Sara Powell is a concert saxophonist and educator from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance from the Wells School of Music at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she is currently completing her Master of Music in the same field.
Sara’ s musical journey began at the age of five with piano lessons, which laid the foundation for her deep musical curiosity. She discovered the saxophone at nine and quickly developed a strong affinity for the instrument, transitioning to tenor saxophone as her primary voice by the age of twelve. While attending Red Land High School, she was a dedicated member of both the band and choir programs, fostering a love for ensemble performance and collaborative artistry.
At West Chester University, Sara has studied under saxophonist and composer Jonathan Ragonese for six years. She has been an active member of the Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds, Saxophone Ensemble, saxophone quartets, and a variety of chamber groups. Under the direction of Dr. Andrew Yozviak, the WCU Wind Ensemble has provided her with numerous performance and recording opportunities, including four professional album releases: Cenotaph (2020), Ribbons (2022), Bright Shadows (2024), and an upcoming 2025 project.
In the summer of 2022, Sara traveled with the Wind Ensemble to southern Germany for a series of performances. This spring, she will perform in Amsterdam with the WCU Chamber Winds, presenting chamber and saxophone quartet works.
Though she focused exclusively on tenor saxophone during her undergraduate studies, Sara has since expanded her versatility, exploring soprano and alto saxophones in depth. She also maintains proficiency in clarinet and piano, and has taught private lessons on all three instruments.
Sara is especially drawn to contemporary classical music and extended techniques that push the sonic boundaries of the saxophone. She recently performed in a master class led by award-winning saxophonist and educator Anne Kunkle at the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 8 Conference, and is a proud member of NASA.
In August 2025, Sara will present an hour-long unaccompanied solo saxophone recital as part of the Vesper Concert Series at Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This program will feature contemporary works that explore the full expressive range of the saxophone, highlighting her passion for modern repertoire and extended techniques.
A passionate advocate for equity in the arts, Sara is committed to uplifting women and non-binary musicians and cultivating inclusive, affirming spaces for creative expression. Through her teaching and performing, she strives to inspire others to explore their unique musical voices with confidence and authenticity.
ROGRAM NOTES
CONCERTOFORALTOSAXOPHONE(1934)
Alexander Glazunov was a late-19th century composer known for composing conservative, classical pieces. In the 1880’ s, Glazunov studied composition with Mily Balakirev and Nikoli Rimsky-Korsakov in Russia. Over a decade later, he began teaching instrumentation at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory where he soon after became the director. Glazunov’ s Concerto for Alto Saxophone was composed in 1934 and is a well known piece in the saxophone repertoire. This was Glazunov’ s first time composing for saxophone and wanted to showcase its unique timbre in the classical setting. In his pursuit to elevate the saxophone’ s role in classical music, Sigurd Raschèr approached Alexander Glazunov with a request to compose a work for saxophone and orchestra. The resulting piece was dedicated to Raschèr, one of the most influential classical saxophonists of the 20th century. This piece is structured as one continuous movement with a perfect blend of Romantic lyricism and Classical clarity. Glazunov does a brilliant job showcasing how the saxophone can sing and its virtuosic agility. His writing is expressive and flowing, with long, arching phrases that highlight the saxophone’ s warm timbre. The piece opens with a lyrically noble theme followed by a more contemplative section with gentle flowing melody lines and rich harmonic textures. The final section mimics a lively dance with scalar musical lines and light articulation bringing the piece to the end.
SONATAFORTENORSAXOPHONEANDPIANO(1967)
James Di Pasquale is a distinguished American musician and composer, renowned for his contributions to contemporary classical music, as well as his compositions for television and film. Before dedicating himself entirely to composing, Di Pasquale enjoyed a rich career as a saxophonist and pianist. He played with prestigious ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Bolshoi Ballet, and the Royal Ballet, earning acclaim for his versatility and musicianship. His extensive experience also includes performing as a jazz musician, where he was a founding member of the iconic Paul Winter Consort. One of Di Pasquale’ s notable works, Sonata for Tenor Saxophone and Piano, exemplifies his unique ability to blend diverse musical styles. Composed in three distinct movements, the sonata is marked by a striking lack of a tonal center, creating an ambiguous yet deeply expressive soundscape. The work's bold and unconventional rhythmic structure further enhances its aggressive and dynamic character, pushing the boundaries of both classical and jazz conventions. Through this composition, Di Pasquale showcases his mastery of rhythm, harmony, and instrumental interplay, making it a significant contribution to contemporary music.
KUKU(1997)
Barry Cockcroft is an Australian saxophonist and composer with an extraordinary international presence. His music, celebrated for its captivating allure, unique eccentricity, and technical sophistication, has been performed thousands of times in over 60 countries. It remains a cornerstone of the global classical repertoire, embraced by the world’ s foremost musicians. Cockcroft studied with Dr. Peter Clinch in Melbourne, Australia and spent time in Bordeaux, France studying with saxophonists Jacques Net, Marie-Bernadette Charrier, and Jean-Marie Londeix. One of the last pieces Cockcroft performed during his studies in France was Berio’ s Sequenza VIIb for soprano saxophone. As a practice technique, he improvised and expanded upon the themes in Berio’ s piece. Cockcroft explains how he would take the multi-phonics from Sequenza VIIb and make funky rhythms out of them to help further his preparation of the piece. A friend of his during this time said the sounds coming out of his saxophone resembles a chicken. He took that amusing idea and created the masterpiece that is Ku Ku. This piece begins with a very delicate
lyrical line and continues into a minimalistic section with subtle rhythmic and melodic variation. This is often referred to as the chicken waking up at sunrise. The back half of the piece introduces a repeated Db staccato motive that resembles the clucking of a chicken. As the piece continues the ‘chicken ’ starts to lose its mind and is shown through aggressive multi-phonics and slap tonguing.
Kuku in Swahili means chicken.
Ku-ku is a type of clock made in the Black forest.
Ku Ku means crazy.
There are happy hens, ones that live on an organic farm, that have worms to eat and lay lots of eggs.
The air is fresh and the handsome rooster caters for all their needs…
There are other kinds of chickens, ones that may have lost their mind, or their head!
Each day they do the same thing, they live in little boxes, cluck, cluck .cluck, cluck.
-Barry Cockcroft program notes
CONCERTOFORTENORSAXOPHONE(1984)
A vibrant and expressive addition to the saxophone repertoire, Robert Ward’ s Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra was composed in 1984 for legendary saxophonist James Houlik, one of the foremost advocates of the tenor saxophone in classical music. Known primarily for his opera The Crucible, Ward brought his gift for lyrical melody and colorful orchestration to this concerto, giving the tenor saxophone a rare moment in the orchestral spotlight. The concerto is cast in the traditional threemovement structure and blends American lyricism, jazz-influenced rhythms, and a rich tonal palette. The first movement is slow, singing, and deeply expressive. It showcases the tenor saxophone’ s warm, lyrical tone with long melodic lines and rich harmonies. There’ s a vocal quality to the writing that draws on Ward’ s operatic background, giving the soloist space for emotional depth and subtle phrasing. The second movement is bright, rhythmic, and full of energy. It contrasts sharply with the introspective mood of the first, launching into playful, syncopated themes and lively interactions between soloist and orchestra. A short, virtuosic cadenza lets the saxophonist show off technical skill before the piece drives to an exciting and spirited close. Ward’ s Concerto for Tenor Saxophone is a significant work for the classical saxophone, not only because of its distinctive use of the tenor voice, but also because of its successful combination of classical and American musical styles. It remains a showcase piece for advanced saxophonists and a compelling example of the tenor saxophone’ s expressive potential in the concert hall.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THIS RECITAL REPRESENTS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF STUDY, GROWTH, AND PASSION, AND I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME ALONG THE WAY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU TO MY SAXOPHONE TEACHER AND MENTOR, JONATHAN RAGONESE, FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, THOUGHTFUL GUIDANCE, AND CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PAST SIX YEARS YOUR MENTORSHIP HAS SHAPED NOT ONLY MY PLAYING, BUT MY ARTISTIC IDENTITY
THANK YOU TO DR DEREK GRANGER FOR YOUR INSIGHT, KNOWLEDGE, AND CONTINUED ENCOURAGEMENT DURING MY GRADUATE STUDIES. YOUR PERSPECTIVE HAS PUSHED ME TO GROW IN WAYS I DIDN ’T KNOW I COULD.
THANK YOU TO ANNA GUTZLER FOR YOUR PREPARATION AND WILLINGNESS TO BE APART OF THIS WITH ME SO THANK YOU!
TO MY COLLABORATIVE MUSICIANS AND CHAMBER PARTNERS THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, ARTISTRY, AND THE JOY YOU BRING TO MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER.
TO THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT THE WELLS SCHOOL OF MUSIC, ESPECIALLY DR. ANDREW YOZVIAK AND THE WIND ENSEMBLE FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR FOSTERING A CREATIVE AND INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT
TO MY FRIENDS AND STUDIO COLLEAGUES YOUR SUPPORT, LAUGHTER, AND SHARED LOVE OF MUSIC HAVE MADE THIS JOURNEY ALL THE MORE MEANINGFUL
TO MY FAMILY: THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENDLESS LOVE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND BELIEF IN ME. I WOULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT YOUR CONSTANT SUPPORT.
FINALLY, TO EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR SUPPORTING LIVE MUSIC. IT MEANS THE WORLD TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH YOU.
