Saxton Rose is one of America’s most recognized bassoon soloists. His virtuosic interpretations of traditional repertoire, and his dedication to new music have afforded him a prolific and varied career as soloist, orchestral and chamber musician. Formerly the Professor of Bassoon and Director of the contemporary music ensemble at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he is now Dean of the School of Music and principal bassoonist of the Winston-Salem Symphony. Saxton Rose is a J. Püchner artist and performs on the Model Superior/6000 bassoon.
Mr. Rose performs and teaches throughout the world. Recent performances include engagements as concerto soloist with the National Symphony of Colombia in Bogotá, National Symphony of Panamá, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Veracruz, Mexico, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, with the West Point Band at the Skirball Center in New York City, and in North Carolina with Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and Winston-Salem Symphony. As a recitalist he has performed in Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Czech Republic, China, in Belgium at the Brugges Concertgebouw in Belgium, in The Netherlands at the Korzo Theater in The Hague and at the Ostadetheater in Amsterdam.
As principal bassoonist of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2008 he performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, in the Casals Festival and on tours to Europe and throughout Latin America. He has held the same position with Winston-Salem Symphony since 2008.
Throughout his career, Mr. Rose has worked to expand the repertoire of the bassoon, and to redefine its role in contemporary music by collaborating with established and emerging composers to commission new works. He has performed with new music ensembles Alarm Will Sound and Le Train Bleu, and is a member of Rushes Ensemble, formed to record, premiere and perform Bang on a Can composer Michael Gordon’s concert-length work for seven bassoons entitled Rushes. The Rushes Ensemble gave the world premiere performance of Rushes in September 2012 at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center in Troy, New York, and has since performed at some of the most prestigious contemporary music festivals in North America and Europe including November Music and GLOW Festivals in the Netherlands, the Surround Festival in Belgium, and Vancouver New Music.
A committed teacher, he has been invited to give master classes throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia, and in the US at the finest music schools and conservatories. In 2017 he served as bassoon faculty for YOA Orchestra of the Americas in Chile and was invited to teach at the Central Conservatory of Music is China in Beijing.
Mr. Rose began studying the bassoon in his hometown near Chicago, Illinois. His training includes courses in Germany, Austria and Italy with some of Europe’s most distinguished bassoonists including Gustavo Nuñez and Sergio Azzolini. He graduated with highest honors from the class of Stefano Canuti at the Conservatorio “Agostino Steffani” in Castelfranco-Veneto, Italy and is a former student of William Winstead at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Additionally his teachers include Yoshi Ishikawa and Timothy McGovern.
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