Saxophonist Drew Whiting has established himself as a champion of new and experimental music, specializing in performing works of the 20th and 21st centuries in solo, chamber, and electroacoustic settings. Drew is described as having “superb musicianship” (The Saxophonist), “remarkable versatility” (Computer Music Journal), and whose playing “is as brave as it is well thought out, breaking genre boundaries and redefining the possibilities of the saxophone” (Amplified Magazine). In addition to his solo endeavors, Drew is the baritone saxophonist for the Coalescent Quartet. Their debut album, The Wall Between Us (Is Where We Meet), was described as “…faultless, the perspective just right. But most of all it is the sheer technical perfection and its service to each composer’s individual voice that is so impressive. A fine release” (Fanfare Magazine). Coalescent Quartet is an ensemble that celebrates differences, with no common teacher or institution among its members. This creates a willingness among its members to explore a wide variety repertoire, resulting in music making that has been described as “enlightening and beautiful” (Recording Artists Guild). Drew currently serves as Associate Professor of Saxophone and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the Michigan State University College of Music, where he studied with Joseph Lulloff. Drew then earned a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, studying with Debra Richtmeyer. Drew is a proud Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Artist-Clinician, performing exclusively on Yamaha saxophones and Vandoren woodwind products.
