ASU saxophone quartets shine at national and international competitions

This year has been an extraordinary year for two saxophone quartets in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. Composed of seven current music students and one recent graduate, these quartets are both winners of several renowned national and international competitions, including the prestigious Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

The LOTUS Quartet won the Gold Medal in the 2024 Fischoff Competition Senior Wind Division, which is the largest chamber music competition in the world and the Kodachrome won the same award the previous year. As part of the first-place Fischoff award, the quartets participated in the Fischoff Double Gold Tour.

This fall, LOTUS toured Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and Illinois to serve as resident artists providing interactive workshops, demonstrations and masterclasses for middle and high school band and orchestra students, as well as community concerts for audiences of all ages.

LOTUS is composed of Master of Music student Jerick Meagher on baritone saxophone and Bachelor of Music students Keegan Ewan on tenor saxophone, GianCarlo Lay on soprano saxophone and Johnathan Lee on alto saxophone.

In 2024, LOTUS also won second place in the Coltman Chamber Music Competition, Senior Division Mixed Instrumental Division; third place in the North American Saxophone Association Biennial Conference Quartet Competition; and were invited performers with the ASU Wind Symphony at the College Band Directors National Association regional conference in Las Vegas.

“After we formed, we were focused on gaining experience from competing while also participating in community and school outreach,” said Meagher. “We have learned a lot from each other while working together and it’s beautiful to see the collaborative effort take shape on stage in the form of a captivating performance.”

In 2023, they won first place in the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Wind Competition and the Grand Prize for Best Chamber Music Performance in the Arizona International Music Competition. The quartet was founded in summer 2022 at the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop. Their musical selections span a diverse range of repertoire including classical, jazz and pop.

“The chemistry was good from the start, so we all knew we wanted to keep it going,” said Ewan. “Another inspiring force is our graduate student colleagues in Kodachrome, who won the same competition last year.”

More recently, Kodachrome was announced as the winner of the American Prize in Chamber Music Performance in the professional division.

Kodachrome, also founded in 2022, includes current Doctor of Musical Arts students Jade Deatherage on alto saxophone, Siobhan Plouffe on tenor saxophone and Calvin Wong on soprano saxophone, and Bonson Lee (DMA, ‘23) on baritone saxophone.     

Kodachrome is also one of three ensembles to receive the Classical Commissioning Grant through Chamber Music America. The quartet will be partnering with composer Julie Zhu on a work that features saxophone quartet with fixed and live electronics.

All eight members of both quartets study or have studied with Christopher Creviston, professor of saxophone in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre.

LOTUS Quartet interview

Question: Can you describe what the experience of winning the award was like? 
GianCarlo: The whole experience was extremely gratifying. I loved learning from the judges that they supported a lot of the risks we take with our musical decisions. This competition was a great opportunity to establish our own voice in the world. 
Johnathan: I felt energized and excited to showcase our abilities as a group and felt accomplished in how we presented ourselves and performed. 
Keegan: It was some of the best playing that we've done in our time together. 
Jerick: Being able to take part in the competition was a dream come true. Having the opportunity to travel all around the country, meet wonderful musicians from other schools, and create lasting memories with some amazing friends has been incredibly special. 

Question:  What was your most memorable experience from the tour and why? 
GianCarlo: At one particular middle school, the kids were so excited about LOTUS that they were eagerly crowding around us for autographs and photos.
Johnathan: Being able to showcase ourselves to middle and high school band students opened my eyes into why I enjoy performing music. Being able to teach young students the things that we’ve learned was really fun. The workshops and presentations we gave helped me reconnect with my love for music and how it connects to the people we interact with.

Question:  Was there any one experience that you have had as a music student that contributed to your outstanding accomplishments in such a short time together? 
GianCarlo: One of the most important lessons is about communication and group dynamics. Being able to memorize and continuously improve the music requires an ensemble to have a sophisticated understanding of each other’s strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. It is crucial to invest in the relationships with one another to produce the most engaging performances and authentic sounds. 
Johnathan: The whole process of finding our group sound and identity taught me a lot about how to push myself as a musician and how to come together as a group. We have all put a lot of time and effort into our instruments as individuals, but coming together as a quartet has been a whole other experience. Being able to work with other people and getting along with each other has been a huge part of our group.

Question: How do you feel your awards and the tour impacts your education as a music student and as a professional quartet? 
Giancarlo: The journey of preparing music and performing on the tour taught me invaluable lessons about collaboration, work ethic, balance and communication with young audiences. It has also given us a platform to showcase our work in front of broader audiences and influential contributors in our field. 
Johnathan: The tour and competition has made us stronger as people and a group. We’ve had experiences together that we would not have gotten anywhere else. We’ve been able to learn so much from all of these experiences

Question: What is the best piece of advice you would give to students interested in competing?
Keegan: We all have different musical interests but in a small chamber music ensemble, everyone needs to be on the same page about loving chamber music. While competitions can provide future opportunities, the goal should not be so much about winning but more about providing an incentive for playing good music. 
Jerick: Have fun and enjoy the moment. Treat the competition as a learning experience to improve yourself and your playing and never let the results define you, win or lose.

Kodachrome quartet interview     

Question: How do you feel the importance of winning the American Prize translates into your educational and professional careers? 
Jade: This award gives us assurance that there is space for classical/contemporary saxophone chamber music in the larger musical community.  
Siobhan: We are moving our group from the educational world to the professional world and have spent time promoting our quartet across Arizona and the United States. Winning this award has given us confidence to continue.
Bonson: This award shows that evolving and growing as a musician does not stop. 
Calvin: We are incredibly honored to be recognized.      

Question: What was the most important experience or learning you feel contributed to your accomplishments as a music student and your success as a professional musician?
Jade: Being at ASU has put me in direct musical contact with so many unique, incredible people, all of whom have shaped the musician and collaborator I am today.
Siobhan: We have been given an extraordinary range of opportunities at ASU that have allowed us to experience performances in different settings and of different styles. We owe a lot of our success to Professor Creviston and his teaching. 
Bonson: The most important experiences were in the chamber ensembles I have been a part of and studying with Professor Creviston who has given so much of himself and his time for us. Calvin: The confidence on stage consists of hard work, encouragement, experience and a mentor like Professor Creviston who can offer us feedback and advice. The ASU faculty and student community are also very supportive of our work, and the school provides opportunities for us to perform.

Question: What is one piece of advice you could give to students interested in competing?
Jade: Be committed to the essence of the music you are performing and communicate with each other during the performance, and then communicate all of that with the audience. 
Siobhan: Do not go into any competition with expectations. Work hard and trust in the work that you put in, and have fun on stage. 
Bonson: Have open communication across all members to make sure everyone is on the same page about everything. Plan early, choose repertoire that speaks to you as an ensemble and be actively engaged in what you are playing.
Calvin: It takes courage to embrace your passion, to be inspired and to stay mentally healthy. The effort you spend on these aspects will not disappoint you.

Both LOTUS and Kodachrome have commercial recordings in process through Sweetwater Recording Studios.