Christopher Scanlon, assistant professor of trumpet in the NIU School of Music has joined the award-winning ensemble Axiom Brass. Described as “exceptional ambassadors for classical music” and “innovative programmers” Axiom Brass pairs newer works by composers such as Rouse and Sampson with traditional works by Monteverdi and rousing tangos by Piazzolla. With multimedia performances and live reactive sound-to- video effects, the ensemble creates an engaging, immersive experience that ventures beyond the traditional boundaries of the concert hall. Axiom has presented concerts all over the world including Asia, Latin America and across the United States.
A central part of Axiom’s mission is to expand the brass quintet repertoire through commissioning new works by notable composers such as Augusta Read Thomas. Scanlon says, “My first performance in June was the premiere of a new work by rising star composer Kevin Day that came to fruition as part of a commissioning consortium of over 11 ensembles including the American Brass Quintet and New York Philharmonic Brass Quintet. We worked closely with Kevin in the weeks leading up to the performance to ensure the new score worked flawlessly. The concert also included centennial tributes to Astor Piazzolla and George Walker as well as music by living composers Kari Watson and Lillian Yee.”
The only brass ensemble to ever win the Fischoff Educator Award, Axiom commitment to education and their interactive teaching style has led to collaborations with Ravinia and residencies at the Grand Tetons Music Festival and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, as well as ensemble-in-residence for the National Brass Symposium.
“It is a pleasure to play with such excellent chamber musicians, Scanlon said. “I am excited for next season which includes performances as soloists with the University of Chicago and at the Midwest Band Clinic, as well as in New York, Texas and Canada. I look forward to bringing Axiom to Dekalb to work with the brass students at NIU.”
