Education
In this area of the website, you will find educational materials for students of Ward Baxter, as well as downloadable exercises, fingering charts, articles, and MIDI files of classical saxophone repertoire. This page is reserved not only for the private students of Ward Baxter, but for anyone who can make use of the materials enclosed.
Section Contents
- Studio Information
- Brief introduction to the teaching studio
- Studio Directions
- Directions to the teaching studio
- Resources, Exercises and Articles
- Categorized exercises for students of clarinet, saxophone, improvisation, etc. as well as articles, essays, and other useful stuff
- Fingering Charts
- Fingering diagrams for saxophone, including altissimo and multiphonics
- MIDI files
- a collection of piano accompaniment parts to classical saxophone literature in MIDI format
Background / Bio
Ward Baxter's private studio includes students of saxophone, clarinet, theory, and composition, in addition to students of the music notation software Finale®, by MakeMusic. During his post-baccalaureate studies at San Diego State University, he was recognized as one of the area's leading experts in Finale while working with students in large classroom settings, lectures, and in private coaching.
Mr. Baxter has directed and coached diverse ensembles, including concert bands, big bands, jazz combos, and chamber ensembles. He has served as a clinician throughout southern California in addition to private woodwind coaching in numerous high schools and junior colleges. In 2000, he co-founded the San Diego Saxophone Orchestra as a means to not only educate developing saxophonists in San Diego, but to provide an outlet for them to perform with other saxophonists and learn in a masterclass setting on a regular basis. The San Diego Saxophone Orchestra has since performed and recorded meanwhile numbering over twenty-five saxophonists! In 2001, he accepted the position of musical director and conductor for the San Diego Legacy Big Band.
Since relocating to the Pacific Northwest, he has maintained his enthusiasm towards education with private local teaching in addition to taking advantage of technology to continue teaching several of his out-of-area students.