I Am YEG Arts Series: William H. Street

Today you have time. Use it wisely. If there were ever a moment to pull out an embroidery needle, this could be it. But besides being stitch worthy, it’s also seriously great advice from an equally great artist — William H. Street. As a saxophonist and conductor, he’s performed and lectured across the globe, emphasizing the importance of both solo and chamber music-making. As an educator, he’s made his mark right here in Edmonton as Chair of the U of A’s Department of Music. What could be next on his to-do list? Let’s just say he’s using his time wisely. Saxophonist, conductor, and believer in art-making as a noble endeavor — this week’s ​“I Am YEG Arts” story belongs to William H. Street.

Tell us about your connection to Edmonton and why you’ve made it your home.

I came to Edmonton after having lived in numerous places in the US and in Europe. I thought (erroneously) that all of Canada would be bilingual in a greater proportion than it is. I had hoped for a greater cultural diversity at the time. Today, I appreciate the size of our city, large enough to have all of what a society needs, yet small enough to feel connected.

What drew you to the saxophone? Was it a natural fit or something you grew into?

My parents encouraged me to play an instrument, primarily because my father knew the band director in my middle school. That connection really changed my life. This first teacher, Gene Duman, introduced me to the saxophone, and he remained a role model and a strong influence on me my whole life. We stayed in touch until he died, only a few years ago.

How important has collaboration been to your career, and why are you drawn to it?

In the past, playing a solo single-line instrument required collaboration in order to sound ​“complete with harmonies and rhythms.” As well, there was little original saxophone solo music of high artistic quality. That changed starting in the early 1990s when multi-phonics (multiple notes played simultaneously by a solo player) were finally exploited in very high quality music for a solo instrument. Many of these compositions came from the pen of a long-time friend, French composer Christian Lauba. Parallel to this development were compositions of more modern works for the combination of saxophone and piano, as well as saxophone quartet. Some of these duo pieces were written for pianist Roger Admiral, Viktoria Reiswich-Dapp, and me. The Quatuor International de Saxophone, of which I am a long-time member, also had numerous works written for us by composers from around the globe. These new works encouraged our collaboration, our concerts, and our recordings.

What’s one of the biggest professional risks you’ve taken, and how did it influence your path?

I think the biggest risk I took was leaving both my home country (the US) and my adopted country (France) to venture into a life in Canada. Living and working in Edmonton has brought me into contact with some great musicians at the University of Alberta, but my work here has allowed me to grow my musical interests in contemporary music and allowed me to share this around the world.

Tell us about someone whose support and advice have guided your career.

I have had two great mentors: American pioneer saxophonist Fred Hemke and French saxophonist Jean-Marie Londeix. Their guidance, which gradually moved me from being their student to becoming their colleague and finally to being able to call them my friends and collaborators, has made the adventure very meaningful.

Who’s someone inspiring you right now?

My students inspire me now, as they have done in the past. They are always exploring areas that I might not have thought to explore, and it is so much fun to see them develop their ideas and move into careers of their own. I have former students who are teachers in public and private schools, and others who are performers in military bands and professional orchestras. Some have also moved into teaching and researching in higher education at renowned and prestigious schools in Canada, France, and the US. Others have explored musical composition and are making waves in new music.

My daughter, Olivia Street, is also one of my greatest inspirations. A professional songwriter, singer, and guitarist, she has numerous recordings out, which are always cutting-edge indie rock. She honoured me when she recently invited me to record with her band, King of Foxes, in a cameo on her most recent CD, Twilight of the Empire.

What advice would you give artists wanting to live and work here?

First, choose who you are. Then choose who you want to work with, and then invest yourself in your projects. Making art is a noble endeavour. Today you have time. Use it wisely.

Tell us a little about what you’re currently working on or hoping to explore next.

I am currently editing a new recording of the Quatuor International de Saxophone — this time the music is for saxophone quartet AND piano, in works specifically written for us. We hope to have this album out in the spring. After the crisis of COVID, we are cautiously optimistic about being able to tour the world again, as we have done in the past.

What are you looking forward to most this winter in Edmonton?

I have never been a big fan of cold and winter, but I am looking forward to embracing this now that my grandson is of an age to skate and ski. I want to share the fun with him. We always like to visit Hawrelak Park for the ice sculptures and, of course, the mini-doughnuts!

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here all year and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along! Click here to learn more about William Street, upcoming concerts, news, and more.

About William H. Street

William Street came to the University of Alberta in 1988. As a saxophonist and conductor, he has performed and lectured in Belgium, Canada, China, the Federation of Russia, France, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and the US. He has toured with pianists Roger Admiral, Ian Chen, Viktoria Reishwich-Dapp, and the Quatuor International de Saxophones, emphasizing the importance of both solo and chamber music-making. For four years, from 2009 – 2013, Bill served as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta, and from 2013 – 2015 he was Associate Dean of Humanities and the Arts at San Jose State University. In 2015, he was appointed Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of Alberta where he began his second term as Chair in 2021. He continues an active career in wind-music performance and chamber music.