professor of percussion, will perform David Stock's "Breathless." The work gets its name from the "perpetual motion" melody in the opening and closing sections, according to Utley.

Pianist Ron Petti, SFA's director of accompanying, will join Utley on two pieces, Pierre Soncan's "Lamento et Rondo" and Perry Goldstein's "Sonata," a 2007 composition for soprano saxophone and piano.

"Goldstein's three-movement sonata is an incredible addition to the saxophone repertoire," Utley said. "Like many of his other works, there are hints of jazz, blues and American folk music."

Utley is a regular presenter at regional and national conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance and has also performed at international events such as the 2003 World Saxophone Congress and the 2006 Conference of the International Clarinet Association.

He performs in a variety of chamber music settings, including collaborations with the Stone Fort Wind Quintet and numerous SFA faculty members. He is a co-founder of the award-winning Red Stick Saxophone Quartet and has recorded on the New Tertian Records and Magni Publications labels.

The Owensboro, Ky., native received his doctoral and master's degrees from Louisiana State University and his bachelor's from Murray State University in Murray, Ky. All the degrees were in saxophone performance.

The recital is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music. Cole Concert Hall is located within the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building, 2210 Alumni Dr.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, please visit www.sfasu.edu/finearts or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.