JUDITH SAXTON, a native of Pennsylvania, is currently the Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Wichita State University. She currently performs as Principal trumpet with the Wichita Symphony and the Wichita Brass Quintet, Principal with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival (VA), and Third/Associate Principal with the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra in Greensboro, NC where she also coaches chamber music and teaches.
Ms. Saxton received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Mansfield University (PA) where she studied with Michael Galloway, and a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University, where she studied with the world-renowned Vincent Cichowicz. The legendary Adolph Herseth was her coach during her four years with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony. She pursued further studies with the famous pedagogue Arnold Jacobs, as well as William Scarlett and Susan Slaughter.
Ms. Saxton was Principal trumpet and Soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 1990-1993. She has performed with the Chicago Symphony and CSO Brass Quintet, the Grant Park (IL) Symphony, and Concertante di Chicago. Ms. Saxton freelanced in Chicago for 10 years and has held Principal positions with the Symphonic Pops Orchestra of Chicago and the Illinois, South Bend (IN), Metropolis (IL), Illinois Chamber, and Kenosha (WI) symphonies. She was also Principal and Soloist with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra for two seasons.
Ms. Saxton actively promotes chamber music and has been a member of numerous brass quintets. She has performed with the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and toured Japan with the Sierra Brass Quintet. While a member of the Monarch and Millar Brass Ensembles, she recorded for the Koss, Crystal, and Proto labels. Her playing has been broadcast on radio and television stations across the U.S., Russia and Asia. She continues to be an active clinician and recitalist across the U.S., and has presented many concert/clinics and masterclasses in Hong Kong and Japan. Ms. Saxton has taught previously at Illinois Wesleyan and Northeastern Illinois Universities and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Ms. Saxton enjoys traveling, hiking, singing and jazz.