Saturday, May 25, 2019

Paul Cotton | 2nd Prize | Winds & Percussion | 5th Edition | ENKOR Int'l Music Competition


A native of Southern California, Paul Cotton is an accomplished performer and instructor emerging into the international stage. He has performed in prestigious venues including the Seoul Performing Arts Center, Nixon Library, Indiana University Musical Arts Center, Carpenter Center, and numerous university campuses. Paul is an advocate for the performance of new music alongside the standard repertoire for the saxophone. Recently, his group, Empyrean Quartet, performed new works for saxophone quartet at the 2018 Society of Composers, Inc. National Conference as well as the “Hammer and Nail” project, featuring new works by IU composers. They have also performed Don Freund’s Edge for Saxophone Quartet as featured performers of his recital. Paul also performed with IU New Music Ensemble under the direction of David Dzubay. As a seasoned competitor, Paul won first prize in the 2018 International American Protégé solo competition, which included a Carnegie Hall debut. He also won first prize in the 2018 state round of MTNA Young Artists Solo Competition, and first prize in the 2017 MTNA chamber music competition. Additional accolades include 2016 Woodwind of the Year from Bob Cole Conservatory of Music (BCCM), and 2016 winner of the Martin Figotin Performing arts scholarship. He won the 2016 BCCM concerto competition held at California State University, Long Beach. Paul performed across the nation for numerous events, including the 2017 North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) in Arizona and the 2019 International Saxophone Symposium hosted by the Navy Band with his quartet in Virginia. Paul had the opportunity to work with Eugene Rousseau, Leo Potts, Dr. Timothy McAllister, Claude Delangle, Vincent David, Dr. Julia Nolan, Philippe Geiss and the Habanera Saxophone Quartet. He teaches online privately to young students all around Southern California, and his students have received top chairs in their high school band and honor bands which includes district and All-Southern. He also worked in schools such as Colburn School of Music (JYMP), East Whittier Middle School, and Cypress High School. Paul received his BM at California State University, Long Beach where he studied under James Barrera and is currently completing his MM in Saxophone Performance at Indiana University as a student of Dr. Otis Murphy.

Concertino da Camera movement 1- Allegro con moto, Jacques Ibert, 4:13.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBh9ih2GyLU

Images movement 2 - Still, David Biedenbender, 6:37.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaLoAi2U304

Concerto for Alto Saxophone movement 2 - ""Giration"", 5:18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB-dteyO2SQ