James Houlik ( ; born December 4, 1942 in
Bay Shore, New York
Bay Shore is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Islip, New York, United States. It is situated on the South Shore of Long Island, adjoining the Great South Bay. The population of the CDP was 29,244 at the time of the 2020 ...
) is an American
classical tenor saxophonist
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 and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...
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 Fredonia
The State University of New York at Fredonia (SUNY Fredonia) is a public university in Fredonia, New York, United States. It is the westernmost member of the State University of New York. Founded in 1826, it is the sixty-sixth-oldest institute o ...
and the
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...
. He studied with saxophonist
Cecil Leeson
Cecil B. Leeson (December 16, 1902 – April 17, 1989), a musician and teacher, was widely credited with establishing the saxophone as a legitimate concert instrument in the U.S.
Early life
While living in the southwest, he received a degree fro ...
at
Ball State University
Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis.
On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...
. He studied saxophone with classical saxophone pioneer
Sigurd Raschèr
Sigurd Manfred Raschèr (pronounced 'Rah-sher') (15 May 190725 February 2001) was an American saxophonist born in Germany. He became an important figure in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the Classical music, classical saxopho ...
, and did additional study with Raschèr at the
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman.
It offers Bachelor of Music (B.M ...
.
The vast majority of classical saxophonists play
alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
almost exclusively. Houlik, however, gravitated to the
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 and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...
early in life, and was encouraged by Raschèr to pursue the instrument.
Teaching career
Houlik began teaching at
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...
where he built a successful saxophone program.
He later became professor of Saxophone at the
North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...
.
He was for twenty-two years Professor of Saxophone and Chair of Woodwinds at
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( or ; Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a private Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened as the Pittsbu ...
, and is now Artist Lecturer in Saxophone at Carnegie Mellon University, both in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
.
He has held many summer saxophone study programs, at
North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...
and more recently at
Wildacres Retreat, a facility in
Little Switzerland, North Carolina
Little Switzerland is an unincorporated community in McDowell and Mitchell counties of North Carolina, United States. It is located along North Carolina Highway 226A (NC 226A) off the Blue Ridge Parkway, directly north of Marion and south of ...
. At the Wildacres workshops he is joined by the members of the
New Century Saxophone Quartet who coach
saxophone quartet
A saxophone quartet is a musical ensemble composed of four saxophones, typically soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. Different saxophone family members are employed to provide a larger range and a variety of tone colours. Other arrangeme ...
s made up of workshop participants.
Performing career
Houlik began his performing career with a
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
debut at the
Phillips Collection
The Phillips Collection is an art museum founded by Duncan Phillips and Marjorie Acker 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. Laughlin, ...
. He has appeared in such major venues as
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
,
Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...
,
Town Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
in Toronto, the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
, and London's
Barbican
A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer fortifications, defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes.
Europe ...
.
His
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
debut was in 1978 and he played
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The hall is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assist ...
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 American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski whose mission is to demystify orchestral music and make it accessible and affordable for all audiences. Leon Botstein is the orchestra's m ...
, the
Grant Park Symphony
The Grant Park Symphony Orchestra or simply the Grant Park Orchestra is a publicly sponsored symphony orchestra that provides free performances in the Grant Park Music Festival during the summer months in Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois. I ...
, the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
, the
Phoenix Symphony
The Phoenix Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Phoenix, Arizona. The orchestra performs primarily at Phoenix Symphony Hall, and is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the state of Arizona.
History
Founded in 1947, the ...
, the
West Virginia Symphony, the San Remo Orchestra (Italy), the
Istanbul Philharmonic, the
North Carolina Symphony
The North Carolina Symphony (NCS) is an American orchestra based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with sixty-six full-time musicians. The orchestra performs in Meymandi Concert Hall and performs occasionally with the Carolina Ballet and the Opera Com ...
, the Chamber Orchestra of Milan, the New Art Philharmonic of
Pretoria
Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa.
Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...
, South Africa, the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, the
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served as the official musical organization of the U.S. Navy since 1925. The U.S. Navy Band serves the ceremonial needs at the seat of government, performin ...
, and dozens more.
The ''
Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' hailed Houlik as “The
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were students of Segovia or their students.
Segovia's contribution to the m ...
of the Tenor Saxophone.”
In 1995, Houlik performed for
President Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...
in the East Room of the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
at the
National Arts Award Ceremony.
He is an artist/clinician for the Yamaha Corporation and D'Addario Reserve reeds.
Saxophone works composed for Houlik
Following the example of
Sigurd Raschèr
Sigurd Manfred Raschèr (pronounced 'Rah-sher') (15 May 190725 February 2001) was an American saxophonist born in Germany. He became an important figure in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the Classical music, classical saxopho ...
, Houlik has worked closely with many composers to foster the development of a repertoire for the
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 and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...
, an instrument with few concertos in its repertoire.
Over one hundred 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 Gould
Morton Gould (December 10, 1913February 21, 1996) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.
Biography
Morton Gould was born in Richmond Hill, New York, United States. He was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities ...
, Diversions for Tenor Saxophone
*David Ott
*Sherwood Shaffer
*
Eric Ewazen
Eric Ewazen (; born March 1, 1954, Cleveland, Ohio) is an American composer and teacher.
Biography
Ewazen studied composition under Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt, Gunther Schuller, Joseph Schwantner, Warren Benson, and Eugene Kurtz at the Eas ...
, Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra, 1992
*
Russell Peck
Russell Peck was an American composer born in Detroit on January 25, 1945 to Thorland (Tom) and Margaret (Carlson) Peck. He died in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 1, 2009, at the age of 64.
Life and career
Peck's early music education was ...
, "The Upward Stream" concerto for tenor saxophone and orchestra, 1986
*
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009) was an American radio broadcaster for ABC News Radio. He broadcast ''News and Comment'' on mornings and mid-days on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays and also his famous ''The Rest o ...
*
Vache Sharafyan
Vache Sharafyan ( hy, Վաչե Շարաֆյան), (born February 11, 1966 in Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian composer of symphonic works, chamber music, choral music and opera. His works include 2 acts opera ''King Abgar'', ballet ''Second Moon'' ...
Concerto for Tenor Saxophone & symphony orchestra, 2003 (an excerpt can be found on YouTube)
*
Michael Cunningham
Michael Cunningham (born November 6, 1952) is an American novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for his 1998 novel '' The Hours'', which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1999. Cunningham is a senior lectur ...
, "Trigon, Op. 31" 1969
Discography
*
Russell Peck
Russell Peck was an American composer born in Detroit on January 25, 1945 to Thorland (Tom) and Margaret (Carlson) Peck. He died in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 1, 2009, at the age of 64.
Life and career
Peck's early music education was ...
, "The Upward Stream: Music of
Russell Peck
Russell Peck was an American composer born in Detroit on January 25, 1945 to Thorland (Tom) and Margaret (Carlson) Peck. He died in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 1, 2009, at the age of 64.
Life and career
Peck's early music education was ...
"
*"American Saxophone" (music of
Morton Gould
Morton Gould (December 10, 1913February 21, 1996) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.
Biography
Morton Gould was born in Richmond Hill, New York, United States. He was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities ...
,
Russell Peck
Russell Peck was an American composer born in Detroit on January 25, 1945 to Thorland (Tom) and Margaret (Carlson) Peck. He died in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 1, 2009, at the age of 64.
Life and career
Peck's early music education was ...
,
Robert Ward) with the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
,
North Carolina Symphony Orchestra
The North Carolina Symphony (NCS) is an American orchestra based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with sixty-six full-time musicians. The orchestra performs in Meymandi Concert Hall and performs occasionally with the Carolina Ballet and the Opera Compa ...
,
Winston-Salem Piedmont Triad Symphony Orchestra, conductors:
Gerhardt Zimmermann Gerhardt is a masculine name of Germanic origin. It can refer to the following:
As a first name
* Ants Eskola (1908–1989), Soviet-Estonian actor and singer born Gerhardt Esperk
* Gerhardt Laves (1906–1993), American linguist
* Gerhardt Neef ...
,
Paul Anthony McRae,
Pieter 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 Records
Albany Records is a record label that concentrates on unconventional contemporary classical music by American composers and musicians. It was established by Peter Kermani in 1987 and is based in Albany, New York.
See also
* List of record la ...
Eric Ewazen CD
at amazon.com
*"Tenor Tapestry" (with pianist {Debra Ayers), Aerophon Recording
*"On Wings of Song" (with pianist Vahan Sargsyan), unrelease
*''(need other titles)''
References
External links
James Houlik's web site
at Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit ( or ; Duquesne University or Duquesne) is a private Catholic research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened as the Pittsbu ...
James Houlik Saxophone Retreat
at Wildacres
{{DEFAULTSORT:Houlik, James
1942 births
Living people
People from Bay Shore, New York
East Carolina University people
American classical saxophonists
American male saxophonists
Duquesne University faculty
21st-century American saxophonists
21st-century American male musicians