Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick May.
Hi Nick, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, started playing the tenor saxophone in 2004 in 5th grade and was truthfully pretty awful. I hated practicing and didn’t really care too much about band. It was fun but at that point, I never envisioned becoming a professional musician.
All of that changed though in the 8th grade when the district-wide music solo competition took place. I always did them but never scored well. Anyways, that year a few kids poked fun at me when I signed up to attempt a solo for the day saying ”I’ll just get the worst score anyways, why try.” I don’t know specifically what changed that day but afterwards, I tried this revolutionary thing called practicing, which resulted in me getting one of the highest scores for the entire day. After that the rest is history. I ended up studying music privately through the rest of middle and high school, won a few awards/honors, and was set on performing professionally.
From there I did my Bachelors and Masters in music at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and Kansas respectively, and was fortunate enough to do well – I was a featured soloist a few times through various concerto competitions, was a finalist in an international competition in Singapore, among other accomplishments. Most of that I would credit more towards just putting lots of hours working and practicing… and having amazing teachers. Had I not had the opportunity to work and study with who I did, I do not think I would be half as successful.
After graduating from KU, I recorded my first album with pianist Ellen Sommer, and then immediately traveled to Europe to perform with a traveling new age orchestra for the summer. When I got back, I had an existential crisis thinking “now what?” that most post-graduates have. I decided to do what I loved, perform. I planned a solo recital tour across the country including NYC, Seattle, Hawaii, and all over the Midwest. In addition to that I gave masterclasses and have spoken at many different universities, colleges, and high schools, and most importantly met many musicians and colleagues I now call friends.
I am the Director of Operations and teach at the Music Academy of Kansas City and teach adjunct at Mid Plains Community College, I perform regularly across the country, and love sharing the beauty of the saxophone with others.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
For starters, there is nothing easy about being an artist in the 21st Century… Add COVID-19 to the last year and a half and yes, there have been many struggles. Most recently just dealing with the depression of not having artistic motivation to do anything… In the early stages of COVID, I didn’t want to do anything. I think to survive the dark moments one has to try and find a positive silver lining. Luckily, I was able to get out of the spiral by using the vast amount of free time to practice and compose. It was great. I definitely pushed myself to grow artistically during that time just because there was nothing else to do.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I almost exclusively perform on the soprano saxophone. You will see most saxophonists performing on alto or tenor commonly, and use the soprano as an auxiliary instrument occasionally. I’ve always loved the power, color, and depth of sound one can get from the soprano saxophone. I can and have performed on all of the saxophones, bass through sopranino (think piccolo equivalent in size and range…) but the soprano just feels the most natural and at home for me, it is what my voice is.
Typically, I perform a lot of traditional violin works on soprano saxophone, giving familiar and cherished works a new voice. Sometimes the music translates perfectly to the saxophone, other moments for example… A violin doesn’t need to breathe to produce sound, saxophone obviously does. That can make for some tricky situations where these long phrases can go on forever but also not passing out or hyperventilating is fun too. I would say that is part of the fun of what I do, figuring out different situations that “shouldn’t work” and make it happen.
I recently had my soprano saxophone modified and added extra tubing and keywork to be able to play all of the notes a violin can. That was a LONG process in itself, especially the moment seeing part of your saxophone sawed in half (literally), but I think even that process made my connection and bond with my instrument even closer and more special.
I also enjoy collaborating with a lot of modern, queer artists. Most recently I have commissioned and performed works by Spenser Arias, Nathan Froebe, and Jennifer Higdon. In the spring I will be traveling to Nathan’s University in Indiana to stay for a residency there and premiere, perform and record a wide array of his music we have been working on together for a few years.
Currently, I am preparing my second commercial recording with Kansas City-based pianist and musical partner, Maya Tuylieva, soon to be released in early 2022. The album will feature pieces by Mozart, Brahms, Schumann, and Franck. Additionally, I will be working on recording two other albums in ‘22. One with close friend Javier Oviedo in New York City, and another with my former mentor, Paul Haar.
I would say I’m very lucky and humbled to be able to do what I do and have the opportunities to collaborate with such talented musicians. For me, that is a reward in itself, when you get to work with people way better than yourself and make something beautiful happen.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
The biggest piece of advice I could give any artist is just do it, do what you want. Maybe I’m foolish enough to do what I do or foolish enough to not be afraid to do what I do, but I think one of the common traits among successful artists is a sense of fearlessness and dedication to their art, not being afraid to take risks or tackle a challenge.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.nickmaysax.com
- Instagram: @nickmaysax
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC474Ls2xZjXz04fx37ZpUJw
