About
Originally from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Landon Chang is an educator, saxophonist, and composer dedicated to the evolving landscape of contemporary music. He serves as Professor of Saxophone at the University at Buffalo and Roberts Wesleyan University, and is on faculty at the Eastman Summer Saxophone Institute. His leadership extends as Assistant Director of the internationally recognized Eastman Saxophone Project and as Founder and Executive Director of Project Nova, a professional saxophone sextet dedicated to innovative programming and community engagement in Rochester, NY.
Creative Work
His creative work as a composer and arranger expands the saxophone repertoire. He is a national finalist of the MTNA Composition Competition, and his published saxophone ensemble arrangements and transcriptions are performed by student and professional groups internationally. He has commissioned and premiered numerous new works by emerging composers including Kate Ragan, Marlies Hollevoet, and Roon Torka. He strongly believes in the interconnectedness of performance and creation, and his work is shaped by close collaboration with performers. As a performer, Chang has been featured as a soloist with the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" and the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. An award-winning competitor, his recognitions include prizes from the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition, Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition, North American Saxophone Alliance Collegiate Solo Competition, MTNA Young Artist Solo Competition, and the U.S. Army Band Collegiate Solo Competition, among others.
Education
Chang holds a Master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, where he also earned a Certificate in Arts Leadership, and graduated summa cum laude with dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Saxophone Performance from the University of North Texas. His undergraduate achievements were recognized with the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award, the College of Music’s highest honor, and the Texas Music Educators Association Collegiate Music Educator Award. He is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music with a related field in Jazz Studies. He is also a certified instructor in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), applying language-acquisition pedagogy to musical instruction. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends, reading, learning languages, and exploring the outdoors in the greater Rochester/Buffalo area.
