Robert Young (Saxophone); Molly Orlando (Piano)

PROGRAM

Lilac Tears (2022)— Jennifer Jolley (b.1981)

This Earthly Round (Redux) (2014) —Miriama Young (b.1975)

Romance, Op. 23 (1893) — Amy Beach (1867-1944) (arr. Robert Young)

.A wonderful dream (2024) - Tyree Nesbitt (b.2001)

Intermission

Sonate en Ut # (1943) - Fernande Decruck (1896-1954)

I. Tres modéré, expressif

III. Fileuse

IV. Nocturne et Rondel

Come As You Are (2020) - Steven Banks (b.1993)

Lift My Eyes (My Lord, What A Morning)

Times of the Storm (Wade in the Water)

Strength of My Life (His Eye is On the Sparrow)

Lift My Hands (I Still Have Joy)

Fueled by a deep desire to create enthusiasm surrounding the classical saxophone, connects with audiences with his musicianship, virtuosity, and authenticity. Praised for his “effortless expression and facile technique”(The Saxophonist Magazine), Robert maintains an active career as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. His artistry has afforded him opportunities to appear with ensembles and musicians from across the globe, including the PRISM Quartet, The Crossing, Chris Potter, Ravi Coltrane, Uri Caine, Charlotte Symphony, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, and the Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Robert collaborated with The Crossing and performed alongside the PRISM Quartet on the GRAMMY Award-winning album "Gavin Bryars: The Fifth Century" (available on ECM Recordings). The New York Times praised the collective performance on this album as “superb” and “eloquent.” Young has appeared with the PRISM Quartet at numerous concerts, including residencies at the Curtis Institute, Shepherd School of Music (Rice University), and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He can be heard on several albums with this notable ensemble, including “The Curtis Project,” “Heritage/Evolution, Volume 2”, and “The Book of Days.”

Appearing with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra as a soloist in the 2023-24 season, he was hailed as “uncommonly expressive…and technically prodigious” (San Francisco Classical Voice) for his performance of Guillaume Connesson’s acrobatic concerto, A Kind of Trane. He has also been a soloist with the United States Navy Band, performing Quicksilver by Chicago-based composer Stacy Garrop, and has been featured as a soloist with the Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra, Piedmont Wind Symphony, UNCSA Symphony, and Zagreb Soloists (Croatia).

Robert holds a teaching position at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as the Associate Professor of Saxophone. Young’s students have received honors at several local, regional, and national competitions and have been featured at several clinics and conferences throughout the country. He previously served on the faculties of The Crane School of Music - SUNY Potsdam and Wichita State University. Young is often invited to give guest lectures and classes throughout the country. In the Fall of 2022, Robert was invited to be a guest teacher for the renowned University of Michigan saxophone studio as a sabbatical replacement for the award-winning saxophonist Timothy McAllister.

Robert earned his Doctor of Musical Arts (2011) and Master of Music (2008) degrees in saxophone performance from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Professor Donald Sinta. At the University of Michigan, he studied jazz saxophone with Dr. Andrew Bishop and was a recipient of the Lawrence Teal Fellowship. Young received a bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance from the University of South Carolina (2006), where he studied with Dr. Clifford Leaman.

As a Conn-Selmer Artist, Robert Young plays exclusively on Selmer saxophones. He also serves as a D’Addario artist/clinician and endorses Key Leaves products.

DC Pianist is nationally recognized as a pianist, pedagogue, and lecturer. Praised by the Washington Post for her ‘great style’ and performances that are ‘searching’ and ‘edgy’, Molly is equally at home in traditional and brand-new repertoire. An advocate for new music, Molly has premiered numerous works, including a performance as the soloist in the world premiere of Daniel Felsenfeld’s piano concerto The Curse of Sophistication. She has also premiered works by Douglas Boyce, Timothy Dusenbury, John Elmquist, Matt Curlee, and Nathan Lincoln-DeCusatis.

Molly has worked with UrbanArias (Service Provider and Shining Brow), Great Noise Ensemble, and Third Millennium Ensemble, and her recent concert seasons have included solo and chamber recital appearances at the Penn State University, North Carolina School for the Arts, Utah State University, Baylor University, University of Florida, the Arts Club of Washington, North American Saxophone Alliance, and the International Saxophone Symposium, as well as a collaboration with the United States Air Force Band in a program of music by Andy Akiho. Her recently completed projects include a recording of Douglas Boyce’s A Book of Songs with tenor Robert Baker and an album, Tale Still Told, with saxophonist Carolyn Braus and cellist Devree Lewis.

Because of her success in taking on notoriously difficult repertoire, Molly has a growing reputation among classical saxophonists and is in high demand as a collaborator, reflected in her recent and upcoming performances with saxophonists Jeremy Koch, Robert Young, Kyle Hutchins, Carolyn Braus, David Stambler, Tim Powell, and Branford Marsalis.

Molly teaches at George Washington University and is the owner of Opal Music Studio, a community music studio in Old Town Alexandria, VA. An established teacher and successful business owner, Molly is in high demand as a private teacher and is widely recognized as a pedagogue and entrepreneur. Molly has been a guest lecturer at universities and music teacher associations, including Penn State University, the University of Florida, the University of Maryland, Shenandoah Conservatory, and the Charlottesville Music Teacher Association; her recent presentation topics have included lectures on building a successful private studio, motivating overscheduled students, and implementing useful strategies to maximize studio results. She has maintained a thriving private studio in the DC area for more than 20 years, where she instructs students of all ages and abilities.

Molly completed her BM and MM degrees at the Catholic University of America, graduating summa cum laude as a scholarship student of Thomas Mastroianni and Marilyn Neeley.

Host or Publisher St. Mary's Music Academy