Meet The Team

Colin Crake

Co-founder & Saxophonist

A rising saxophone soloist and pedagogue based in Rochester, NY, Colin Crake is currently a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music, where he is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Saxophone Performance and Literature under the tutelage of Prof. Chien-Kwan Lin. He is also currently a candidate for Eastman’s prestigious Artist Certificate, the first saxophonist candidate in the school’s history. He is a recent graduate of the Conservatoire royale de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium where he studied with French saxophonist and composer Vincent David. He received his Master of Music degree and was awarded “Grande Distinction” for his work with David and for his thesis, titled Le guide pratique de saxophonist sur l’interprétation de Dialogue de l’ombre double (1985) de Pierre Boulez. Before this, he received his Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance with High Distinction and a Performance Certificate at Eastman.

As a soloist, Colin is a multi-award-winning saxophonist, having received prizes at the national and international level. His most notable accolades include the First Prize from the 2022 North American Saxophone Alliance Collegiate Solo Competition, the Third Prize from the 2021 Andorra SaxFest International Saxophone Competition, and the First Prize from the 2017 Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition. He has also had the honor of advancing the world’s most prestigious saxophone competitions, including the 2017 Jean-Marie Londeix International Saxophone Competition in Bangkok, Thailand, and the 2019 Adolphe Sax International Saxophone Competition in Dinant, Belgium. Colin regularly gives solo recitals at the Eastman School, as well as at international conferences, including the US Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium held in Washington, DC. He has performed as a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and the National Classical Orchestra of Andorra.

As a chamber musician, Colin has been a member of numerous saxophone quartets and other chamber groups. Most notable is his membership of the internationally recognized Eastman Saxophone Project, where he currently serves as the ensemble’s Assistant Director and Chief Arranger. Recent arrangements of his include a suite of Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces, Gyorgy Ligeti’s Hungarian Rock, and Gioacchino Rossini’s Overture to La gazza ladra. He has also been called upon to serve in saxophone ensembles abroad, including the Belgian Saxophone Choir.

In 2022, Colin helped co-found the Hana Hou Music Program, an initiative which seeks to act as a supplement for music education on the island of Maui, Hawai’i. In their inaugural season, Hana Hou visited numerous elementary, middle, and high schools to present free clinics and presentations to students. They additionally collaborated with youth music programs on the island, and presented several free concerts for the community. In Hana Hou, Colin serves as an administrator, saxophone clinician, and performing artist.

Colin is currently the Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. More information about Colin can be found at: www.colincrake.com