Winner of multiple awards such as the prestigious Beverly Hills National Auditions and the University of California Los Angeles All-Star Concerto Competition, concert saxophonist Dr. Russell Veirs has performed as a soloist with the UCLA Philharmonia, Dana Point Symphony, CSUS Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and numerous community ensembles. As an orchestral saxophonist, he has performed in venues such as Schoenberg Hall, Mondavi Center’s Jackson Hall, the Gallo Center for the Arts’ Mary Stuart Rogers Theater, and Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento. In 2016, he was selected to perform as a soloist on the Sunday’s Live! radio broadcast from LACMA’s Bing Theater as part of a celebration of Adolphe Sax’s birthday. From 2017-2018, Veirs was the soprano saxophonist of the West Los Angeles Irish Ensemble.
Veirs has had the privilege of premiering numerous solo and chamber works for saxophone, most recently Optimist Quintet by Bevan Manson. The Barefoot Trio (saxophone/violin/piano), of which Veirs was a founding member, served as ensemble-in-residence during the 2015-2016 academic year at UCLA which led to the premiere of Reminiscence by Glenn Llorente in May of 2016.
As an educator, he has had the opportunity to coach both the UC Davis and CSUS saxophone quartets, assist with coaching the UCLA woodwind chamber ensembles, and co-taught beginning saxophone as part of the woodwind methods course at UCLA. Additionally, Veirs has coached saxophone sections and led music clinics at numerous public schools, and has taught at the South Bay Music Symposium in California.
Led by his passion for the saxophone’s history, he recently released an album of early 20th century music for saxophone and piano with pianist Dr. James Lent. Dr. Veirs earned his B.A. and M.M. degrees from UC Davis and CSU Sacramento, studying with Dr. Keith Bohm at both universities, and earned his D.M.A. under the guidance of Dr. Douglas Masek at UCLA.
