“Practice when you want to and know WHY you’re practicing.” – Rhett Bender

Rhett Bender is a Professor of Music at the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University. He teaches music theory and saxophone performance and is a founding member and soprano saxophonist with the Mazama Saxophones and Globe Saxophone Quartet.

Rhett joins The Playful Musician to discuss pandemic challenges, including teaching remotely and how performing has changed. He shares about his time as a student of Dr. Kenneth Fischer, and how Fischer taught him to practice efficiently. Rhett talks about his journey to become a saxophonist and university professor. We chat about the difference between playing and practicing and Rhett shares where he finds creative inspiration.

In this episode we touch on the following topics:

• Teaching during a pandemic

• The changing landscape of education

• Versatility as a key to success

• How to efficiently practice

• Deep reflection in the outdoors

• Practicing with a purpose

Links from the episode:

• Selmer Saxophones
• German String Quartet
• Tasmania
• Rogue Valley Symphony Orchestra
• NAMM
• NASA- North American Saxophone Alliance
• Arizona State University
• North Texas State University
• World Saxophone Congress
• Globe Saxophone Quartet
• I Never Saw Another Butterfly – Lori Laitman
• Rachmaninoff Vocalise
• Academia Next by Bryan Alexander
• The Saxophone Journal
• University of Georgia
• Iowa State University
• Concertino da Camera by Jaqcues Ibert
• The Paris Saxophone Quartet
• The Globe Saxophone Quartet
• Varismo Saxophone Quartet
• The Kenneth Fischer Saxophone Quartet
• The Fisk Observatory
• The Suzuki Method
• Citation Mustang Jet
• Southern Oregon University
• Mount Ashland
• JitaZax
• Liminal Spaces by Derek Keller

Show Notes:

People Mentioned:

• Madeline Abel-Kerns
• Todd Barton
• Martin Majkut
• Bryan Alexander
• Dr. Kenneth Fischer
• Eugene Rousseau
• John Coltrane
• Dr. Joseph Messenger
• Johnny Cash
• Derrick Keller
• Chelsea Majkut
• Brian Kerns
• Dick Oats
• Flim and the BB’s
• Thad Jones
• David Sanborn
• Michael Brecker
• Spyro Gyra
• Yellow Jackets
• Bill Evans
• Marcel Mule
• Mark Turner
• Chris Potter
• Kamasi Washington
• Otis Murphy Jr.
• Tim McAllister 
• Kenneth Tse
• Lori Laitman