Ithaca College

Steve Mauk, professor of saxophone, spent three weeks on a concert tour of China this summer. His presentations began with the first all-saxophone concerto concert ever presented in China, on which all of the selections were China premieres.

IC orchestra director Jeff Meyer conducted the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, and Kim Dunnick (professor of trumpet) joined Mauk in a double concerto for saxophone and trumpet. In addition, Mauk performed the Villa-Lobos Fantasia for soprano saxophone, and graduate music student, Hantao Li, was also featured on the program. Mauk and Li presented a short recital at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, where he also presented a master class.

His travels took him to three other conservatories, at which he presented recitals and master classes. In Beijing, he visited the Central Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory, where he spent an entire day teaching many of their saxophone students. In the city of Yantai, Mauk was hosted by Yantai University. The presentations at these four conservatories continued the connection between the Ithaca College School of Music and various academic music institutions in China.