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Douglas Masek

About this Artist

Internationally renowned saxophonist DOUGLAS MASEK is recognized as one of today's foremost exponents of contemporary saxophone music. His performances, which have emphasized versatility in a wide range of musical styles, from classical and contemporary to jazz, have consistently garnered critical acclaim.

Having received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and his MM degree from Ohio State University, Masek completed his academic education with a Doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Southern California. In much demand as a master teacher, Douglas is also a Vandoren Elite Artist, performing and lecturing internationally at schools, colleges, and universities. He is currently Professor of Saxophone at UCLA.

With extensive concert touring in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, Masek is a frequent guest performer at the Stellenbosch Music Festival in South Africa, and recently was featured soloist at the American Music Festival in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He has also performed as soloist at the Aspen Music Festival, the Ojai Music Festival, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and the Idyllwild Arts Academy.

Among the notable conductors he has performed with are Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kent Nagano, Plácido Domingo, John Mauceri, André Previn, Leonard Slatkin, Jorge Mester, David Robertson, Carl St.Clair, Valery Gergiev, Jeffrey Kahane, Gisèle Ben-Dor, JoAnn Falletta, and Marin Alsop.

Masek has premiered dozens of compositions written exclusively for him, and his discography includes seven CD solo collections: Distant Memories, Windwood, Recrudescence, Saxvoir Faire, Saxtronic Soundscape, Saxophone Alternative, and EclectSax. The latter three CDs, which are produced by Centaur Records, feature compositions of Los Angeles composers.

Douglas has also recorded for Centaur, Albany, Cambria, Atlantic, Koch International, Stereophile, Summit, and Philips Classics. He continues to perform on motion picture sound tracks for Sony, Warner, Paramount, Universal, Disney, and 20th Century, along with television and radio broadcasts.

12/06