Faculty Recital - Geoffrey Deibel, saxophone

Assistant Professor of Saxophone Geoffrey Deibel is emerging as an important voice for the saxophone and contemporary music. He maintains a multi-faceted career as performer, teacher, and researcher. Recent concert highlights include performances with the Athens Saxophone Quartet (Cyprus), International Contemporary Ensemble at the Park Avenue Armory (NYC), concerts at Merkin Hall and Zankel Hall (NYC), and recitals in Brooklyn NY, Stuttgart, Germany, Cortona, Italy, and in Wichita, KS. Geoff has been an invited guest lecturer at Die Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Stuttgart, at University College Cork, Ireland, and many Universities in the US. He has appeared at the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, Darmstadt, the International Iannis Xenakis Festival in Athens, Greece, and World Saxophone Congresses in the UK, Europe, and Thailand.

Geoff has commissioned new works by both established and emerging composers, including Drew Baker, Nathan Davis, Claudio Gabriele, Martin Iddon, Robert Lemay, Marc Mellits, Joseph Michaels, Forrest Pierce, David Rakowski, David Reminick, Jesse Ronneau, and Eric Wubbels. He has also premiered the music of Louis Andriessen, Jason Eckardt, Hiroyki Itoh, Pierre Jodlowski, Marc Mellits, Elliott Sharp, Jagoda Szmytka, Mari Takano, Hans Thomalla, and Amy Williams, and has worked with John Adams, Bernard Rands, Howard Sandroff, and Christopher Adler, among many others. Geoff has been frequently featured on the New Music Chicago and Soundfield series in Chicago, and has been a guest at the Drake University New Music Series and Chamber Music Midwest.

Geoff is a member of the critically acclaimed h2 quartet, first prize winners at the Fischoff Competition, recent finalists at the Concert Artists Guild Competition, and recipients of multiple Aaron Copland Fund Grants. American Record Guide has hailed h2 as a group of “artistic commitment…boasting superb blend, solid technique, [and] tight rhythm.” h2 has four recordings available (Generations, Times & Spaces, Groove Machine, and Hard Line), and maintains a non-profit organization to promote the creation of new works for the saxophone quartet. Geoff is also a seasoned orchestral performer, and serves as principal saxophonist with the Wichita Symphony. He has also performed with the New World Symphony and Grant Park Symphony, as well as numerous regional orchestras in Michigan, and has worked with conductors such as David Robertson, Roberto Abbado, and HK Gruber.

As a jazz musician, Geoff has performed with the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra and the Truth in Jazz Orchestra, and has performed locally on the Fisch Haus Jazz Series. He has also had the opportunity to perform alongside Ruben Alvarez, Ron Blake, Allison Miller, James Moody, and Matt Wilson. For four years, he served as the President of the Board of Directors for the Wichita Jazz Festival.

Geoff holds degrees in history and music from Northwestern University, and a doctoral degree from Michigan State University. His principal teachers have included Joseph Lulloff, Frederick Hemke, Leo Saguiguit, and Reginald Jackson. Geoff has held teaching positions at the University of Florida and Wichita State University, where he was the recipient of the 2015 College of Fine Arts Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity, and the 2016 WSU Faculty Award for Excellence in Creative Activity. He also serves on the faculty of the Cortona Sessions for New Music, and the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop. Geoff is a Yamaha and Vandoren performing artist, and performs on Yamaha Saxophones, and Vandoren reeds, ligatures, and mouthpieces exclusively.