LU welcomes guest artist saxophonist Justin Pierce
Saxophonist and clinician Justin Pierce will be on the Lamar University campus on Wednesday, March 4, as a guest artist in the Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music. Pierce will lead a master class at 2 p.m. in the Band Hall and perform a recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Rothwell Recital Hall featuring works from Johannes Brahms and Henri Tomasi. All events are free and open to the public.
A Southeast Texas native and graduate of Vidor High School, Pierce has performed across the United States and internationally, studied in both classical and jazz styles, and taught at secondary and college levels. He currently serves as instructor of instrumental music at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he directs the jazz ensemble and touring band in addition to teaching saxophone, clarinet and improvisation lessons. He holds a Master of Music in jazz studies from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Music in Performance from McNeese State University.
At McNeese, Pierce studied with Richard Condit, now the director of jazz ensembles and visiting professor of saxophone at LU.
"I am proud to present a successful former student to my current students,” said Condit. “Justin's diligence and hard work have carried him far and will serve as an inspiration to our future professionals coming up behind him."
In addition to teaching, Pierce leads a five-member ensemble, The Justin Pierce Jazz Group, which performs regularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The group recently served as the featured performer at the Charlie Christian Jazz Festival and the Sherman Jazz Festival. As a freelance saxophonist and woodwind performer, Pierce has performed with The Temptations, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Wayne Newton, and The Rat Pack Is Back, among others.
Pianist Xiao Wang will accompany Pierce at the recital. A doctoral student and teaching fellow at the University of North Texas, Wang was born in China and began her musical studies at the age of 4. She entered the Central Conservatory of Music in China at the age of 11. In 2006, she was admitted to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she received her undergraduate and master degrees.
For more information, call the Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music at (409) 880-8144 or visit lamar.edu/music.
