Frederick Hemke

He contributed to raising the recognition of the classical saxophone in solo, chamber, and major orchestral repertoire throughout the world.

For half a century, from 1962 to 2012, Hemke was a full-time faculty member at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music.

Throughout his career, Hemke helped build American saxophone repertoire through many composers including Muczynski, Creston, Stein, Heiden, and Karlins.

[9][10] Journalist and author Michael Segell, in his 2005 book, The Devil's Horn, called Hemke "The Dean of Saxophone Education in America.

[a] Hemke holds the distinction of being the first American saxophonist to earn a Premier Prix diploma from the Paris Conservatory.

[1] In primary and secondary school, until the start of college, Hemke studied saxophone with Eddie Schmidt, a band director in Milwaukee, and a close friend of Ralph Joseph Hermann (1914–1994) — musician, composer, songwriter, and music publisher.

In 1979 Hemke was host for the Sixth World Saxophone Congress held at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.

Hemke has appeared extensively as a solo artist and has given master classes and lectures in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, and the Far East.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Educational publications Commissions and dedications Music editions Hemke was a primary design consultant for the S-80 mouthpiece manufactured by Henri Selmer Paris, and he used a custom version of it on alto saxophone.