2023-2024
Undergraduate
Jenna is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is a first year undergraduate double majoring in music performance and business. She began playing saxophone at the age of twelve and soon after, music became an important aspect of her life. In high school, she was involved in multiple groups and productions including wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, musicals, and choirs. She also competed throughout high school, receiving outstanding ratings on solo performances and earned a spot in the Iowa All-State band for three years. Outside of music and school, Jenna enjoys photography, hiking, and sushi. She’s eager to learn and grow in the music program at the University of Iowa.
Henry, Chun Hang Chan is from Hong Kong. He is currently a freshman majoring in music performance, under the tutelage of Dr. Kenneth Tse. Henry found his interest in playing the saxophone when he was twelve. He participated in different competitions during high school. For instance, Henry was awarded the First Prize in 20th OSAKA International Music Competition and subsequently being invited to compete in the final round competition which was held in Osaka. Recently Henry was awarded 2nd place in Hong Kong Youth Arts and Cultural Elite Festival 2020 in Open Group. Being an active saxophonist in Hong Kong, Henry is also a member of the Première Quartet. Première Quartet is a saxophone quartet group which is established in August 2020 and the first student-initiated saxophone group in Hong Kong. Henry also attended master classes with Professor Stephen Page and Professor Yang Tong in 2018 and 2021 representatively.
Emily is from Dubuque, Iowa and is a first-year undergraduate, double majoring in music performance and education. She began playing saxophone when she was eleven years old. Since then, she has played in numerous bands, pit orchestras, jazz bands, and with the Dubuque Youth Symphony Orchestra. Emily is also a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band. Throughout high school she competed in high school contest and received highly superior ratings as well as earning third place in the Dubuque Concerto competition. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and skiing.
Lucas is a saxophonist from sunny San Diego, California. In high school, he participated yearly in the district, southern-section and state bands, and competed in the Houston Underground Saxophone competition. Locally, Lucas served as saxophone section leader for the SoCal 2a champion Centurion Sound marching band and volunteered to teach music at a nearby elementary school. He was also lucky enough to premiere featured solos in the piece ‘Dancing Ink’ by Yi-hsien Chen, written for the University City High School Wind Ensemble. Over the pandemic, he was a participant in the Austin Saxophone Academy and MPULSE music camps. Prior to college, Lucas studied with saxophonist Dan Gelok. When not practicing sax, you can find Lucas pouring excessive amounts of Tajín seasoning on his food, playing table tennis, or listening to Joni Mitchell.
Cole Moorhead is from Evanston, Illinois. He is a 2022 graduate of Evanston Township High School and the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory at the Merit School of Music. As a part of the conservatory, he was a member of the Precipice Saxophone Quartet, semifinalists at the Fischoff National Chamber Competition and the M Prize Chamber Competition, and CC3 Saxophone Trio, winners of the Barnett Chamber Competition. As a soloist, Cole was selected to perform a solo at the Evanston Township High School Honors Concert three times, and was selected as a soloist at the Interlochen Arts Camp Saxophone Intensive Week. He has performed works by Ibert, Tomasi, Maurice, Creston and Bozza. He has performed master classes with Dr. Timothy McAllister, Professor Zach Shemon, and Professor Tamir Sullivan. In his spare time, Cole enjoys drawing, painting and spending time with family.
Graduate
Passionate and innovative, Henry Cao is a saxophonist who always strives to perform with the utmost personality and conviction. Henry originated as a regular high school band student in BC, Canada, and moved on to study saxophone performance with Dr. Julia Nolan at the University of British Columbia. During his undergraduate studies, he quickly earned the reputation of a “soulful soloist,” and a “reliable ensemble member.” He was awarded First Place in his age category at the Canadian Music Competition 2021, and the Bellagrande International Music Competition 2020; he also earned the Honorable Mention award at the UBC Concerto Competition 2022. Henry has a strong belief that the mission of an artist is to manifest any imagination from one’s headspace to the world with minimal distortion and reduction. Achieving such a goal requires impeccable techniques and innovative interpretations to work in conjunction, and Henry has a talent in both.
Thomas Drummond is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree in saxophone performance at the University of Iowa studying with Dr. Kenneth Tse. Prior to attending Iowa, Thomas earned both his Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of South Carolina while studying with Dr. Clifford Leaman. A regular performer, Thomas has performed at the International Navy Band Symposium, the North American Saxophone Alliance regional and national conferences, and the American Single Reed Summit. Thomas Drummond was most recently the baritone saxophone chair of the GQ saxophone quartet. His primary instructors include Dr. Clifford Leaman, Bryson Borgstedt, and Mandy Sloan. He has also participated in master classes with the New Century Saxophone Quartet, Phillip Giess, Joseph Lallo, and Christopher Creviston. Thomas has placed and received honorable mentions at numerous competitions including 1st prize in the Great Composers Music of the Centuries Competition Series and 1st prize in the 2018 state level MTNA Chamber Music Competition.
Chris is from Argyle, Texas. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Saxophone Performance at The University of Iowa with Dr. Kenneth Tse. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Studies with a teaching certification from The University of Texas at Austin where he studied with Dr. Stephen Page. Chris has performed with the UT Wind Ensemble and was a finalist in the UT Concerto Competition. A passionate chamber musician, Chris was the alto chair of the Epoch Saxophone Quartet, which was named a semifinalist in the 2022 NASA Quartet Competition and a quarterfinalist in the 2022 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. He was also the soprano chair of the Inan Quartet, which was awarded first prize of the 2020 Coltman Chamber Music Mixed Instrumental Division.
A saxophonist and music educator originally from Hong Kong, Charlotte is currently studying under Dr. Kenneth Tse, in pursuit of a Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone Performance at the University of Iowa. With degrees from the University of Montana (BM, BME) and the University of New Mexico (MM) in education and performance, Charlotte has studied privately with saxophonists Dr. Eric Lau, Dr. Johan Erikson, and Dr. Ashley Kelly. She is a highly accomplished performer both in solo and ensemble settings and was the winner of the 2019 University of New Mexico Concerto Aria Competition. In addition, she was invited twice to perform and teach at the Music from Angel Fire Residency as a part of the Platinum Saxophone Quartet. In 2015 she cofounded the Eudae Duo with percussionist/composer Levi Raleigh Brown, which is dedicated to performing new music for saxophone and percussion.
Lingxiao Li comes from Dalian, China. He is currently a first year master’s student in saxophone performance at the University of Iowa under Dr. Kenneth Tse. He received his bachelor’s degree of saxophone performance from the University of Kansas, where he studied with Prof. Vince Gnojek. During his time at KU, he was the principle saxophonist in KU Wind Ensemble and the soprano saxophonist in KU Saxophone Quartet I. He was selected to perform for the annual KU collage concert as a member of the Saxophone quartet and for the undergraduate honor recital as a saxophone soloist. In the past few years, he won first prize in the IIYM competition and the second prize in GLORY music competition. His goal is to continuing pursuing doctoral degree in saxophone after finishing his master’s degree.
Maria Torres-Melgares awarded with more than 20 international prizes in solo and chamber music competitions is a Spanish saxophonist based in the US deeply rooted in her Hispanic heritage, sharing music that connects cultures and nationalities. She has collaborated with the New World Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and European Union Young Woodwind Orchestra. Besides performing, she’s a social media intern at the artist agency Sheldon Artists. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master’s of Music and two certificates in “Arts Entrepreneurship and Leadership” and “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” after studying her Bachelor’s at the Conservatory of Liceu, in Barcelona, and is currently a DMA candidate at the University of Iowa.
Eugene Ryoo is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree at the University of Iowa studying with Dr. Kenneth Tse. Eugene has earned degrees from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and The University of Texas at Austin, studying with Dr. Robert Young and Dr. Stephen Page respectively. During his time at UNCSA, Eugene was the Saxophone Teaching Assistant, Woodwind Graduate Assistant and the Jazz Ensemble Manager. While in North Carolina, Eugene maintained an active studio teaching clarinet and saxophone students, and was involved as a member of ArtistCorps Arts Engage. As an active performer, Eugene has performed with the Piedmont Wind Symphony, and Twin City Reed Quintet. He is a winner of 2018 North Carolina MTNA Young Artist Competition, silver medalist of the 2018 Young Texas Artist Competition and 2017 Texas MTNA Young Artist Competition
Yang Zhou, saxophonist, was born in Dali, China in 1996. Yang received his Master of Arts in Saxophone Performance from Truman State University, where he studied with Dr. Xin Gao. Yang graduated from Sichuan conservatory of music in China where he received his bachelor ‘s degree. He was selected as the winner of graduate division of the 2021 MMTA (Missouri Music Teachers Association) Collegiate Woodwind Graduate State Level Competitioin, the runner up of 2020 MMTA, same year he won the Gold Medal Concerto Competition at Truman State University. Yang has been accepted by the University of Iowa School of Music and will join Dr. Kenneth Tse’s saxophone studio in the fall of 2022 to pursue his doctoral degree.
Impending Graduate
Born in Beaverton, Oregon, Jonathan Hart received his Bachelor’s in Music Performance at the University of Oregon under Dr. Idit Shner and immediately began his Master’s in Arts from the University of Iowa with Dr. Kenneth Tse in 2017. Currently, Jonathan is continuing his studies with Dr. Tse, pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance in Pedagogy. Previously, Jonathan won the University of Oregon Concerto/Aria Competition in 2014, named Honorable Mention in the Eugene Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition in 2017, 2nd place in the Grande Ronde Symphony Concerto Competition in 2018, and named Honorable Mention in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition in at the Iowa State level in 2018. Most recently, in October of 2019, Jonathan appeared in Dinant, Belgium, after being selected as one of the six Americans to play in the live rounds of the 7th Adolphe Sax International Competition. Jonathan has appeared in masterclasses with artists such as Otis Murphy, Clifford Leaman, Jonathan Bergeron, and José A. Zayas-Cabán.