Student Profile
After playing music her entire life, Elizabeth Bunt will be getting her long-awaited master’s degree in saxophone performance in May. But her plans for after graduation are still up in the air.
“”I don’t know after graduation what I’ll be doing. I really like playing music and interacting with other musicians,”” Bunt said.
Well, that’s the life of a musician.
“”I started playing saxophone in fifth grade, I’ve just kept doing it because I like playing,”” said the music graduate student, who is originally from Iowa and earned a degree in saxophone performance and music education from Northern Iowa University.
Bunt had her solo recital Friday, where she performed a variety of pieces from the 20th and 21st century, or “”contemporary classical”” as Bunt calls it. One of those pieces is called “”Exterminate all the Brutes,”” a contemporary and electronic piece that was composed by Chris Biggs, a music composition graduate student.
The experimentation in electronic sound is of great interest to Bunt.
“”The electro-acoustic sound is either with prerecorded electronic sounds that I play along with or when I’m playing, the computer is reacting to what I’m doing,”” Bunt said.
She also has participated in electronic music conferences in Kansas City, Mo., Memphis, Tenn., and Eugene, Ore., where she played Biggs’ “”The Capgras’ Patience Wanes”” which was made for alto saxophone and digital media.
“”I’m trying to put together an electronic concert with saxophone with also visual things, like have digital arts in the background at the same time,”” Bunt said.
The saxophone mixed with electro-sound is something that Bunt will try to continue after graduation.
“”There are three composers writing music for me right now: two doctoral students at Duke University and one at the University of Michigan, who have written electro-acoustic music for me,”” Bunt said.
Bunt enjoys playing a variety of musicð, including classical, jazz and contemporary, and cites the Matt Wilson Quartet as one of her favorite musical groups. In addition to playing all four kinds of saxophones, she plays the flute and clarinet as well.
In the summer, Bunt plays at the Big Fork Summer Playhouse in Montana, where she is part of the instrumental band that has performed in musicals such as “”Chicago,”” “”Grease,”” “”Anything Goes”” and “”Crazy for You.”” At the UA, Bunt is in the wind ensemble, jazz band and a saxophone quartet.
As for her future, Bunt would like to continue playing as much as possible.
“”Maybe I’ll get a doctorate or find a job in fine arts administration. I would like to keep playing to some extent. That’s my goal – to keep playing,”” Bunt said.
Bunt will be one of the performers at the Electro-Acoustic music concert April 26 at 7:30 in Crowder Hall in the Music building, 1017 N. Olive Road.