The St. Louis based Renegade Saxophone Quartet was formed in 2016 and is devoted to the performance and promotion of saxophone chamber music. Embracing the spectrum of saxophone quartet music, the ensemble enjoys bringing a variety of repertoire to new audiences. Among its repertoire is the standard French quartet music, new and modern music, as well as tasteful transcriptions of Bach, Glass, and Piazzolla, among others. Drawing on the diverse talent of it’s members, the quartet is unique in sound and an amalgam of the St. Louis saxophone scene. This free event will be at the Saxquest Cherokee location this Saturday, August 5, from 2pm – 4pm.
With degrees in clarinet and saxophone, Jeffrey Collins enjoys an exciting career as a freelance musician and educator. For over twenty years he has performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under Music Directors David Robertson, Hans Vonk, and Leonard Slatkin,including multiple Carnegie Hall performances. He also performs regularly with the Kansas City Symphony and the Illinois Symphony. He has toured nationally with the Jimmy Dorsey Big Band in the lead alto chair and has performed with stars like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Al Jarreau, Art Garfunkel, and Bernadette Peters, to name just a few. Jeffrey was named a D’Addario Woodwind Reserve Method Clinician in 2015.
Dr. Christopher Bartz is an alumnus of Kirkwood High School in St. Louis. While in high school he was a student of Jeffrey Collins and performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Later he earned music degrees from Bowling Green State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Southern California. Chris most recently was Professor of Saxophone at the University of Southern California. Prior to his appointment at the University of Southern California, Chris was on the school of music faculty at California State University, Fullerton. Chris currently resides in St. Louis and works as a freelance musician and music educator.
Dr. Joel Vanderheyden is a versatile saxophonist, composer, and educator with tremendous passion for the unifying power of music. As a performer, he draws upon his study of jazz and classical saxophone, immersing himself in a variety of musical situations, ranging from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to the cinematic electro-jazz group, Koplant No. Currently, Dr. Vanderheyden serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz at Jefferson College. He is a performing artist/clinician for D’Addario Woodwinds and Selmer Saxophones.
Aaron Lehde is Director of Bands at Ladue High School,where he has taught since 2002. Aaron earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Performance and Music Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Aaron has played saxophone and other woodwinds for numerous nationally and locally known acts including the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Manhattan Transfer, Maynard Ferguson, Frankie Valli, Bernadette Peters, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Wayne Newton, Idina Menzel, Debby Boone (yes, that Debby Boone), Jay Leno and Bob Newhart.