Zachary Shemon

About Zachary

Zach Shemon is Associate Professor of Saxophone at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, alto saxophonist in the PRISM Quartet, and regularly performs with the Kansas City Symphony. Since joining the PRISM Quartet in 2007, the ensemble has collaborated with numerous internationally celebrated composers, performers, ensembles, and arts organizations to premiere hundreds of new works, release dozens of critically acclaimed recordings, and hold residencies at top conservatories and music schools throughout the world. As a soloist, Shemon was featured with the Arizona State University Wind Orchestra on the opening concert of the 2020 NASA Biennial Conference performing Joel Love’s Solace and can be heard performing Love’s concerto with the UMKC Conservatory Wind Symphony on a XAS Records recording of the piece. Professor Shemon maintains a thriving studio of graduate and undergraduate saxophone majors at the UMKC Conservatory. Current and former students have been finalists in national and international competitions, as well as in auditions for US Military Bands. Former students hold teaching positions at colleges, high schools, and middle schools throughout the country. He is on faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp and is director of the Kansas City Saxophone Workshop. Shemon holds degrees in performance from the University of Michigan and Indiana University where he studied with Donald Sinta and Otis Murphy, respectively. He performs on Selmer (Paris) saxophones, D’Addario Reserve reeds, and is an active clinician as a Conn-Selmer and D’Addario Woodwinds artist. More information and recordings are available at www.prismquartet.com and www.zachshemon.com.