Twin Cities Saxophone Camp

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Sax Camp 2024 was GREAT! Stay tuned for more information about TCSAX Camp 2025.

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Meet the Team

Artist Faculty

Preston Duncan

Director and Faculty
An internationally acclaimed performer and educator based out of Minneapolis, Preston Duncan has been hailed as “displaying his saxophone mastery” (The Indianapolis Star) with “virtuosic brilliance” (the Muncie Star/Press) as a “terrific talent”(Marvin Hamlisch).
He has appeared as a soloist throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. He has performed on over 65 occasions as soloist with large ensembles including The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, La Grande Orchestre des Alpes de la Mer of Nice, the Bowling Green State University Philharmonic, the University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and many others. He has performed internationally in such prestigious venues as the Salle Verdi (Milan), the American Embassy (Paris), The Royal Conservatory (Brussels), Circle Theater (Indianapolis), Roberto’s Winds (New York City), UNAM Hall (Mexico City), the National University (Taipei), the Teatro Solis (Montevideo), the National Conservatory (Zagreb), the National Conservatory (San Jose), and Disneyland (Los Angeles).
As a chamber musician he has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Indianapolis Pops, The Minnesota Pops, The Indianapolis Symphony and with such acclaimed artists as Rosemary Clooney, Azmira-Woodward-Page, Marvin Hamlisch and Jeremy Denk.
Duncan was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to Paris, France. He has won numerous awards and prizes including 1st prize in the MTNA National Woodwind Competition. He was the featured performer and educator at the 1st Annual Taiwanese National Saxophone Festival, the 12th Annual Encuentro Universitario Internacional de Saxofón in Mexico City and Saxfest Costa Rica in 2015. This summer he was the featured performer at the 4thInternational Festival of Saxophones in Montevideo Uruguay.
Duncan currently teaches saxophone at the University of Minnesota. During the summer he teaches on the faculty at Ticino Musica International in Lugano Switzerland and Shell Lake Arts Center. He has premiered works by Bernard Rands, Ernesto Pellegrini, Joseph Dangerfield, Kenneth Fuchs and many others. Duncan performs exclusively on the Buffet Senzo saxophone and Légère reeds.
Steve Cole

Guest Faculty
Saxophonist Steve Cole is one of the most celebrated players in contemporary jazz. The Chicago native exploded onto the scene in 1998 with his Atlantic Records release “Stay Awhile” that was produced by fellow Chicagoan Brian Culbertson. The album scored multiple #1 hits and earned Cole the Oasis Smooth Jazz Award for best new artist shortly before his sophomore set, “Between Us,” was released in 2000. His hit singles made him an instant radio favorite and he cranked them out with regularity on subsequent major label releases “NY LA” (2003), “Spin” (2005), “True” (2006), “Moonlight” (2009), “Pulse” (2013), "Turn It Up" (2016), “Gratitude” (2019), and “Smoke and Mirrors” (2021).
In addition to his work as solo artist, Steve has performed/recorded, with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Jeff Lorber, Jim Peterik, Freddie Cole, Cyrus Chestnut, and KMFDM, and has been a featured soloist with the City of Prague Orchestra, and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Steve is also a founding member of The Sax Pack, a stellar sax trio completed by Kim Waters and Jeff Kashiwa.
When he's not on the road, Dr. Cole teaches music industry entrepreneurship and saxophone at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota where he is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Music, and Teaching Fellow in the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship.
Steve Cole studied saxophone with Dr. Fredrick Hemke at Northwestern University, earned an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business.
Alex Hahn

Guest Clinician
Alex Hahn is a Grammy Award Winning saxophonist and composer based in Los Angeles, California. Still early in his career, Hahn has had the opportunity to perform with many renowned artists such as Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, The Grammy Award Winning John Daversa Progressive Big Band, Bob Mintzer, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Peter Erskine, John Beasley, Patrice Rushen, and many others. He also recorded on Michael Bublé’s last three Grammy Nominated studio albums. In addition, Hahn has performed and taught all over the world including the Panama Jazz Festival, Sitka Alaska Jazz Festival, and at International Jazz Day in Havana, Cuba and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Hahn is a very active as a studio musician in Los Angeles, CA. He has recorded alto, tenor, clarinet, and baritone saxophone on commercials for brands such as Disney, Wayfair, and Devoted Care. He can also be heard on movies such as Bad Trip, written and starring comedian Eric Andre, and is a featured soloist on the Eddie Murphy movie Coming 2 America. Lastly, Hahn is featured on screen on the Emmy Award Winning Television show Glee.
In addition to his professional performing and recording career, Alex Hahn is an incredibly passionate educator. He has given master classes, clinics, and has had guest artist appearances at The University of North Texas, Cal Tech University, San Jose State, Saddleback College, as well as a number of high schools and middle schools around the world. Hahn also has a thriving private lesson studio. He has taught students from all over the world including Egypt, South Korea, Australia, United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, and New Zealand. His private students have gone on to receive music scholarships at some of the most prestigious schools around the world. Hahn currently serves as the Director of Jazz at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
Alex Hahn is an endorsed artist of D’Addario Woodwinds and Andreas Eastman Saxophones, and Key Leaves.
Pete Whitman

Guest Clinician
Pete Whitman is a saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger and educator based in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. As a freelance musician, Whitman performs in a wide range of musical styles and contexts that include Jazz, Classical, Pop, dance bands, etc. He has performed with such distinguished groups as the Minnesota Orchestra, Jack McDuff, Curtis Fuller, the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Jazz MN Big Band, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Andres Prado, Dave Stryker and The Hornheads. Whitman frequently performs in Broadway shows in the Twin Cities area. He has performed in the pit orchestra with such shows as Legally Blonde, The Pirates of Penzance, Christmas Story, The Wizard of Oz, White Christmas, Chorus Line, Singing in the Rain, West Side Story and Chicago.
Whitman has recorded extensively as a sideman and has three CD’s under his name: Departure Point (Igmod Records), The Sound of Water (Artegra), and Where’s When (Artegra). Where’s When features the Pete Whitman X-tet, a ten-piece ensemble, which received a four-star rating by DownBeat Magazine (Feb.04). Two of his most recent recording projects include Mississippi (Shifting Paradigm Records) and Changes We Can Believe In by the Pete Whitman/Chris Olson Quintet (Bandcamp).
Pete Whitman’s experience as an educator includes eighteen years at McNally Smith College of Music teaching saxophone, improvisation, arranging and directing the McNally Smith Jazz Orchestra. He frequently serves as a clinician for high school and college jazz festivals all over the US. In 2016, Whitman was a featured clinician/artist at the Jinbao International Saxophone Festival in Tianjin, China. Currently, Pete is teaching at St. Olaf College and The University of Wisconsin River Falls. He is also teaching privately in the Twin Cities area and is offering lessons online.
Whitman received his B.M and M.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas State.

Faculty and Staff

Dr. Chris Dickhaus

Co-Director and Faculty
Chris Dickhaus joined the faculties of Winona State University in 2017, and College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in 2022 as Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone. He previously held teaching positions at the University of Northern Iowa (2016-2019), and Frisco Independent School District (TX); where he managed a private saxophone studio from 2007-2016.
While in Texas, Chris built an active performance schedule throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, having the opportunity to perform in all the major venues in the area. As a former member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra and the North Texas Wind Symphony – under the baton of Eugene Corporon – Chris has also performed on over a dozen recordings.
Additionally, Chris has received numerous awards and honors of state, regional, and national acclaim, including being a finalist two consecutive years (2008-2009) at the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition, placing 1st at the 2005 NCMTA Woodwind Young Artist Competition, 2nd at the 2006 Southern Regional MTNA competition, 1st at the Richard Chandler YouTube recording competition (2019), and granted the 2009 Thelma Hearn Prize for Chamber Music Group by the Texas Music Teachers Educational Foundation. As a student Chris was awarded a Saxophone Teaching Fellowship (2007-2010) at the University of North Texas, and Teaching Assistantships in Rock and Roll History (2019-2020) within the Online and Distance Learning and the College of Liberal Arts departments at the University of Minnesota.
Residing in Minneapolis, Chris Dickhaus recently graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, where he studied with Dr. Preston Duncan. He also holds performance degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (BM) and the University of North Texas (MM), having studied with Dr. Steven Stusek and Dr. Eric Nestler, respectively.
Dr. Emily Brewer

Co-Director and Faculty
Emily Brewer is a saxophonist and educator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from St. Norbert College, and a Master of Music/Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Emily is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, and new music. She has also joined commissioning projects to promote underrepresented composers within classical music. She has performed in various ensembles affiliated with the National Band Director Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the American Saxophone Academy, and the Minnesota Music Educators Association. Emily has also performed as a soloist and chamber musician at various North American Saxophone Alliance conferences. Recipient of first prize in the Richard Chandler YouTube Recording Competition, Emily is also the recipient of prizes from the Schubert Club Woodwind Competition. Her primary instructors have been Dr. Preston Duncan and Dr. John Salerno. She maintains a studio of private lesson students in the greater Twin Cities area.
Christina Uhrenbacher

Faculty
Tina Uhrenbacher is a doctoral student in saxophone performance at the University of Minnesota. She holds her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and her Master’s Degree from Northwestern University. An avid chamber musician, she has competed and advanced in national competitions, including the Music Teachers National Association quartet and solo competitions, the North American Saxophone Alliance quartet competitions, and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Uhrenbacher has performed at music conferences across the United States, including the Northwestern University New Music Conference (NUNC!), the Midwest Clinic, the International Saxophone Symposium, and the North American Saxophone Alliance.
Emily Fisher

Faculty
Emily Fisher is an educator and saxophonist dedicated to creating positive musical experiences. She has studied music for the majority of her life and has witnessed the profound impact that music programs can have on people’s lives. Fisher studied music education at Luther College. She was the recipient of the Steen Fellowship Research Grant where she collaborated with Dr. Jill Wilson and presented her findings at MMEA and IMEA. Fisher has experience teaching individual private lessons and directing large-group ensembles. Fisher currently studies saxophone performance at the University of Minnesota with Dr. Preston Duncan. She was a featured performer with the University Wind Ensemble during the fall of 2023 with the saxophone quartet concerto “Ba Yin'' by Chen Yi. Fisher currently teaches music in the Minnetonka School District and teaches private saxophone lessons.
Chantalle Falconer

Accompanist
Chantalle Falconer is a multifaceted artist, skilled in piano, violin, and voice, with a deep passion for collaboration and pedagogy. As an active performer in the Twin Cities, Chantalle thrives on the beauty of collaborating with a wide range of instruments and voices, developing meaningful relationships through a shared stage. She runs a private piano studio, emphasizing holistic student development, and serves as the choir director, pianist, and team coordinator at Bethlehem Covenant Church. This year, she is also excited to accompany the Oratorio Society of Minnesota. A lifelong learner, Chantalle is a DMA candidate in Collaborative Piano and Coaching at the University of Minnesota, studying with Timothy Lovelace and Lara Bolton.
Lexie Aguilar

Media Coordinator and Faculty
Alexis (Lexie) Aguilar is a saxophonist currently based in the Twin Cities. In addition to her current studies, pursuing a DMA in saxophone performance at the University of Minnesota, she teaches as an adjunct professor of saxophone at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota as well as privately in the community. Lexie enjoys being an active member of her music communities, and has performed with the Minneapolis Orchestra, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, at North American Saxophone Alliance Regional Conferences, and at the Iowa Saxophone Unite Conferences. Additionally, she loves working with the University of Minnesota’s New Music Ensemble, both as a performer and administrator. Previously, Lexie received a Masters in Music from the New England Conservatory under Ken Radnofsky, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in both French and Saxophone performance at Augustana College, under Dr. Randall Hall.