The Saxophone Ensemble is a collection of saxophone trios, quartets and larger collaborations formed each semester to learn and explore different genres of music, both original and transcribed, written since 1850. In addition to individual practice, students participate in weekly rehearsals and are expected to compete in major national and international chamber music festivals while performing on campus, in the Winchester community and around the country.
The Saxophone Ensemble comprises undergraduate and graduate saxophone majors and its mission is to teach the importance of entertaining its audiences while still challenging the artistic and intellectual curiosity of its members in an academic and international environment. The group has performed in concerts and masterclasses with many international guest artists that have visited the Shenandoah campus, including Claude Delangle, Philippe Geiss, Mario Marzi, Jean-Yves Formeau, Derek Brown, Lars Mlekusch, Raaf Hekkema, Mariano Garcia and Esneider Valencia Hernandez. The Shenandoah Conservatory Saxophone Ensemble was one of the few saxophone ensembles in the world that traveled with full scholarship to the World Saxophone Congress in Zagreb, Croatia. The ensemble maintains an active performance schedule throughout Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.
Under the direction of Professor of Saxophone Timothy Roberts, the Shenandoah Conservatory Saxophone Ensemble performed an arrangement of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” for saxophone ensemble and percussion by Gary Bricault. The ensemble was conducted by Roberts and featured pianist Charles Roberts as soloist.
A quartet comprising members of the Shenandoah Conservatory Saxophone Ensemble performed “Le Bal” by Thierry Escaich.
The Shenandoah Conservatory Saxophone Ensemble performed “Roman Carnival Overture” by Hector Berlioz.
Meet the Director
American Saxophonist Timothy Roberts, a native of Richardson, Texas, currently serves as professor of saxophone at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. He retired as principal saxophonist and national tour soloist with the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., where he was also coordinator of the Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium. As one of the Navy Band’s premier concert soloists, Roberts performed for five U.S. Presidents, many foreign dignitaries, and hundreds of thousands of people throughout all 48 states and around the world from 1987 to 2011.
The Washington Post described his Kennedy Center performance of Jacque Ibert's Concertino da Camera with the National Symphony Orchestra as, "simply stunning." A concerto performance with the Navy Band in Quebec City was reviewed by Le Soliel as, "the audience enjoyed the fluid technique, lightness of tone, and impeccable playing of saxophonist Timothy Roberts." In two separate solo appearances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Morning News noted, “Tim Roberts poured forth the creamiest, most gorgeous sounds ever heard from a saxophone, and phrased eloquently besides," and “the especially deft, lovingly played saxophone lent his own magic."
Roberts makes frequent appearances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra performing in Dallas, on European festival tours, and on numerous recordings for the Dorian, Delos, and Hyperion compact disc labels. He was chosen as one of four international concerto soloists featured at the World Saxophone Congresses in St. Andrews, Scotland (2012), Bangkok, Thailand (2009), and Montreal, Canada (2000), along with the North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences in Vancouver, British Columbia (2011), and Iowa City, Iowa (2006). He also performed at recent saxophone congresses in Ljubljana, Slovenia (2006), and Columbia, South Carolina (2008). As a commercial artist, Roberts has performed with Ray Charles, Bernadette Peters, Gladys Knight, Richard Hayman, Eartha Kitt, Patti Lupone, Crystal Gayle, Olivia Newton-John, Martin Short, John Williams, Tommy Tune, and Marvin Hamlisch, among others. In the past year he has been invited to perform at the 2012 Clarisax Festival in Medellin, Colombia, the International Clarinet/Saxophone Festival in Nanning, China and the Australian National Band Championship in Hobart, Tasmania, along with invitations to teach at the Paris National Conservatory, Arizona State University, the University of Florida, the University of South Carolina, and the Eastman School of Music, among others.
A strong proponent of music education, Roberts has published over thirty columns for Saxophone Journal. He has developed three popular masterclasses that have premiered on compact discs included in that magazine: one titled "Developing a Disciplined Practice Routine," a second that discusses the tenor saxophone music of composer Walter Hartley, and a third that teaches Dorothy Chang's Two Preludes. A representative for Conn-Selmer, Selmer Paris, D’Addario (Rico Reeds) and Lomax Classic mouthpieces, he has also served four years as Secretary of the North American Saxophone Alliance.
An avid student of music and life, Roberts currently makes his home in Winchester, Virginia with his wife and two children. Examples of his unique performance style can be found at www.timothy-roberts.com.
Audition Information
Shenandoah Conservatory is committed to fostering a safe environment for our students and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are equally committed to providing exceptional opportunities for our students aligned with preparation for 21st century careers in the arts. This commitment begins with your audition! As the arts industry has responded to our current reality by modifying rehearsal and audition practices, Shenandoah Conservatory has also adopted the most recent industry standards, while maintaining a commitment to innovation and collaboration. Visit the Ensemble & Production Auditions webpage for the most up-to-date information about auditioning for our music, theatre and dance ensembles and productions.
Experience Shenandoah Conservatory
SHENANDOAH CONSERVATORY INVITES provides instrumental high school students multiple opportunities each year to make music with Shenandoah faculty, students and ensembles. Musicians playing string, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments will find events enabling intensive study with Shenandoah’s world-class faculty and the opportunity to make music alongside current conservatory students. Each of these events take place on Shenandoah’s beautiful Winchester campus.