Earlier this evening we journeyed to/from Austin to hear our friend Liz Love at her Masters Recital. We expected her to play both the soprano and alto saxophone but were delightfully surprised when she topped off the performance with the jazz standard Sophisticated Lady (by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills) on piano with vocal.

The Program Notes Liz provided included an overview of the pieces she selected to play. My favorite comment was at the end of the section on Johann Sebastian Bach, “There is even a Bach action figure” (see photo of recital flier above). As the only non-musician in the family, I can only imagine the intense preparation and hard work that goes into a recital of this quality. The very first bars Liz played on Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord in B minor by Bach took my breath away (and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why they didn’t take her breath away too). The piano accompaniment by Dr. Carla McElhaney on the final Piece Liz chose, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra by Ingolf Dahl, was passionate and dramatic – the interplay between saxophone and piano was masterful. Liz noted…

Even before I started my degree here at UT, I knew I wanted to play this piece. From the thrilling conversation between the saxophone and the piano in the Recitative, to the soul-wrenching melodies in the Passacaglia, to the bouncy rhythmic dance in the Rondo, this pinnacle of the saxophone repertoire showcases the versatility and virtuosity of the saxophone.

Indeed, this evening Liz demonstrated with aplomb the full range of the saxophone. The notes she crafted replayed for me on the late-night drive back to Houston. Thank you Liz and congratulations!