Internationally renowned performer and teacher of the saxophone, Dr. Douglas Masek, will conclude a residency at Marshall University this month with a free recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, in the Jomie Jazz Center on Marshall’s Huntington campus.
For the performance, Masek will be assisted by Marshall faculty members Dr. Henning Vauth, piano, and Dr. Ed Bingham, saxophone.
A performer sought after by orchestras and concert series to perform throughout six continents, Masek has emphasized versatility in a wide range of musical styles, from classical and contemporary to jazz, garnering consistent critical acclaim.
Having received his Bachelor of Music degree from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and his Master of Music degree from The Ohio State University, Masek completed his academic education with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California, where he taught from 1975 to 1995. In 1996, he was a visiting professor of clarinet and saxophone at the University of Cape Town. He is also a Vandoren Elite Artist, performing and lecturing nationwide at schools, colleges, and universities.
With extensive concert touring in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, Masek is a frequent guest performer at the prestigious Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in South Africa and was featured soloist at the American Music Festival in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He has also performed as soloist at the Aspen Music Festival, Ojai Music Festival, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and Idyllwild Arts Academy.
He has performed with notable conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kent Nagano, Placido Domingo, John Mauceri and Andre Previn. Having had numerous compositions written exclusively for him, Masek’s discography includes seven CD solo collections: Distant Memories, Windwood, Recrudescence, Saxvoir Faire, Saxtronic Soundscape, Saxophone Alternative, and EclectSax.
Masek has also recorded for the Centaur, Albany, Cambria, Atlantic, Koch International, Stereophile, Summit and Philips Classics recording companies. He continues to perform on motion picture soundtracks for Sony, Warner, Paramount, Universal Studios, Disney and 20th Century Fox, along with television and radio broadcasts.
To learn more about Marshall University’s music program, visit www.marshall.edu/music.