Saxophone Day is August 13, 2022! 

Schmitt Music is so excited to host a wealth of events to celebrate Saxophone Day this August 13 at Schmitt Music Brooklyn Center. Enjoy clinics and performances throughout the day, and check out gear in the Schmitt Music Saxophone shop and from our partner Randy Jones at Tenor Madness.

RSVP now to reserve your spot!

Questions about saxophones or the UMN-Schmitt Music Saxophone Series? Contact Dave Strong, Director of Saxophone Sales & Specialist, at 763-566-4560.

Schedule of Events

• 10 AM – Clinic with Pete Whitman 

  Pete Whitman is a saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator based in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. As a freelance musician, Whitman performs in a wide range of musical styles and contexts that include Jazz, Classical, Pop, dance bands, and more. He co-authored a book entitled “Strategies for Jazz Improvisation” and will be giving a clinic on how to improvise on jazz solos. 

• 11 AM – Clinic with Grace Kelly 

  An unequivocal musical prodigy, singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer and band leader Grace Kelly has rocked the jazz world with sold-out concerts, 13 acclaimed albums and a resume that includes performing at the Hollywood Bowl and as part of the house band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – all before reaching her mid-twenties. Grace is a masterful clinician specializing in jazz improvisation and stage performance. She has taught thousands of students to become more confident performers and players both online and in-person, including a guest teaching residency at the internationally renowned Berklee College of Music.

• 1 PM – Performance with Dr. Preston Duncan and Javier Valerio 

  An internationally acclaimed performer and educator based out of Minneapolis, Preston Duncan has been hailed as displaying his saxophone mastery with virtuosic brilliance. Duncan currently teaches saxophone at the University of Minnesota and is co-hosting Saxophone Day as part of the UMN-Schmitt Music Saxophone Series. Dr. Javier Valerio is widely recognized as one of the pioneers and leading classical saxophonist in Latin America. Valerio has been invited to play as soloist with many Symphony Orchestras and Concert Bands around the world and was a member of the world known Adolphe Saxophone International CompetitionJury in 2014. Valerio is a Selmer Artist.

• 2 PM – Clinic with Theo Wanne 

  Theo Wanne is the foremost expert on vintage and new mouthpiece design and is one of the few living Mouthpiece Refacing Masters. You won’t want to miss this clinic!  Theo talks about the history and science of mouthpiece design, both modern and vintage. Theo will also be around throughout the day to talk mouthpieces, and even do mouthpiece refacing work!

• 3 PM – Performance by Grace Kelly and the Explosion Big Band 

  The Explosion Big Band is sponsored by the Music Performance Trust Fund of the American Federation of Musicians.

  Led by chief detonators Doug Haining, sax, and Scott Agster, trombone, the EXPLOSION big band draws from the area’s finest musicians. The EXPLOSION is ready to detonate with the classic sounds of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and more modern sounds of Thad Jones, Clare Fischer, Pat Metheny and others. The EXPLOSION ignites big band chestnuts, blasts into rock, erupts into swing, and is ready to ignite any event with a BIG BANG. The explosion band will be performing some of their own repertoire, and then be joined by Grace Kelly to play some of her music.  This performance will be one for the history books!

We will have Randy Jones from Tenor Madness available all day – his custom work is unparalleled worldwide! Say hi to Randy, and have him check out your horn.

Or try a selection of instruments custom setup by Randy Jones!

RSVP