The Akropolis Reed Quintet was founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and is the first ever ensemble of its makeup to win a Fischoff Gold Medal (2014), Grand Prize at the Plowman and MTNA national competitions, and 6 national chamber music prizes in total. Hailed by Fanfare for its "imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality," Akropolis has performed from Juneau to Abu Dhabi and has showcased at five national conferences, including as a participant in APAP’s prestigious Young Performers Career Advancement Program (YPCA). Winner of the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award, Akropolis conducts extensive educational residencies and impacts thousands of children each year. Akropolis has premiered more than 50 reed quintet works and recorded three albums, including its 2017 release, The Space Between Us, which the San Francisco Chronicle calls, “pure gold," Akropolis has received grants for its community programming in Detroit, MI from the National Endowment for the Arts (Art Works), Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, CultureSource, Quicken Loans, High Wire Lab, and Chamber Music America, as well as operating support from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Amphion Foundation, and the Alice M. Ditson Fund.

Rochester based saxophone quartet with a focus on performing a wide range of music for an equally wide range of audiences.

James Barger is an active performer of solo and chamber music throughout the United States and is in demand as a classical and jazz saxophonist and educator. In 2016, he joined the faculty of West Texas A&M University as Assistant Professor of Saxophone where he teaches courses in applied saxophone, jazz improvisation, music technology, and directs the saxophone and large jazz ensembles. Recently, James served the Texas Tech saxophone studio as Teaching Assistant and was the Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone at Lubbock Christian University. He additionally maintains an active private studio of high school students.

James is a Selmer Performing Artist and D'Addario Performing Artist and Reserve Method Clinician. He performs on Selmer Paris saxophones and mouthpieces and D'Addario reeds.

Mirasol Quartet of Lubbock, Texas draws their name and musical inspiration from the intensity of the West Texas sun. Formed in the fall of 2013 at Texas Tech University, the quartet consists of doctoral student James Barger (Carrollton, TX), master's student Ben Still (Raleigh, NC), and undergraduates Andrew Reinhart (Lewisville, TX) and Ben Donnell (Levelland, TX).

Recent accomplishments: national finalists and 3rd place award at the Music Teachers National Association's "Chamber Winds" Competition in Chicago, IL (March 2014); finalists in the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Quartet Competition at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (March 2014); quarterfinalists in the Fischoff National Chamber Music (Wind) Competition (live rounds to be held at The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN in May 2014); performance at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) conference in San Antonio, TX (February 2014).     

Mirasol Quartet is coached by Professor David Dees.

We are a Texas-based chamber ensemble whose mission is to cultivate curiosity through inclusive presentation of contemporary and traditional music in intimate performances and interactive educational programs.

Aruna Quartet is following