MEMBERS
John Cummins
John Cummins is a saxophonist and music teacher who has appeared throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia in a variety of solo and chamber music performances. His past performances include the North American premiere of Thierry Escaich’s concerto, Le Chant des Ténèbres, at the NASA Biennial Conference in Cincinnati, OH, a solo performance at the Schubert Club Courtroom Concert Series in St. Paul, MN, and appearances with the Quad Cities and Dubuque Symphonies as orchestral saxophonist. John has premiered or commissioned new works by Daniel Baldwin, Kenji Bunch, Ian Dicke, Nima Hamidi, Joel Love, Marilyn Shrude, David Smooke, Alexandros Spyrou, and Austin Yip.
John is a past winner of a Gold Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, a First Prize in Winds and Brass at the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, the Iowa Performance Fellowship, and a National First Prize at the MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition. He was also a finalist in the Boston Woodwind Society’s Matthew Ruggiero International Saxophone Competition.
Currently, John is an Instructor of Music at Arkansas State University, where he teaches courses in music theory, ear training, and music appreciation. He was previously on faculty at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, where he taught saxophone, chamber music, music theory, aural skills, jazz, and general education courses. John holds degrees from the University of Iowa, Bowling Green State University, and the University of Minnesota, and he studied saxophone with Kenneth Tse, John Sampen, Eugene Rousseau, and Jane Williams.
Elissa Kana
An award-winning saxophonist and music educator, Elissa Kana has performed in festivals and conferences worldwide. Most recently, the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) presented Elissa as a featured classical solo artist at their 2021 Region 3 Conference. In 2014, Elissa was named second-prize winner of the International Saxophone Symposium and Competition (ISSAC) in Columbus, Georgia. Additionally, Elissa was awarded the Arden J. Yockey Scholarship for Woodwinds by the Tuesday Musical Association of Ohio in 2011 and was a winner of the Northwestern University Concerto Competition in 2009.
A passionate chamber musician, Elissa holds the alto chair of the Colere Quartet, which was awarded the Gold Medal at the 2020 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the First Prize in Winds, Brass, and Percussion at the 2019 Plowman Chamber Music Competition. Since 2012, she has regularly collaborated with fellow saxophonist John Cummins to promote music written for saxophone duos. The duo has presented world premieres at conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance as well as at the World Saxophone Congress. As a member of the Iowa Saxophonists’ Workshop, Elissa toured Asia, giving performances at the Hong Kong International Saxophone Symposium and at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, China.
Elissa recently completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Iowa, where she was a recipient of the Iowa Performance Fellowship and served as a teaching assistant for both the saxophone studio and the musicology area. She earned her Master of Music in saxophone performance from Bowling Green State University and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University. Her principal teachers include Frederick L. Hemke, John Sampen, Kenneth Tse, and Karen Wylie.
Elissa currently works as Instructor of Saxophone at Arkansas State University. She has served on the faculty of Monmouth College and the University of Northern Iowa, and since 2018, has spent her summers teaching at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan. Previously based in Chicago, Illinois, Elissa served on the woodwind faculty at the Merit School of Music and played baritone saxophone in the Northshore Concert Band.
Greg Rife
Greg Rife is an emerging concert saxophonist and educator who has established a diverse performing and teaching career. Greg was appointed to the faculty of Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2023 where he teaches saxophone and music theory. Greg previously served on the faculty of Lewis University as a music theory instructor, was the saxophone instructor in the Lincoln-Way Community High School district, and was the Assistant Band Director at Monmouth College. Greg’s students have earned national recognition including performances at the 2020 Music for All National Chamber Music Festival, 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade as well as consistent placement in ILMEA honor bands and superior ratings at solo and ensemble festivals.
Greg is an active performer both as a soloist and as the tenor saxophonist of the award winning Colere Quartet. Recent performances include appearances as a concerto soloist with the University of Illinois Wind Symphony and Lockport Township High School Symphonic Band, world premier performances at various North American Saxophone Alliance National Conferences, and a series of performance and educational programs as part of the 2020 Fischoff Gold Medal Tour.
Greg has had competitive success including winning the prestigious Gold Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, First Prize at the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, semi-finalist appearances at NASA solo and quartet competitions, State Winner of the MTNA Young Artist Solo Competition, and as a finalist appearance in the University of Iowa Concerto Competition. Greg has also performed several recitals, concerts, and masterclasses for audiences of all ages.
Greg holds both a Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in saxophone performance degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Doctor of Muscial Arts degree in saxophone performance form the University of Iowa. He was awarded the Division Achievement Award in Music Education and twice awarded the prestigious A.A Harding Award for outstanding performance, achievement, and service to the University of Illinois Bands. During the 2019-2020 school year he served as the teaching assistant to world-renowned saxophonist and pedagogue, Dr. Kenneth Tse. His primary teachers include Dr. Kenneth Tse, Debra Richtmeyer, and Dr. J. Michael Weiss-Holmes.
Dennis Kwok
Dennis Kwok Tsz Kiu is passionate about drawing audiences deeply into the art of music and has imprinted his passion in music all over the world, including Asia, North America, and Europe, as an active soloist as well as a chamber musician. In recent years, Dennis has made remarkable accomplishments as a soloist, quartet, and ensemble musician. In 2013 he was awarded the Saxophone Winner of the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition. As the baritone saxophonist of the Colere Quartet from the University of Iowa, he advanced to the semi-final of the prestigious Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 2018, and was awarded the First Prize of the Plowman Chamber Music Competition in 2019. As a member of the Iowa Saxophonists’ Workshop Ensemble, he recorded his first album, “Contemplations,” in 2014.
In October 2013 Dennis participated in the 6th Adolphe Sax International Competition. He advanced to the live round and competed in Dinant, Belgium in October 2014. In March 2017 Dennis, as the baritone saxophone player of the ICON Quartet from the University of Iowa, advanced to the national round of the MTNA Chamber Music Competition.
Besides various competitions, Dennis is also an active performer within communities of his hometown Hong Kong and other countries. Over the years, his local professional ensemble appearances include performances with the Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia, Hong Kong Chamber Wind Philharmonia, Alliance Primary School Kowloon Tong Wind Band, Diocesan Boy’s School Wind Band, Hong Kong Saxophone Ensemble, Hong Kong Youth Saxophone Choir, Peninsula Quartet, and Opus a la carte. In the United States, he has attended and performed at the North American Saxophone Alliance conferences in Arizona, Illinois, Cincinnati, and Texas among others. Internationally, Dennis attended and performed at the 18th World Saxophone Congress at Zagreb, Croatia in July 2018. As a member of the Colere Quartet, Dennis has been actively performing at various institutions and conferences throughout the Midwest including Augustana College, Monmouth College, and the University of Minnesota. Dennis has performed with various renowned saxophonists including Kenneth Tse, Nobuya Sugawa, Masato Kumoi, Philippe Geiss, Jean-Michel Goury, Alain Crepin, Stephen Page, and Nathan Bogert.
Dennis started learning saxophone at age 6 and has studied with Mr. Martin Choi, Miss Jennifer To, and Mr. Michael Campbell. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance, with the Meredith Willson scholarship, and a Master of Arts degree from the Uninversity of Iowa, under the tutelage of leading saxophonist Dr. Kenneth Tse. He is also serving as the saxophone instructor of the New Horizons Community Band at Iowa City.
