Hugh Hodgson School of Music Hires New Saxophone Faculty

After completing a national search, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music is excited to announce that Brandon Quarles will begin his new role as Assistant Professor of Saxophone this fall. Quarles has been serving at the University of Georgia as Lecturer in Saxophone and Allied Areas since 2021.

“I am deeply honored to be hired as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Georgia,” said Quarles. “As an alumnus of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and a native of Georgia, I have loved every moment of the past three years as the Lecturer of Saxophone and Allied Areas at UGA and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue on here in this new role. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to build on the tradition of excellence and creativity for which UGA and Athens are known. Our students here at the HHSOM are exceptional and it is such a joy to continue to working with them to help them grow and create their own meaningful careers.”

Dr. Brandon Quarles is the Lecturer of Saxophone and Allied Areas at the University of Georgia where he directs the saxophone studio, directs and conducts the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, and teaches a local music history course “Music in Athens.” He was one of the founding members of ~Nois, serving as the organization’s Executive Director and soprano saxophonist from 2016 to 2021. 

Dr. Quarles has performed with a variety of ensembles including Eighth Blackbird, Ensemble Dal Niente, ensemble vim, the Grant Park Symphony, My Brightest Diamond, and the Athens Hip Hop Harmonic, among others. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance with a cognate in music theory from Northwestern University along with the Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from Northwestern and the University of Georgia, respectively. He has had the honor of studying the saxophone with Clint Schmitt, Connie Frigo, and Taimur Sullivan.

Among his current responsibilities at UGA, Quarles leads the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (CCE).“As the Director of the UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, I invite you to our concert on April 8^th at 7:30pm in Hodgson Hall where we will celebrate the life of HHSOM alumnus Don C. Gillespie with a concert featuring the music of Sarah Gibson, Nico Muhly, and Carlos Simon. We will close the concert with a performance of Terry Riley’s masterpiece In C, an incredibly influential work in 20^th music, to mark its 60^th anniversary. The concert will be a joyous celebration of contemporary music and our community here in the HHSOM as many different areas will be represented. I hope you will join us to see the artistry and talent of our students and to celebrate the life of one of our own.”