PhD student Katia Beaugeais invited to 100SAX

Conservatorium PhD student Katia Beaugeais was invited as guest performer and composer at 100SAX 2017: an annual two-day saxophone event celebrating new music with 100 saxophonists. In partnership with Selmer Paris Saxophones, Melbourne University and Ozwinds brass and woodwind store, Melbourne Saxophone’s artistic director Joseph Lallo and general manager Jade Norfolk brought together more than 100 saxophonists – ranging from high school to university and professional level – to perform a contemporary saxophone repertoire at Melba Hall at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

Katia was a soloist with 100 saxophones for the Australian premiere of What If?, a saxophone concerto by Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music Mark Phillips of Ohio University in the United States.

Katia’s saxophone orchestra music and duo music was also featured at the Saxophone Showcase and 100SAX concerts. First Light at Uluru was performed by Melbourne Saxophone and Katia performed her own work Verti-GO! with China's Yo Yo Su. Katia also played Professor Anne Boyd’s Beside Bamboos, which was originally composed for the erhu (a two-stringed instrument played with a bow) in 1981. Katia transformed this work for alto saxophone as part of her PhD research analysing the creative process involved in adapting unique and contrasting instrumental works for the saxophone.

Katia conducted masterclasses and was part of a professional development panel discussing the educational value of saxophone extended techniques and new contemporary repertoire from a performer and composer’s perspective. In a series of public workshops, she composed a saxophone orchestra piece on the spot featuring atmospheric extended techniques to a diverse audience of educators.

In September, Katia will be heading to the Royal Northern College of Music in England to work with composition and saxophone students. She will present her PhD research on creative, collaborative activity and perform new saxophone pieces by Australian composers including Dr Bruce Crossman’s Dying of the Light: Pacific Resonance for Peter for soprano saxophone and Chinese cymbal. The piece is dedicated to acclaimed Australian composer, the late Peter Sculthorpe.

Katia is a Vandoren Paris and Selmer sax artist. She is undertaking a PhD in composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she is researching the dual role of composer-performer under the guidance of Professor Anna Reid and Professor Matthew Hindson.