BRIAN SPARKS is a saxophone soloist of international distinction whose venues include the American Academy in Rome , the Manoel Theatre in Valetta , Malta , the Instituto de Bellas Artes in Morellia , Mexico and Octobersky Hall, St. Petersburg , Russia .
He has performed with the New York Pops as Saxophonist, Bass Clarinetist with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, the Lakewood Philharmonic, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and as Saxophone soloist with the U.S. Navy Band, U.S.Coast Guard Band, and the Peabody Conservatory of Music Wind Orchestra, where he performed Ed Miller's *Concerto for Alto Saxophone. He has studied saxophone with such teachers as Daniel Deffayet of the Paris Conservatory/ Academié d'éte , Joseph Allard of the NBC Symphony/Manhattan School of Music, Tom Nyfinger of the Mostly Mozart Orchestra/Cleveland Symphony/Yale School of Music, Harvey Pittel of California State University at Fullerton/University of Southern California, Ray Pizzi , a Los Angeles Recording Studio Artist. His clarinet teachers include: Kalmon Bloch, Los Angeles Philharmonic; David Atkins, Pasadena Symphony/Westwood Wind Quintet, and Joseph Allard, NBC Symphony/ Manhattan School of Music/The Julliard School.
A native of California , Sparks has served on the faculty of the University of California at Irvine , Chapman University , Loma Linda University , East Los Angeles College , University of Rhode Island , and the Community College of Rhode Island .
Former Principal Saxophonist and soloist with the United States Coast Guard Band and West Point Band, Dr. Sparks is now with the New Haven Wind Symphony and has appeared at the Seventh World Saxophone Congress in Chicago and the Ninth World Saxophone Congress in Baltimore , Maryland . He has also played recitals at four International Saxophone Symposia in Washington D.C. and recently released a new CD, *Wind Voyages*, with pianist Joe Parillo and keyboardist Robert Fields.
Also a former conductor of the U.S. Coast Guard Chamber Players, Dr. Sparks is now conductor of the Hartford Festival Orchestra and Ocean State Winds (no Strings attached). He has served as Director of Wind Ensembles at Chapman University and director of Bands and Orchestras at East Los Angeles College . Dr. Sparks has studied conducting with Jeffrey Renshaw of the University of Connecticut, Frank Battisti at the New England Conservatory of Music, Alberto Bolet of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and Daniel Lewis of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Connecticut .
Currently, Dr, Sparks is on the faculty at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island .
|
