Guest Artist: Nick May (saxophone)

Name: Guest Artist: Nick May (saxophone)
Start: 2025-10-07T19:30:00-05:00
Location: UWEC Music and Theatre

Schedule

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025 at 07:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

UWEC Music and Theatre | Eau Claire, WI

The University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire Department of Music and Theatre Arts presents a guest artist recital in Gantner Concert Hall at the Haas Fine Arts Center (121 Water Street Eau Claire, WI 54701) Admission is FREE. Doors open 15 minutes before start time.
Saxophonist Nick May
…is sought after as “a highly expressive, virtuosic, and fresh performer” (David Del Tredici, Pulitzer Prize and Grammy-winning composer) that “brings his personality to every performance - full of genuine joie de vivre!” (Javier Oviedo, Classical Saxophone Project). Since his solo debut at the age of eighteen with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, May’s career has taken him throughout the United States, Singapore, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark, appearing recurrently as a guest artist and recitalist. Additionally, May has garnered prizes at many prestigious national and international competitions with recent Carnegie Hall performances.
He has performed as a soloist and been featured with numerous ensembles, including the Arapahoe Philharmonic Orchestra, Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, Tallgrass Chamber Choir, Classical Saxophone Project, Mid-America Freedom Band, Baker University Jazz Combo and Big Band, Kansas Wesleyan University Wind Ensemble, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Orchestra, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Wind Ensemble.
May has premiered works and collaborated with today’s most eminent and emerging composers including Kevin Day, Jennifer Higdon, Kenneth Fuchs, Tyler Harrison, Peter Dayton, Ingrid Stölzel, Spencer Arias, Nathan Froebe, Zachery S. Meier, Kurt Knecht, Evan Boegehold, John Kosch, Christina Ensign, David von Kampen, Suhan Tuyliyev, Iván Enrique Rodríguez, Peter Dayton, Xenia St. Charles Iris Llyllyth, Aaryn S. Ricucci-Hill, Trey Makler, Zoë Wallace among others while advocating for contemporary music.
As a chamber musician, Nick is a founding member of Latitude 39, a dynamic and innovative trio with violinist Diana Seitz and pianist Maya Tuylieva that fuses their diverse cultural backgrounds and influences through musical programming. He released his debut album in 2019 under Albany Records - Tone Studies: the Saxophone Music of David Maslanka; is also featured on The Chamber Music of David von Kampen and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln Jazz Orchestra’s album, The Good Life. Additionally, he is the founder of the I Exist Project, which aims to advocate for, bring light to, and celebrate the multifaceted aspects of queer life, culture, and artistry through the collaboration with a diverse range of queer composers and performers to promote the creation and visibility of new queer repertoire.
May has given masterclasses, guest performances, and been an artist in residency at many of the nation’s elite conservatories and universities including the Manhattan School of Music, University of California-Davis, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Denison University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Arizona, among others, while teaching at the Music Academy of Kansas City. He holds degrees from the University of Nebraska -Lincoln (B.M.) and the University of Kansas (M.M.). Nick May is an endorsing artist for Key Leaves and Légère Reeds.
UW-Eau Claire Music Department:
As the largest undergrad music program within the Universities of Wisconsin, the UW-Eau Claire music department serves over 300 music students and presents over 200 performances every year. Music is a well-established and beloved tradition at UWEC and the city of Eau Claire at large known for its vibrant music scene where artists of all ages showcase and polish their artistic skills. Learn more about our noteworthy range of degree programs, supportive and talented faculty, and plentiful performance opportunities by visiting this link: uwec.ly/music