Concert saxophonist Jonathan Helton has been heard in performance throughout the United States, Canada, in Europe and the Far East, appearing with orchestras and wind ensembles, in recital, and in numerous chamber concerts. He has performed in Paris, London, Athens, Beijing, Tianjin, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Santiago, Bogota, Minneapolis, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Miami, and at New York City’s Lincoln Center. His performance credits include concerto appearances with the New Philharmonia of Riverside in New York City, the Chicago Arts Orchestra, the Winston-Salem (NC) Symphony, the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Center for New Music (Iowa), the United States Air Force Tactical Air Command Band, and the Twelfth and Fifteenth World Saxophone Congress Wind Orchestras. His orchestral experience includes performances with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the Grant Park Symphony, the Lake Forest Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, the Winston-Salem Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Helton is featured in solo and chamber music performances on compact discs from Centaur, Navona, Windlass, Elf, Innova, Mark Records, and Music from Northwestern labels.
Dr. Helton holds degrees from the North Carolina School of the Arts and Northwestern University. His teachers include James Houlik, Frederick Hemke, Daniel Deffayet, and Jean-Marie Londeix. From 1992 to 1999 he served on the faculty at Northwestern University teaching saxophone and chamber music, and held an administrative position Coordinating the Wind and Percussion Programs. Helton is currently Professor and Woodwind Area Head at the University of Florida School of Music. Jonathan Helton is a Selmer Paris Artist/Clinician, a Conn-Selmer Artist/Clinician, and a former President of the North American Saxophone Alliance.
Dr. Joshua Huff is a saxophonist from Louisiana who currently resides in Gainesville, Florida. Joshua studied under Dr. Jonathon Helton at the University of Florida, where he completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Saxophone Performance with a cognate in Music Entrepreneurship. Before this, Joshua completed a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance at Louisiana State University under Dr. Griffin Campbell and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education at the University of Louisiana at Monroe under Dr. Scot Humes. In addition, Joshua received instruction in jazz studies from Professor Doug Stone at Louisiana State University and has performed in masterclasses led by saxophonists, including Dr. Otis Murphy, Dr. Adam Estes, Dr. Jan Berry Baker, and Dr. Noah Getz. As a performer, Joshua has performed across the United States and Argentina. Joshua and the Syndicate Quartet, who consisted of fellow saxophone students at the University of Florida, were one of the featured artists at the 2024 Mendoza SaxFest, where they performed multiple recitals, gave a masterclass, and performed a concerto with the Mendoza Philharmonic Orchestra. Joshua has also been a finalist for multiple concerto competitions at the University of Florida, being awarded twice as a woodwind finalist and once as first runner-up overall for the graduate division; has served as principal for the top concert band at each institution; and has performed with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra. Joshua currently serves as the Adjunct Professor of Woodwinds at Santa Fe College, the Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at the College of Central Florida, and previously held the position of Visiting Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Florida.
Gerard Spicer is a Ph.D. candidate in Musicology at the University of Florida. His current research focuses on the New York Philharmonic’s Cold War music diplomacy tours under the auspices of the U.S. State Department, with a focus on the 1958 Latin America Tour. He served as adjunct professor of saxophone at the University of Florida for the 2018-2019 school year and regularly performs at conferences and with regional orchestras. Gerard holds degrees from the University of Florida and the University of Western Ontario where he studied with Jonathan Helton and Barry Usher.
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