Sage Degand
Sage Degand is a freshman Instrumental Performance major at the University of Illinios' School of Music in Urbana-Champaign. She studies saxophone with Professor Debra Richtmeyer, and is co-principal saxophonist of the Wind Orchestra. Degand graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School where she was section leader of the Wind Ensemble and member of the Concert Orchestra. Degand previously studied saxophone under Dr. Jessica Maxfield of the USC Thorton School of Music. She also studied at Interlochen's Saxophone Institute with Dr. Timothy McAllister of University of Michigan and Mr. Taimur Sullivan of Northwestern University and at ISYM with Debra Richtmeyer. She was a finalist in the 2016 North American Saxophone Alliance High School Solo Competition. Degand was second chair in the 2016 ILMEA All-State Honors band and she was the principal alto saxophonist in the 2015 District 1 ILMEA band. In 2014, she was the principal tenor saxophonist for the District I ILMEA band. She won her high school's concerto competition in 2014 and 2015, on alto saxophone and soprano saxophone, respectively. Degand placed second in the 2014 Triton College concerto competition on alto saxophone. Degand has opened for trumpeter Etienne Charles in a performance at the Jazz Showcase, and she performed in the Quinlan & Fabish honors band with the Tonight Show's trumpeter Doc Severinsen.
Degand studied composition for two summers with Dr. Philip Lasser of Juilliard at La Schola Cantorum in Paris, France, where her String Quartet No.1: Attica composition was premiered. She has studied composition extensively with Dr. Philip Lasser, as well as Dr. David Grant of DePaul University. She was awarded 1st and 2nd place in categories of ILMEA's 2015-2016 composition contest. The previous year, Degand received honorable mention in two categories in the ILMEA composition competition, and she placed second in the CCPA young composers competition. She was also a finalist in the Young Composers Challenge and the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards competition.
Degand studied composition for two summers with Dr. Philip Lasser of Juilliard at La Schola Cantorum in Paris, France, where her String Quartet No.1: Attica composition was premiered. She has studied composition extensively with Dr. Philip Lasser, as well as Dr. David Grant of DePaul University. She was awarded 1st and 2nd place in categories of ILMEA's 2015-2016 composition contest. The previous year, Degand received honorable mention in two categories in the ILMEA composition competition, and she placed second in the CCPA young composers competition. She was also a finalist in the Young Composers Challenge and the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards competition.
