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CHA grant makes some ~Nois in the College of Music

Four men in suits and shorts stand in a pool with saxophones. One splashes water as they pose against a cityscape background.

Photo credit: Tilde Media

With support from a $15K 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA) grant, the Chicago-based returned to the College of Music earlier this month as guest artists in our Faculty Tuesdays series and SoundWorks series.

鈥淭he composition department has been bringing ~Nois to campus for the last six or seven years,鈥 says Carter Pann, chair of the composition department. 鈥淭his is the first year that two studios hosted the quartet鈥攃omposition and saxophone. The plan was for ~Nois to work with our student and faculty composers, and with students in [Assistant Professor of Saxophone] Nathan Mertens' saxophone studio.鈥

Indeed, the five-day residency was packed鈥攊n addition to Faculty Tuesdays and SoundWorks concerts, ~Nois also presented a master class, a guest lecture in the Department of Theatre & Dance and more. College of Music students had the opportunity to rehearse with members of the quartet, ask questions, and get feedback on performances and compositions.

CHA grants support projects that amplify the arts and humanities, and create community around campus. The College of Music's composition and saxophone departments were awarded more than they applied for, allowing for an extra house concert in a donor鈥檚 home.

鈥淚 believe that the application meets all criteria and that it is far ranging,鈥 wrote CHA Director Jennifer Ho. 鈥淭his is one reason I鈥檝e increased the award鈥攕o that you may be able to think even more capaciously in creating programs that will involve multiple community members within the College of Music and across campus.鈥

The College of Music鈥檚 relationship with the quartet began with Pann鈥檚 musical connection with a family member of one of the musicians. 鈥淥ne of the ~Nois members, Jordan Lulloff, is the son of a very good friend of mine whom I have written lots of saxophone music for,鈥 shares Pann. 鈥淎 lightbulb went off and I realized that Jordan was in this new quartet of Northwestern University grads.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really useful and it鈥檚 a great opportunity for young composers to write for saxophone quartet. It鈥檚 a very enterprising endeavor because saxophonists in general clamor for new music.鈥

Through the years, ~Nois has become familiar on campus, and created even more and deeper connections. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just game when they鈥檙e here,鈥 adds Pann. 鈥淭hey end up seeing donors, seeing the dean, working with students, coming to classes鈥︹

Pann hopes the residency inspired creativity among our students. 鈥淲hen students work closely with them, the ~Nois boys are so professional. They don鈥檛 skimp on anything. They will crash open the door to rehearse more with these students. They鈥檙e constantly teaching them what their instruments can do.

鈥淭hese guys increase the learning horizon tenfold. When you see somebody that鈥檚 kind of close to your age breaking into this professional realm鈥攊t鈥檚 really inspiring to our students.鈥