Blogs

Ashur Square (2010) – Rob Deemer (b. 1970)
SATB
Self-published
22’

Rob Deemer teaches composition at SUNY – Fredonia and the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. He has composed for all varieties of performance forces including music for theatre, dance, and film. He credits Dan Welcher, Donald Grantham, and Jan Bach as his primary teachers. He has written columns for the New York Times, New Music Box, and Sequenza 21/.

Voicing will be referred to differently depending on the saxophonist you ask. Many wholly embrace voicing and a few will refute it. Nonetheless, we all voice, no matter what we happen to call it. Voicing is an essential element of saxophone technique. Playing through the entire range, the saxophonist should not have to alter his embouchure, but instead compensate with the oral cavity to produce an even and consistent tone. Building this skill takes a lot of persistent practice. Some exercises may be mastered in hours and other may take several weeks.

One of the biggest challenges as a musician is maintaining a balanced life. Balance is vital to maintain happiness, and maintain success in the practice room and on stage. We have all experienced burnout, and weeks with no free time, but a little break will go a long way.

Any musician will tell you that every student must practice to find success. Beyond practicing, many musicians will prescribe various other habits. Attending live performances has contributed the most to my musical development, after practicing. I’m disheartened by many of my peers who do not make an effort to attend performances. They miss out on an opportunity to enrich themselves and support fellow musicians.