Lincoln, Neb.--Glenn Korff School of Music alumnus Nicholas May (B.M. 2016) will present a guest recital on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Westbrook Music Building Performance Hall in Rm. 130. The recital is free and open to the public.
The recital, titled “You, Me, Us: A Celebration of Queer Music for Saxophone and Piano” will feature May and pianist Alex Siu Lun Li.
The program includes Kevin Day’s “Upwelling,” Alex Temple’s “I Can’t Go to Florida,” Darius D. Edwards’ “Where Will My Flowers Go?,” Nathan Froebe’s “Silence Still=Death” and Rex Isenberg’s “Little Drama Queen.”
May is a saxophonist who has premiered works and collaborated with today’s most eminent and emerging composers, while advocating for contemporary music in solo, chamber and orchestral performances. May’s recent CD, “You, Me, Us,” was released under Neuma Records.
“It is a great honor to return to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as a featured artist,” May said. “As a proud alumnus of the Glenn Korff School of Music, I am continually reminded throughout my career of how grateful I am for my time there—and for the countless impactful educational and creative moments that helped shape who I am today. I am very much looking forward to working with students of all ages in workshops as part of their Single Reed Day and during my residency.”
May is also a featured artist at the Glenn Korff School of Music’s Single Reed Day on Sunday, Aug. 30. This free event is open to clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone players from middle school through college, as well as music educators interested in exploring the performance and pedagogy of single reed instruments. For more information on Single Reed Day, visit https://go.unl.edu/vq2n.
Since making his solo debut at age 18 with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, May has established an international profile with performances across the United States, Singapore, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, including multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall.
May is frequently featured as a soloist with orchestras and contemporary music ensembles, including the Eastern Wind Symphony, La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony Orchestra and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Symphony and Wind Ensemble. As the founder of the I Exist Project, May leads an innovative artistic initiative that celebrates queer life, culture and creativity through performance, collaboration and the commissioning of new repertoire.
In addition to receiving his undergraduate degree from Nebraska, he also holds a Master of Music from the University of Kansas.
