Saxophonists at SDSU may:
- Pursue the following: Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Arts - Music Studies Specialization, Bachelor of Arts - Music Entrepreneurship Specialization, or a Music Minor.
- Participate in weekly private lessons with Dr. Yi Chen in addition to saxophone masterclasses.
- Perform in Chamber Ensembles.
- Perform in Jazz Ensembles and Jazz Combos.
- Perform in the Pride of the Dakotas and Pep Band.
- Perform in Wind Symphony and Concert Band.
About Dr. Yiqun Chen
Southern California native Yiqun Chen is a saxophonist and pedagogue in both the concert and jazz idioms. Dr. Chen has taught and performed throughout the United States and internationally with appearances in Japan, China, Belgium and Croatia. As a proponent of saxophone performance and pedagogy, Dr. Chen performs regularly at both regional and national conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance as well as the United States Navy Band Saxophone Symposium.
Dr. Chen has been a featured soloist with the University of Iowa Concert Band, Hong Kong Youth Saxophone Choir and La Prima Vera Youth Symphony Orchestra based in Orange County, California.
Dr. Chen received a B.M. from California State University Long Beach, an MAT from the University of Southern California, and DMA from the University of Iowa. Yiqun Chen currently serves as Instructor of Jazz Studies and Saxophone at South Dakota State University.
Primary teachers include: Kenneth Tse, Damani Phillips, Leo Potts, Jay Mason, James Barrera, Rusty Higgins and Christopher Charbonneau.
Dr. Chen is a D’Addario Woodwinds Artist and Yamaha Performing Artist. He performs exclusively on D’Addario reeds and Yamaha saxophones.
Recent Saxophone Guest Artists and Activities:
- The SDSU Saxophone Quartet has performed at the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference at Arizona State University and the 2021 North American Saxophone Alliance Region 3 Virtual Conference.
