Lighthouse Bio Lighthouse Quartet is a saxophone quartet founded in 2023 at the University of Oklahoma under Dr. Myles Boothroyd. The members include Esther Hodson, Franklin Bian, Tyler Herzberger, and Dylan Sneed. Lighthouse has a passion for rhythmic, groove-based repertoire, with a core sound unique to modern saxophone chamber music. They have performed in various competitions and recitals throughout their time together at OU, including the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Chamber Music Competition, the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, the 45th Annual Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, and the Region 4 North American Saxophone Alliance Conference. They additionally celebrate community outreach and engagement, aiming to bring chamber music to those outside the academic field. Lighthouse seeks to convey their love of music by programming unique, challenging, and diverse repertoire that pushes the boundaries for performers and listeners. Individual Bios Esther Hodson Esther Hodson is a passionate advocate for creating inclusive and accessible environments in music, contributing to consortia, performing community outreach, and acting as a mentor for young women in music. During her undergraduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, Esther has participated in various competitions and conferences, gaining recognition on both the national and international stages. With her studies in Music Performance and Digital Marketing, Esther combines her passions to optimize the impact of music in underprivileged communities through her work with the Music Outreach Foundation. Outside of music, Esther has a passion for the visual arts, working as a professional photographer. At the University of Oklahoma, Esther worked as a creative photographer with the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, where she captured the beauty in fine arts from a unique perspective as a musician. Esther is additionally a photojournalist, having worked at the OU Daily, an independent, student-produced newspaper at the university. Franklin Bian Franklin Bian is an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma. He was named an Overall Winner of the OCO Young Artist Competition and performed with the OCO Orchestra, alternate in the MTNA solo division, and a runner-up in the Ladies Music Club Scholarship Competition. Franklin was the alto chair of Lighthouse Saxophone Quartet. Lighthouse Quartet has been named finalists for the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, MTNA Chamber Division, and Alternate for Coltman. Lighthouse has also presented and performed for NASA Region 4 Conference. Franklin has also participated in Masterclasses with Geoff Landman, Carrie Koffman, and Casey Tse. Franklin's teachers include Gabe Robles, Josh Flores, Alexis Seah, and Myles Boothroyd. Tyler Herzberger Tyler Herzberger is a musician, educator, and leader who is dedicated to serving his community through music. During his studies at the University of Oklahoma, he received national recognition for his solo and chamber ensemble performances, including being named an MTNA Chamber Competition finalist and winning the OU Concerto Competition as a soloist. He is actively engaged with the saxophone community through professional conferences such as the North American Saxophone Alliance and the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop. Alongside his work as a performer, Tyler has developed a strong passion for education and mentorship, where he supports student success through advocacy, guidance, and individualized instruction. He currently directs a high-achieving private studio that fosters an environment where students can grow as musicians and people. Dylan Sneed Dylan Sneed is currently a senior Music Education student at the University of Oklahoma under the tutelage of Dr. Myles Boothroyd. As an active saxophonist, Dylan has been a member of the Pride of Oklahoma, the OU Symphony Band, the OU Wind Symphony, and Lighthouse Quartet, a nationally competing saxophone ensemble. He has performed at multiple national conferences and competitions such as the OU Concert Gala with the OU Symphony Orchestra, the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, North American Saxophone Alliance conferences, the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition, and the Plowman Chamber Music Competition. As an advocate for music access to everyone, he has performed and taught at the JD McCarty Center, Oklahoma Children's Hospital, the SunHive Collective, and numerous high schools and middle schools. After graduating at OU, he will teach music in Oklahoma public schools before pursuing graduate degrees in Wind Conducting. Program notes (in order) Nepomuk's Dances: III. Memory by Marcelo Zarvos Marcelo Zarvos is a Brazilian composer who is involved in both the classical music world and in cinema. His trademark sound is a seamless blend of classical, orchestral, rock, electronic, and various ethnic elements, including his Brazilian roots. In Memory, Zarvos contrasts between minimalism and energetic folk songs by utilizing dance rhythms and interweaving textures. The Solitude of Stars by Stacy Garrop Dr. Stacy Garrop is an award-winning, internationally recognized composer whose music is centered on dramatic and lyrical storytelling. She has received numerous awards and grants, including an Arts and Letters Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a Fromm Music Foundation Grant. The Solitude of Stars captures the pastoral landscape of Clearmont, Wyoming, a place celebrated for its open acreage, high elevation, and abundance of wildlife. In the composer's own words, "without city lights dimming the night sky, countless stars shone brightly over the vast expanse of the prairie." Doublethink by Takuma Itoh Dr. Takuma Itoh currently serves as the Associate Professor of Music at The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. Takuma Itoh's music has been described as "brashly youthful and fresh" (New York Times), and has been featured amongst one of "100 Composers Under 40" on WQXR. Doublethink explores microtonal language, unexpected harmonies, and an infectious groove that encapsulates our ensemble identity in a distinct and exciting way. Quatuor pour saxophones by Alfred Desenclos French composer Alfred Desenclos self-identified as a Romantic artist. His music is celebrated for its expressive qualities and atmospheric depth, rooted in a complex and nuanced compositional technique. His Quatuor pour Saxophones embodies the quintessential charm of French chamber music, exhibiting dense harmonies throughout and evoking alternating elements of lyricism and jazz to showcase the versatility of the saxophone. Prized Possessions by Viet Cuong Viet Cuong is a Vietnamese-American composer known for his peculiar sound combinations and electric energy. His music has been awarded numerous prestigious prizes, including the ASCAP Morton Gould Composers Award. With its two contrasting movements, Prized Possessions embellishes musical material through various repetitions and expressive treatments. The piece features fleeting ideas with persistent material that lingers in the listener's mind. Drastic Measures by Russell Peck American composer Russell Peck had great success in orchestral composition, and his music received thousands of performances across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Drastic Measures contrasts a lyrical, polyphonic first movement with a virtuosic, jazz-tinged, rock-oriented second movement.