Steven Banks
Hailed by the Washington Post as “the saxophone’s best friend, fiercest advocate and primary virtuoso in the classical realm,” performer and composer Steven Banks strives to bring his instrument to the heart of the classical world. He commissions and writes music that expands the repertoire for saxophone, introducing audiences to new possibilities for artistic expression. Banks is a devoted and intentional supporter of diverse voices in the future of classical music. His work on stage and on the page prompted Seen and Heard International to write, “Banks has the potential to be one of the transformational musicians of the 21st century.”
This season, Banks will bring his “charismatic confidence, technical flawlessness, adventurous phrasing, [and] unbelievably sweet tones’’ (Seen and Heard) to debut performances with the St. Louis, Indianapolis, Oregon, and Montreal symphony orchestras. In Europe, he makes debut appearances with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, BBC Symphony at the Barbican, Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. In recent seasons, he has made impressive debuts and built lasting relationships with the Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Boston Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Cincinnati, Utah, San Diego, and Detroit. He enjoys collaborating with conductors including Xian Zhang, Manfred Honeck, Stéphane Dénève, Rafael Payare, Peter Oundjian, Ruth Reinhardt, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.
Banks is committed to establishing the saxophone as a vital voice in classical music by commissioning works that showcase its expressive capabilities. This season, he premieres Joan Tower’s poignant new concerto Love Returns at the Colorado Music Festival, with additional consortium performances by the National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and Toronto Symphony, among others. Billy Childs’ Diaspora, written for Banks and commissioned by Young Concert Artists and 10 orchestras—the largest consortium ever for a saxophone work—marks a major milestone in Banks’ mission. His growing list of recent premieres includes Carlos Simon’s hear them, Augusta Read Thomas’ Haemosu’s Celestial Chariot Ride, Christopher Theofanidis’ Visions of the Hereafter, and many others.
In recital, Banks appears with pianist Xak Bjerken at prestigious series including Davies Symphony Hall, Chamber Music Northwest, Merkin Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Kravis Center, Festival Napa Valley, and Chamber Music Sedona. As a chamber musician, he enjoys deep collaborations with the Miró Quartet and Verona Quartet, joining both ensembles for tours of newly co-created programs. Banks is a founding member of the award-winning all-saxophone ensemble Kenari Quartet.
Described as “colorful and continuously fascinating” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), Banks’ compositions are increasingly in demand, reflecting his rising profile as a composer. He has been commissioned by Young Concert Artists and the chamber music festivals of Tulsa, Tucson, Bridgehampton, and Chamber Music North West. His recent works include Reflections and Exaltations, Come What May, and Cries, Sighs and Dreams—all scored for saxophone and string quartet—and Begin Again for baritone saxophone, cello, piano, and meditation guide.
Banks’ solo works Through My Mother’s Eyes (commissioned by Chicago Symphony for Hilary Hahn) and Fantasy on Recurring Daydreams (premiered by pianist Zhu Wang) have received critical acclaim. His saxophone and piano works, including Come As You Are, are among the most performed pieces by saxophonists worldwide.
As part of his ongoing advocacy for diversity and inclusion, Banks is excited to launch the Come As You Are project this season—an innovative community engagement initiative in partnership with orchestras, designed to increase representation in the concert hall through vibrant community performances and affordable ticket access. In addition, Banks spoke at TEDxNorthwesternU about overcoming institutional prejudices in the industry. He also co-created the Learning to Listen roundtable to explore the nuances of the Black experience in classical music, as well as Illuminate!, a conversation series on education, activism, and the LGBTQIA+ community in classical music, created in partnership with the Sphinx Organization.
Banks is proud to be the first saxophonist to receive a prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and earn First Prize at the Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions. A saxophone and chamber music faculty member and Artist-in-Residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music, he has previously held teaching positions at Ithaca College, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, and the University of Hartford. Banks studied with Taimur Sullivan, Otis Murphy Jr., and Galvin Crisp, earning degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. He is an endorsing artist for Conn-Selmer instruments and D’Addario Woodwinds.