Frederick L. Hemke (né Fred LeRoy Hemke Jr.; July 11, 1935 – April 17, 2019) was an American virtuoso classical saxophonist and influential professor of saxophone at Northwestern University. Hemke helped increase the popularity of classical saxophone, particularly among leading American composers, and raised recognition of the classical saxophone in solo, chamber, and major orchestral repertoire throughout the world. Throughout his career, Hemke built American saxophone repertoire through many composers including Muczynski, Creston, Stein, Heiden, and Karlins.
Teaching career
Hemke taught saxophone at Northwestern's School of Music for fifty years. He began in 1962 as a teaching associate. In 1964 he became an assistant professor and was appointed chairman of the newly formed Winds and Percussion Instruments Department. In 1967 Hemke was elevated to associate professor; on September 1, 1975, Full Professor; and on September 1, 1991, chairman of the Department of Music Performance Studies at the School of Music. Hemke served as senior associate dean for administration in the School of Music from 1995 to 2001. In 2002, Hemke was named the Louis and Elsie Snydacker Eckstein Professor of Music and also named Associate Dean Emeritus of the School of Music. He retired from full-time teaching in 2012.
As a music educator in higher education, Hemke taught hundreds of saxophonists, many of whom have flourished as performing artists and music educators of international rank.
Other positions
thumb|right|100px|Frederick L. Hemke Reeds
Hemke was well known as the designer of a line of reeds which bear the trademark "Frederick L. Hemke Reeds." D'Addario began making the brand in 1982. Hemke was an artist-clinician for The Selmer Company,
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Influence on saxophone design
Hemke was a primary design consultant for the S-80 mouthpiece manufactured by Henri Selmer Paris, and he used a custom version of it on alto saxophone. The mouthpiece is metal with a square chamber.
He was also a design consultant for the Selmer Mark VII E alto and B tenor saxophones, introduced in 1974.
Audio samples and videography
- , by Allan Pettersson
:: Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Ahronovitch conducting, Swedish Society Discofil (1994);
- , by Claudio Gabriele (composed 2005)
:: For 12 saxophones
:: North American premier
:: Northwestern University Saxophone Ensemble, Hemke conducting
- , by Claudio Gabriele (composed 2011)
:: For 9 saxophones
:: World premiere, 2008, Pick-Steiger Concert Hall, Evanston, Illinois
:: Northwestern University Saxophone Ensemble, Hemke conducting
Hemke Legacy Tribute: May 29 – June 3, 2012, Northwestern University
:: 7:30 , May 31, 2012, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University
:: Songs by Gershwin, arranged by Jonah L. Blum (born 1976)
:: Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, Robert Hasty conducting
:: Scenes from Porgy and Bess
:# "Summertime" ()
:# "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" ()
:# "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' " ()
:# "Gone, Gone, Gone" ()
:# "I Loves You, Porgy" ()
:# "Summertime" ()
:: (Brahms's Variations on the St. Anthony Chorale by Haydn)
:: Arranged by Gary S. Bricault (born 1952) at the request of Fred Hemke
:: Northwestern University Alumni Saxo Orchestra, Stephen Alltop conducting
:: Performed June 3, 2012, at Northwestern University
:: 105 saxophones: 3 E sopraninos, 23 B sopranos, 35 E altos, 25 B tenors, 12 E baritones, 6 B basses, and 1 E contra bass tubax