Saxophonist Ian Jeffress serves as associate professor of saxophone at Western Carolina University, where he teaches applied saxophone and coaches saxophone chamber ensembles, as well as teaching courses in music education, musicianship, and music in the liberal arts.
Additionally, Dr. Jeffress is the alto saxophonist of the award-winning Assembly Quartet, and serves as saxophonist with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. He has been a finalist in the MTNA Young Artist competition and a semifinalist in the Fischoff Chamber Music competition, and has performed at venues including the World Saxophone Congress, the International Saxophone Symposium, and numerous meetings of the North American Saxophone Alliance, in addition to giving recitals and clinics throughout the United States and in the UK and France. As a teacher dedicated to providing outstanding early training in addition to collegiate study, Ian is a co-founder and faculty member of the Assembly Quartet Saxophone Workshop, and maintains a private studio of secondary school saxophonists in the Asheville area.
Ian is a dedicated proponent of the music of our time: his doctoral research focused on the application of narrative theory to post-tonal music, and he has been consistently involved in commissioning and premiering new music for the instrument, including works by Marilyn Shrude, Jennifer Watson, Ruby Fulton, James Matheson, and Andrew Hannon.
Prior to his appointment at Western Carolina, Ian served on the faculties of Allen University and the Palmetto Center for the Arts, and served as a graduate teaching assistant at both the University of South Carolina and Ithaca College. His principal teachers have included Clifford Leaman and Steven Mauk. He is an endoring artist for Légère Reeds.
