Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Sumner Truax has brought the music of today to audiences all over the world. An active soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Truax has performed for audiences in North America, Europe, and Africa. He plays regularly with Unmarked Turns, a piano and saxophone duo dedicated to interdisciplinary performances using art, music, and text to create unique and exciting programs. He is also active with Dr. Ax – a drum/saxophone duo combining rock, jazz, freeimprovisation, and classical music to deliver contemporary music to new audiences. As a frequent collaborator with composers, Sumner has helped bring many new works for saxophone and saxophone quartet to life. Recently, he participated in the Global Premiere Consortium resulting in Baljinder Sekhon’s Sonata of Puzzles which he premiered in February of 2016. He has also worked closely with award winning French composer Christian Lauba resulting in the concert etude entitled “Bebop” which is dedicated to Sumner and was premiered at the Christian Lauba conference in Houston, TX. In addition to solo repertoire, Sumner along with the Lux Quartet has commissioned and premiered several works by young composers.
A versatile classical and jazz musician, Mr. Truax has performed with the Lux and East End saxophone quartets, the Eastman Saxophone Project, Love Constellation and the Stars, Fatbook, and various large and small jazz ensembles. Twice a winner of Wisconsin Public Radio's Neale-Silva Young Artist Competition, Mr. Truax has performed live on two concerts on WPR. With the Lux Quartet, he was a winner of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and a Downbeat Student Music Award.
Mr. Truax earned his Master of Music degree in saxophone performance and literature and a certificate in Arts Leadership at the Eastman School of Music. At Eastman, he served as a teaching assistant to Dr. Chien-Kwan Lin. Mr. Truax also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone performance and instrumental/general music education from Lawrence University. He is currently the instructor of saxophone at Lawrence University where he teaches saxophone and chamber music.