Biography

Colin Crake is a saxophonist based in Rochester, NY. Presenting a wide variety of aesthetics, from baroque transcriptions to world premieres, Colin’s programs reflect his passion for promoting the saxophone as an instrument worth serious consideration in the classical music industry. His teaching reflects his equal priorities of pushing the technical standard of the instrument, and fostering musical and artistic maturity. As an arts leader, he is focused on organizing music outreach efforts to promote the saxophone, as well as classical music generally, in the public’s eyes and ears.

As a soloist, Colin is a multi-award-winning saxophonist, having received prizes at the national and international levels. His most notable accolades include the First Prize from the North American Saxophone Alliance Collegiate Solo Competition, the Third Prize from the Andorra SaxFest International Saxophone Competition, and the First Prize from the Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition. He has also had the honor of advancing in the world’s most prestigious saxophone competitions, including the Jean-Marie Londeix International Saxophone Competition in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Adolphe Sax International Saxophone Competition in Dinant, Belgium. Colin regularly gives solo recitals at the Eastman School, as well as at international conferences, including the US Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium held in Washington, DC, and the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference. As an arranger and admirer of the classical music tradition, Colin actively researches works by under-represented composers from the past to promote in his programs through adaptations for the saxophone, having arranged and performed works by Lili Boulanger, Amy Beach, and Astor Piazzolla. He has performed as a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and the National Classical Orchestra of Andorra. Colin’s list of world premieres includes works by a range of artists, from emerging to established composers, including John Mackey, Jennifer Higdon, Roshanne Etezady, Bajinder Sehkon, and Jeremy Howell.

As a passionate chamber musician, Colin has been a member of numerous saxophone quartets and other chamber groups. Most notable is his membership in the internationally recognized Eastman Saxophone Project, which strives to promote the popularity of the saxophone through innovative programming and versatile performances. Colin currently serves as the ensemble’s Assistant Director and Chief Arranger. Recent arrangements of his include a suite of Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces, Gyorgy Ligeti’s Hungarian Rock, Gioacchino Rossini’s Overture to La gazza ladra, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Souvenirs de Florence. He has also been called upon to serve in saxophone ensembles abroad, including the Belgian Saxophone Choir.

In 2022, Colin co-founded the Hana Hou Music Program, whose mission is to develop, advocate, and provide music education in Maui, Hawai’i, and to serve as a free musical resource to the community regardless of background, artistic ability, or economic circumstance. In their inaugural season, the Hana Hou Music Program visited numerous elementary, middle, and high schools to present free clinics and presentations to students. They collaborated with youth music programs on the island and presented several free concerts for the community. In the Hana Hou Music Program, Colin serves as an administrator, a saxophone clinician, and a performing artist.

Colin is currently a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music, where he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Saxophone Performance and Literature under the tutelage of Prof. Chien-Kwan Lin. He is a graduate of the Conservatoire royale de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium, where he studied with French saxophonist and composer Vincent David. He received his Master of Music degree and was awarded “Grande Distinction” for his work with David and for his thesis, titled Le guide pratique de saxophonist sur l’interprétation de Dialogue de l’ombre double (1985) de Pierre Boulez. Before this, he received his Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance with High Distinction and a Performance Certificate at Eastman. He currently serves as the Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY.