Formed in 2005, the RoseWind Duo consists of Scott Herring, percussion, and Clifford Leaman, saxophones. They have given numerous performances and clinics at Universities across the country and at many professional conferences, including the 2007 NASA Region 7 Conference in Greensboro, NC, the 2007 South Carolina Music Teachers Association State Conference, the 2007 International Navy Band Saxophone Symposium and the 2008 Biennial Conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance.

Critics have hailed Clifford Leaman “an artist of the first order…intuitive, exciting, and enthralling." (Paul Wagner, The Saxophone Journal) Leaman reveals himself to be {an} artist of technical brilliance and emotional commitment." "The range of colors is impressive..." (Jack Sullivan, American Record Guide) Professor of saxophone at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Leaman received the Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Lebanon Valley College, and the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in performance from the University of Michigan where he was a student of Donald Sinta. He served on the faculties of Furman University, Eastern Michigan University and The University of Michigan prior to his appointment at the University of South Carolina. He is currently president-elect of the North American Saxophone Alliance, and will serve on the Executive Committee of that organization through 2016.

Leaman is in great demand as a soloist and clinician and has performed and taught throughout the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain, France, Slovenia, Sweden, Thailand and in China where he was a featured guest artist eight times since 2004. He has performed as a concerto soloist with the ShenZhen Symphony Orchestra, at the XII World Saxophone Congress in Montreal, Canada (2000), the North American Saxophone Alliance’s 2006 Biennial Conference in Iowa City, Iowa, the 2008 International Navy Band Symposium in Washington D.C., and the XV World Saxophone Congress in July, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand. Additionally, Leaman has given master classes at major schools of music and conservatories world-wide, including Northwestern University, Eastman School of Music, University of Michigan, Duquesne University, Bowling Green State University, University of Georgia, University of North Texas, Penn State University, Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón, Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya, Conservatoire de Strasbourg, the Royal Academy of Music (Stockholm), Beijing Central Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory and the Sichuan Conservatory.

Leaman, in collaboration with pianist Derek Parsons, formed the Ambassador Duo in 1990. The Ambassador Duo has performed concerts throughout the world and has released three critically acclaimed compact discs on the Equilibrium label titled “Brillance” (EQ-21), “Excursions” (EQ-55), and “Illuminations” (EQ-77). Leaman has also performed extensively with percussionist Scott Herring, giving concerts and master classes at many universities and conservatories since 2005 when they formed the RoseWindDuo. Their debut compact disc recording, “Release,” (EQ-92) was released in 2008 and features works for alto saxophone and marimba. Leaman is also featured on a variety of recordings of solo and chamber works for Redwood Records, CRS and the University of Arizona Recordings.

An avid supporter of contemporary music, Leaman has commissioned and given the world premiere performances of numerous works, including concertos by Pulitzer Prize-winning composers, Leslie Bassett and Michael Colgrass. His recording of the Bassett with the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra is available through Equilibrium Records (EQ-63). Dr. Leaman is an artist-clinician for Rico Reeds, Inc. and the Conn-Selmer Company, Inc. and performs exclusively on Selmer saxophones and Rico reeds.

Dr. Scott Herring currently holds the position of professor of percussion at the University of South Carolina. At USC, Herring directs the Percussion Ensemble and the Palmetto Pans Steel Band. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from East Carolina University and a Masters degree and Doctor of Music degree from Northwestern University. While residing in Chicago, Herring performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and was a member of the Northwestern University Graduate Percussion Quartet, which traveled to Germany and London for performances. Herring frequently appears as a guest artist with university percussion ensembles across the U.S. and has presented concerts and clinics at PASIC 1996, 2002, 2006 and 2011. In addition, the University of South Carolina Percussion Ensemble was selected as a winner of the 2012 International Percussion Ensemble Competition. Herring is an endorser of Malletech Instruments and mallets, Zildjian Cymbals, Grover Pro Percussion products and Remo Drumheads.

Herring also performs with USC saxophone professor, Clifford Leaman, as the RoseWind Duo. They have given numerous performances and clinics at universities across the country and have been invited to perform at many professional conferences, including the 2007 NASA Region 7 Conference in Greensboro, N.C., the 2007 South Carolina Music Teachers Association State Conference, the 2007 and 2010 International Navy Band Saxophone Symposium and the 2008 Biennial Conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance. In May 2010, they also traveled to France and Spain for two weeks for a series of concerts and clinics, and in December 2010, they were featured artists at The First International Wind and Percussion Festival in Beijing, China. In August 2011, the duo traveled to Yantai, China for a series of clinics and concerts. Recently, RoseWind gave a featured concert at the 2012 World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland. The duo has also been invited to present a performance/clinic at PASIC 2012 in Austin, Texas. Their debut CD, Release, is available from Equilibrium Records.

Herring, in collaboration with Susan Powell and Joseph Krygier, also performs with the Shiraz Percussion Trio. The group is dedicated to performing contemporary works for percussion ensemble as well as music created by members of the group. The Shiraz Trio has performed at numerous universities, music festivals and Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion throughout the U.S.

Herring has formerly served as president of the Kansas Chapter of PAS, vice-president and president of the South Carolina chapter of PAS. In addition he has formerly hosted the Kansas and South Carolina Days of Percussion. Herring also served as a new music reviewer for Percussive Notes from 2002-2008, and currently serves as a member of the PAS Education Committee.