About Us
The SYZYGY Trio is a professional chamber ensemble with a distinct sound. Our unique twist is the instrumentation of bassoon, tuba, and piano! These professional musicians are passionate about performing for a diverse audience and to have an opportunity to introduce their sound to listeners everywhere.
The Trio is also passionate about finding and commissioning new music for this intriguing combination of instruments. They received the Co-op Press Grant for commissioning a new work for their instrumentation from the prize winning composer, Sy Brandon. They also recently premiered the work Conversations for Bassoon, Tuba, and Piano by Barbara York.
They have performed throughout the United States on concert series, at colleges and conservatories, and have been invited artists performing at premier conferences including the 2013 International Double Reed Society Conference and the 2015 Great Plains Tuba Euphonium Conference.
The trio is also at home performing for children and young adults. They have been featured artists and have had residencies at high schools and elementary schools throughout the state of Kansas.
The Trio is also passionate about finding and commissioning new music for this intriguing combination of instruments. They received the Co-op Press Grant for commissioning a new work for their instrumentation from the prize winning composer, Sy Brandon. They also recently premiered the work Conversations for Bassoon, Tuba, and Piano by Barbara York.
They have performed throughout the United States on concert series, at colleges and conservatories, and have been invited artists performing at premier conferences including the 2013 International Double Reed Society Conference and the 2015 Great Plains Tuba Euphonium Conference.
The trio is also at home performing for children and young adults. They have been featured artists and have had residencies at high schools and elementary schools throughout the state of Kansas.
Members
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Susan Gustavson Maxwell has dedicated her career to three dimensions of musicianship; she is a teacher, performer and reedmaker. Currently, she teaches Bassoon and Introduction to Music. She has also taught Music Theory, and Leadership in Practice, in the School of Leadership Studies. She performs regularly with the Konza Wind Quintet and the Tallgrass Trio. She is very proud of her students’ accomplishments, which are best viewed at the K-State Bassoon studio website at www.kstatebassoon.weebly.com. One great resource on this website is the “Honk Hotline,” a contact listing of private bassoon teachers in the state of Kansas.
Dr. Maxwell’s teaching includes several areas of special interest. One is the art of playing high notes on the bassoon. This has resulted in a study for bassoonists that has been published by Prairie Dawg Press. It includes scale practice, short melodic exercises, and a fingering chart (www.prairiedawgpress.com). Some of Dr. Maxwell’s performance engagements have included substitute positions with The Kansas City Symphony, The Kansas City Lyric Opera, The Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, The Tulsa Philharmonic, The Lake Shore Symphony in Chicago, Illinois, Orquesta Sinfónica de Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico, and a two-year position with The Wichita Symphony in Wichita, Kansas. |
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Dr. Steven Maxwell is Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Kansas State University. In addition, he teaches brass techniques and History of Rock and Roll. Dr. Maxwell is also the tubist with the K-State Faculty Brass Quintet and the director of the K-State Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble. Dr. Maxwell has held the position of principal tubist of the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra in New York and principal tubist of the Central Iowa Symphony. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and soloist throughout the United States. Dr. Maxwell has been a guest artist at numerous conferences including the 2012 International Tuba and Euphonium Conference held in Linz, Austria, the 2012 United States Army Band Conference, the 2013, 2009, 2005, and 2003 Great Plains Tuba Euphonium Conferences and the 2007 Rocky Mountain States Tuba Euphonium Conference. Dr. Maxwell is an associate editor for the International Tuba and Euphonium Association and is a Miraphone Performing Artist.
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Amanda Arrington serves as faculty collaborative pianist at the Kansas State University School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. She maintains an active performing career collaborating with faculty artists, guest artists, and students in over 70 concerts each year. Amanda has performed national and international premieres with her colleagues at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois 2014), ClarinetFest (Assisi, Italy 2013), the International Double Reed Society Conference (Redlands, California 2013), the World Saxophone Congress (St. Andrews, Scotland 2012) and the National Association of Composers, USA-Summer Fest (NYC, New York 2010). As a concerto soloist, she has enjoyed performances with K-State’s Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. Amanda has also served as pianist for many local engagements, including the Hale Library Concert Series, Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department Summer Musicals, Kansas State University’s Young People’s Concerts, Manhattan’s Summer Chorus, and an annual Messiah Sing-Along for community members. Amanda holds degrees in Music Education from Kansas State University and Piano Pedagogy from the University of Central Missouri.
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