IAN JEFFRESS - ALTO

Ian Jeffress currently serves on the faculty of the School of Music at Western Carolina University in North Carolina, where he directs the saxophone studio, teaches courses in music theory and aural skills, and is the director of the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. He holds degrees in performance and music theory from Ithaca College and Furman University, and is currently completing his doctorate at the University of South Carolina. Prior to his appointment at Western Carolina, Jeffress served on the faculties of Allen University and the Palmetto Center for the Arts, and served as a graduate teaching assistant at both USC and Ithaca College.

He has been a finalist in the MTNA Young Artist competition and a semifinalist in the Fischoff Chamber Music competition, and has performed at venues including the World Saxophone Congress, the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, and numerous meetings of the North American Saxophone Alliance. He has served as saxophonist for the Charleston and Asheville Symphony Orchestras, and has performed as a soloist with the Cornell University Symphonic Band and the composers’ forum Tabula Rasa.

He has been consistently involved in commissioning and premiering new music for the instrument, including works by James Matheson, Lewis Spratlan, Shih-hui Chen, and Jacob ter Veldhuis. His principle teachers have included Clifford Leaman and Steven Mauk.