Harvey Pittel
Encyclopedia
Harvey Pittel is an American saxophonist who performs principally in North America, and is currently the Professor of Saxophone
at the University of Texas at Austin
Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music in the College of Fine Arts.
Pittel and Joe Allard, and obtained his Music Education Major at the University of Southern California
(USC),
followed by Master degree studies with Fred Hemke at Northwestern University
.
He performed a solo recital at Carnegie Hall
in 1973 as a winner of the Concert Artists Guild competition. He has edited the Saxophone and Piano reduction of the Ingolf Dahl
Concerto for Saxophone and Band based on his work with Dahl during his studies at the University of Southern California
. His version of the Concerto is the standard version of this piece played today, and has performed the piece under Dahl, as well as Michael Tilson Thomas and Zubin Mehta. Mr. Pittel has performed with many major orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic
, Louisville Orchestra, Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic
, San Antonio Symphony, and Austin Symphony.
Pittel has been critically acclaimed in leading newspapers and magazines by both Harold C. Schonberg
and Raymond Ericson
in The New York Times
, Michael Steinberg in the Boston Globe, and Winthrop Sargeant in The New Yorker
, and his many awards include two Martha Baird Rockefeller Fund grants, and a National Endowment for the Arts Solo Recitalist grant.
Film soundtracks on which Pittel has collaborated include for Woody Allen's Manhattan, and he has appeared as a guest on The Today Show and Live From Lincoln Center. Works written for Harvey Pittel include the Paul Chihara
Saxophone Concerto, Soprano Saxophone Sonata, and Milton Babbitt
's Images for Saxophone and Tape.
Former students include:
Jeffrey Benedict,
Dr Dan Goble (also plays with the Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet),
Todd Oxford (faculty, School of Music, Texas State University, San Marcos)
Steve Mohacey, Jack Cooper
(faculty, University of Memphis, School of Music),
Vincent Gnojek (faculty, School of Music, University of Kansas),
Roger Greenberg (Retired from University of Northern Colorado),
James Rotter (University of Southern California - Fullerton),
Robert Medina (Elision Saxophone Quartet),
Todd Yukomoto University of Hawaii,
Javier Oviedo,
Paul Haar (University of Nebraska-Lincoln),
Mace Hibbard (Georgia State University),
Jeremy Justeson (Kutztown University of Pennsylvania),
Allen Won (faculty, The Mannes College for Music),
William Graves,
James Hairston,
Debra McKim (Hastings College). Branford Marsalis
and Kenny Garrett
are among the most notable jazz saxophonists that have studied with Pittel.
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music in the College of Fine Arts.
Pittel and Joe Allard, and obtained his Music Education Major at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC),
followed by Master degree studies with Fred Hemke at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
He performed a solo recital at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in 1973 as a winner of the Concert Artists Guild competition. He has edited the Saxophone and Piano reduction of the Ingolf Dahl
Ingolf Dahl
Ingolf Dahl was a German-born American composer, pianist, conductor, and educator.-Biography:Born in Hamburg, Germany to a German father and a Swedish mother, his birth name was Walter Ingolf Marcus. He studied with Philipp Jarnach at the Hochschule für Musik Köln...
Concerto for Saxophone and Band based on his work with Dahl during his studies at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. His version of the Concerto is the standard version of this piece played today, and has performed the piece under Dahl, as well as Michael Tilson Thomas and Zubin Mehta. Mr. Pittel has performed with many major orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
, Louisville Orchestra, Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, San Antonio Symphony, and Austin Symphony.
Pittel has been critically acclaimed in leading newspapers and magazines by both Harold C. Schonberg
Harold C. Schonberg
Harold Charles Schonberg was an American music critic and journalist, most notably for The New York Times. He was the first music critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism...
and Raymond Ericson
Raymond Ericson
Raymond Ericson was an American music critic who wrote articles for The New York Times for 30 years.-Life and career:...
in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Michael Steinberg in the Boston Globe, and Winthrop Sargeant in The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, and his many awards include two Martha Baird Rockefeller Fund grants, and a National Endowment for the Arts Solo Recitalist grant.
Film soundtracks on which Pittel has collaborated include for Woody Allen's Manhattan, and he has appeared as a guest on The Today Show and Live From Lincoln Center. Works written for Harvey Pittel include the Paul Chihara
Paul Chihara
Paul Seiko Chihara is an American composer.Chihara was born in Seattle, Washington in 1938. A Japanese American, he spent several years of his childhood with his family in an internment camp in Minidoka, Idaho....
Saxophone Concerto, Soprano Saxophone Sonata, and Milton Babbitt
Milton Babbitt
Milton Byron Babbitt was an American composer, music theorist, and teacher. He is particularly noted for his serial and electronic music.-Biography:...
's Images for Saxophone and Tape.
Former students include:
Jeffrey Benedict,
Dr Dan Goble (also plays with the Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet),
Todd Oxford (faculty, School of Music, Texas State University, San Marcos)
Steve Mohacey, Jack Cooper
Jack Cooper
Jack Cooper may refer to:*Jack Cooper, businessman who owned Cooper Canada*Jack Cooper *Jack Cooper *Jack Cooper...
(faculty, University of Memphis, School of Music),
Vincent Gnojek (faculty, School of Music, University of Kansas),
Roger Greenberg (Retired from University of Northern Colorado),
James Rotter (University of Southern California - Fullerton),
Robert Medina (Elision Saxophone Quartet),
Todd Yukomoto University of Hawaii,
Javier Oviedo,
Paul Haar (University of Nebraska-Lincoln),
Mace Hibbard (Georgia State University),
Jeremy Justeson (Kutztown University of Pennsylvania),
Allen Won (faculty, The Mannes College for Music),
William Graves,
James Hairston,
Debra McKim (Hastings College). Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
and Kenny Garrett
Kenny Garrett
Kenny Garrett is a Grammy Award-winning American post bop jazz saxophonist and flautist who gained fame in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and of Miles Davis's band. He has since pursued a critically acclaimed solo career...
are among the most notable jazz saxophonists that have studied with Pittel.
Discography (selection)
- Orion Sax Quartet - Orion Saxophone Quartet With Special Guest, Harvey Pittel (Cenataur CRC 2455)
- Contrasts (CRS Artists 0686)
- With Jupiter Symphony: Live In New York (Crys- tal Records)
- With RCC Wind Ensemble: Shape Shifter (Sea Breeze Classical Records)
- With University of Texas Saxophone Ensemble: Over The Rainbow and Bach Again (Naxos)
- With University of Texas Saxophone Ensemble: Tex Sax Next Generation (Mark Records 7119)
- With University of Texas Saxophone Ensemble: Tex Sax (Mark Records 2280)
- Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet: It Might As Well Be Spring (HP Records 0400)
- With University of Texas Wind Ensemble: Husa/Maslanka Concertos (Mark Records 3932)
- With University of Texas Wind Ensemble: At Carnegie Hall (Mark Records 26970)
- La Linge, La Sonorite, A Tribute to Marcel Mule (Mark Records 5050)
- With Louisville Symphony: Music of Paul Chihara (New World Records 815)
- Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet: Live In Chicago (Mark Records 2106)
- With Jeff Helmer; Moving Along (Crystal 655)
- Bach and Noodles (Crystal 654)
- With the New York Philharmonic: Pictures At An Exhibition (CBS MK 35165)
- With Ry Cooder: Jazz (Warner Brothers BSK 3197)
- With Teresa Strata: Strata Sings Weill (Nonesuch 9 79131-1 F)
- Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet: A Little Night Music (@ 1987)
- Harvey Pittel with Louisville Symphony: Amram Ode to Lord Buckley (Louisville LS781)
- Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet: Don’t You Remember The Time (Harojama 9743)
- Harvey Pittel with London Sinfonietta: Rodby Concerto (Crystal S500)
- Harvey Pittel with Westwood Wind Quintet – re issued on CD Sextour a vent (Crystal S 353)
- Harvey Pittel Trio (Crystal S157)
- Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet (Crystal S155)
- Harvey Pittel Plays Music for Alto and Soprano Saxophones (Crystal S105)