Albie Micklich
Albie Micklich is Associate Professor of Bassoon at Arizona State University and an active performer and clinician around the globe. As a dedicated pedagogue, he is passionate about his students’ musical successand professional career success. His bassoon students have gone on to win orchestral positions throughout the United States, Europe, and New Zealand; pursue advanced degrees at prestigious conservatories and universities; teach at universities and public schools; and have won the prestigious Fulbright Award and the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst Award. He was twice nominated for ASU’s Parents Association Professor of the Year, an award that spotlights the contributions of excellent ASU’s most highly regarded and excellent professors.
A champion of new music, Albie performs world premieres, commissions fresh repertoire, and records a number ofnumerous works by well-known and up-and-coming composers. Micklich published a number of popular arrangements with TrevCo Music Publishing and Potenza Music including; Stravinsky “Suite for Woodwind Sextet” (from “Suites 1 & 2 for Small Orchestra”), Mendelssohn “Concertpiece No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 113 for oboe, bassoon, and piano,” Vivaldi “Sposa son Disprezzata for bassoon and piano,” Bruch “Four Pieces for clarinet, bassoon, and piano.”
An active member in the International Double Reed Society (IDRS), Micklich, along with Martin Schuring, was the host of the 2011 IDRS conference at ASU. Other IDRS conference performances and masterclasses include: Tokyo, Japan; New York City; Lawrence University; Redlands, CA; Miami University; Birmingham Conservatoire, England; Provo, UT; Ball State University; Melbourne, Australia; North Carolina-Greensboro; and University of West Virginia.
Prior to his appointment at ASU, he served on the faculties of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, University of Missouri-Columbia, Michigan State University, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He holds degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Michigan State University, and The Juilliard School. As winner of Juilliard's concerto competition, he gave his Avery Fisher Hall solo debut performing the New York premier of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Bassoon Concerto with Stanislaw Skrowaczeski conducting. He served as Co-Principal Bassoon with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra (Columbus, OH) and Principal Bassoon with Lincoln Symphony.
Albie Micklich is a Fox bassoon artist performing exclusively on a custom-built red maple 680 bassoon.
Andrew Campbell - Piano
Andrew Campbell has established himself as one of the most versatile collaborative pianists in the United States with a performing career that has taken him to six continents. Recent appearances include a South African concert tour, highlighted by a recital at the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival; a concerto performance with the Chintimini Festival Chamber Orchestra; and performances at the Miklin Festival Internacional in Bogotá, Columbia. He has collaborated with such diverse artists as violinist Chee-Yun, double bassist Catalin Rotaru, flutist Thomas Robertello, bassoonist Judith LeClair, trombonist Charles Vernon, saxophonist Timothy McAllister, composer Bright Sheng, and tenor Anthony Dean Griffey.
He served as opera rehearsal pianist for distinguished conductors André Previn and Plácido Domingo, and worked closely with the composer Carlisle Floyd on several productions of his operas. He has appeared at important venues including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, where The Strad and Strings magazines both hailed his performance as “excellent.” His partnership with violinist Katherine McLin in the McLin/Campbell Duo has led to performances on numerous recital series throughout the United States and Europe. His many recordings include the Rachmaninoff cello sonata with bassist Catalin Rotaru, cited for special praise by Bass World and XBass, two leading international journals. He has appeared as collaborative pianist at noted international conferences including the National Flute Association Convention, MTNA, the International Viola Congress, and multiple appearances at the International Double Reed Society, for which he has served as official pianist. Dr. Campbell studied with the renowned collaborative artist Martin Katz and is currently Director of the Collaborative Piano Program at Arizona State University. During the summer season, he is Director of Chamber Music for the Saarburg Serenaden and the Vianden International Music Festivals, performing annually on their faculty recitals in collaboration with colleagues from the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Martin Schuring - Oboe
Martin Schuring held orchestral positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, The Florida Orchestra, and the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra before joining the faculty of Arizona State University in 1992 where he is currently Professor of Music. Since 1980, Schuring has been a member of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, also making frequent appearances on the Festival’s chamber music series. He also performed as guest principal oboe and English horn with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for several seasons.
Schuring has recorded for Philips, Koch International, MMC, and Summit Records, both as soloist and as an orchestral player, including the world premiere recording of Oboe Concerto, Op. 57 by Eric Funk with the Prague Radio Symphony on the MMC label.
Martin Schuring is the author of “Oboe Art and Method” (Oxford University Press, 2009). As editor, Schuring has prepared new editions of the Barret “Oboe Method” and the Ferling “48 Studies, Op. 31” for Kalmus. He has performed at every Conference of the International Double Reed Society since 1997. Martin regularly performs and gives master classes at universities and concert venues throughout the country. Martin Schuring has served on the executive board of the International Double Reed Society (IDRS) since 2002, currently holding the office of Past-President. He co-hosted the 1998 and 2011 IDRS Conferences at Arizona State University and studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with John de Lancie. Martin Schuring performs on Howarth XL instruments exclusively.
Robert Spring - Clarinet
Robert Spring has been described as "one of this country's most sensitive and talented clarinetists", Arizona Republic, "dazzled his audience...flawless technique", The Clarinet Magazine, "a formidable soloist...played with great emotional life", Copenhagen, Denmark, Politiken.
Spring’s recording of Joan Tower's works for clarinet was described by The Clarinet Magazine as "truly outstanding....one would be hard pressed to find better performances of contemporary music.... performed with the highest professional standards." The Instrumentalist Magazine says of his recording, "Dragon's Tongue", "His musicality and technique make this recording a must for every CD collection." Fanfare Magazine says of the CD, "Tarantelle", music that violinist Jascha Heifetz recorded on violin, being performed on clarinet, "This recording was meant to amaze and, man, it succeeds." The America Record Guide writes about his recording of the Copland Clarinet Concerto, “Spring is fabulous in the Copland. His phrasing is elegant swing tailored with great flow and a spread of tone colors and expressive subtleties. His low- and mid-range are especially warm, rich, and embracing and highly effective in the introduction and in the bridge to the jazzy finale. And boy what a finale! The pace is neatly judged to pick up at critical junctures so that, by the end, it feels like an improvised jam session."
Spring was awarded three degrees from the University of Michigan, as well as the "Citation of Merit Award", where he studied with John Mohler, David Shifrin, and Paul Shaller. He was President of the International Clarinet Association from 1998-2000 and has performed for numerous International Clarinet Association conventions. Spring is Professor of Clarinet at Arizona State University and is a Buffet Artist, performing exclusively on their Greenline Clarinet.