James Houlik
Encyclopedia
James Houlik is an American tenor saxophonist
and saxophone teacher.
He has four grand children and four daughters.
and the University of Illinois
. He studied with saxophonist Cecil Leeson
at Ball State University
. He studied saxophone with classical saxophone pioneer Sigurd Raschèr
, and did additional study with Raschèr at the Eastman School of Music
.
The vast majority of classical saxophonists play alto saxophone
almost exclusively. Houlik, however, gravitated to the tenor saxophone
early in life, and was encouraged by Raschèr to pursue the instrument.
where he built a successful saxophone program.
He later became professor of Saxophone at the North Carolina School of the Arts
.
He is currently Professor of Saxophone and Chair of Woodwinds at Duquesne University
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
He has held many summer saxophone study programs, at North Carolina School of the Arts
and more recently at Wildacres Retreat, a facility in Little Switzerland, North Carolina
. At the Wildacres workshops he is joined by the members of the New Century Saxophone Quartet who coach
saxophone quartets made up of workshop participants.
debut at the Phillips Collection
. He has appeared in such major venues as Carnegie Hall
, Lincoln Center, Town Hall in Toronto, the Smithsonian Institution
, and London's Barbican
.
His Carnegie Hall
debut was in 1978 and he played Alice Tully Hall
in 1981.
He regularly appears on university campuses throughout the United States as a performer and as a teacher of clinics and master classes.
His concerto performances have included those with the American Symphony Orchestra
, the Grant Park Symphony, the London Symphony Orchestra
, the Phoenix Symphony
, the West Virginia Symphony, the San Remo Orchestra (Italy), the Istanbul Philharmonic, the North Carolina Symphony
, the Chamber Orchestra of Milan, the New Art Philharmonic of Pretoria
, South Africa, the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, the United States Navy Band
, and dozens more.
The Washington Post hailed Houlik as “The Andres Segovia
of the Tenor Saxophone.” His debut with the London Symphony Orchestra moved the London Daily Mail to describe him as “the world’s great saxophone virtuoso.”
In 1995, Houlik performed for President Clinton
in the East Room of the White House
at the National Arts Award Ceremony.
He is an artist/clinician for the Selmer Company
, a saxophone manufacturer.
, Houlik has worked closely with many composers to foster the development of a repertoire for the tenor saxophone
, an instrument with few concertos in its repertoire.
Over seventy pieces of music have been composed for, or commissioned by, Houlik. These include:
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
and saxophone teacher.
Family life
Houlik is married for the third time, and has fathered four children.He has four grand children and four daughters.
Education
He first became a student of the tenor saxophone under the guidance of Harvey Egan during his early years at Islip High School. He studied music education at State University of New York at FredoniaState University of New York at Fredonia
The State University of New York at Fredonia is a four-year liberal arts college located in Fredonia, New York, United States; it is a constituent college of the State University of New York...
and the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. He studied with saxophonist Cecil Leeson
Cecil Leeson
Cecil Leeson , a musician and teacher, was widely credited with establishing the saxophone as a legitimate concert instrument....
at Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
. He studied saxophone with classical saxophone pioneer Sigurd Raschèr
Sigurd Raschèr
Sigurd Manfred Raschèr was an American saxophonist of German birth. He became one of the most important figures in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the classical saxophone.-Career in Europe:...
, and did additional study with Raschèr at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
.
The vast majority of classical saxophonists play alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
almost exclusively. Houlik, however, gravitated to the tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
early in life, and was encouraged by Raschèr to pursue the instrument.
Teaching career
Houlik began teaching at East Carolina UniversityEast Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
where he built a successful saxophone program.
He later became professor of Saxophone at the North Carolina School of the Arts
North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts , formerly the North Carolina School of the Arts, is a public coeducational arts conservatory in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that grants high school, undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is one of the seventeen constituent campuses of the...
.
He is currently Professor of Saxophone and Chair of Woodwinds at Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
He has held many summer saxophone study programs, at North Carolina School of the Arts
North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts , formerly the North Carolina School of the Arts, is a public coeducational arts conservatory in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that grants high school, undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is one of the seventeen constituent campuses of the...
and more recently at Wildacres Retreat, a facility in Little Switzerland, North Carolina
Little Switzerland, North Carolina
Little Switzerland is an unincorporated community in McDowell and Mitchell counties of North Carolina, United States. It is located along NC 226A off the Blue Ridge Parkway, directly north of Marion, North Carolina and south of Spruce Pine....
. At the Wildacres workshops he is joined by the members of the New Century Saxophone Quartet who coach
saxophone quartets made up of workshop participants.
Performing career
Houlik began his performing career with a Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
debut at the Phillips Collection
Phillips Collection
The Phillips Collection is an art museum founded by Duncan Phillips in 1921 as the Phillips Memorial Gallery located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Phillips was the grandson of James H...
. He has appeared in such major venues as Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Lincoln Center, Town Hall in Toronto, the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, and London's Barbican
Barbican
A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
.
His Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
debut was in 1978 and he played Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
in 1981.
He regularly appears on university campuses throughout the United States as a performer and as a teacher of clinics and master classes.
His concerto performances have included those with the American Symphony Orchestra
American Symphony Orchestra
The American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski, then aged 80. Following Maestro Stokowski's departure, Kazuyoshi Akiyama was appointed Music Director of the American Symphony Orchestra from 1973-1978. Music Directors during the early...
, the Grant Park Symphony, the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, the Phoenix Symphony
Phoenix Symphony
The Phoenix Symphony is a major United States symphony orchestra based in Phoenix, Arizona.Founded in 1947 when Phoenix had a population of less than 100,000, the orchestra began as an occasional group of musicians performing a handful of concerts each year...
, the West Virginia Symphony, the San Remo Orchestra (Italy), the Istanbul Philharmonic, the North Carolina Symphony
North Carolina Symphony
The North Carolina Symphony is an American orchestra based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with sixty-nine full time musicians. The orchestra performs in Meymandi Concert Hall and performs occasionally with the Carolina Ballet and the The Opera Company of North Carolina. In 2007, the organization...
, the Chamber Orchestra of Milan, the New Art Philharmonic of Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa, the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, the United States Navy Band
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the historic Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served the nation as the official musical organization of the United States Navy since 1925...
, and dozens more.
The Washington Post hailed Houlik as “The Andres Segovia
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
of the Tenor Saxophone.” His debut with the London Symphony Orchestra moved the London Daily Mail to describe him as “the world’s great saxophone virtuoso.”
In 1995, Houlik performed for President Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in the East Room of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
at the National Arts Award Ceremony.
He is an artist/clinician for the Selmer Company
The Selmer Company
Henri Selmer Paris company is a French family-owned enterprise, manufacturer of musical instruments based in Paris, France in 1885. It is known for its high-quality woodwind and brass instruments, especially saxophones, clarinets and trumpets...
, a saxophone manufacturer.
Saxophone works composed for Houlik
Following the example of Sigurd RaschèrSigurd Raschèr
Sigurd Manfred Raschèr was an American saxophonist of German birth. He became one of the most important figures in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the classical saxophone.-Career in Europe:...
, Houlik has worked closely with many composers to foster the development of a repertoire for the tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, an instrument with few concertos in its repertoire.
Over seventy pieces of music have been composed for, or commissioned by, Houlik. These include:
- Walter S. Hartley, "Poem", 1967
- Walter S. Hartley, Sonatina, 1967
- Robert Ward, Concerto for tenor saxophone
- Morton GouldMorton GouldMorton Gould was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.Born in Richmond Hill, New York, Gould was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition. His first composition was published at age six...
, Diversions for Tenor Saxophone - David OttDavid OttDavid Ott is an American composer of classical music.Born in Crystal Falls, Michigan, Ott's works include four symphonies, an opera , the Annapolis Overture, written for the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and various pieces of children's music. He has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Music ...
- Sherwood Shaffer
- Eric EwazenEric EwazenEric Ewazen is an American composer and teacher. Ewazen studied composition under Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt, Gunther Schuller, Joseph Schwantner, Warren Benson, and Eugene Kurtz at the Eastman School of Music and The Juilliard School...
, Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra, 1992 - Russell Peck, "The Upward Stream" concerto for tenor saxophone and orchestra, 1986
- Paul HarveyPaul HarveyPaul Harvey Aurandt , better known as Paul Harvey, was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. His listening audience was estimated, at...
- Vache SharafyanVache SharafyanVache Sharafyan , is one of the most important living composers from Armenia. Author of a number of symphonic, chamber, vocal, choral compositions that were performed widely by many nowadays leading musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Yuri Bashmet, among others...
- Michael CunninghamMichael CunninghamMichael Cunningham is an American writer, best known for his 1998 novel The Hours, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1999.-Early life and education:...
, "Trigon, Op. 31" 1969
Discography
- Russell Peck, "The Upward Stream: Music of Russell Peck"
- "American Saxophone" (music of Morton GouldMorton GouldMorton Gould was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.Born in Richmond Hill, New York, Gould was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition. His first composition was published at age six...
, Russell Peck, Robert Ward) with the London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, Winston-Salem Piedmont Triad Symphony Orchestra, conductors: Gerhardt Zimmermann, Paul Anthony McRae, Peter Perret. Audio CD, December 3, 1996, Label: Koch Int'l Classics - "Robert Ward: Jubilation Overture; Symphony No. 4; Concerto for Saxophone; Sonic Structure"
- "Night Fantasy, Music For Winds" music of Robert Ward
- "Orchestral Music & Concertos by Eric Ewazen", Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Conductor: Paul Polivnick, Audio CD (February 26, 2002), Label: Albany RecordsAlbany RecordsAlbany Records is an American classical music record label focusing particularly on contemporary classical music. It was established by Peter Kermani in 1987, and is based in Albany, New York.-External links:**...
- "Tenor Tapestry" (with pianist {Debra Ayers), Aerophon Recordings http://www.jameshoulik.com/discs.htm
- "On Wings of Song" (with pianist Vahan Sargsyan), unreleased http://www.jameshoulik.com/discs.htm
- (need other titles)
External links
- James Houlik's web site
- Houlik's faculty page at Duquesne UniversityDuquesne UniversityDuquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
- James Houlik Saxophone Retreat at Wildacres