Heaneymusings

Joshua Heaney 9/28/26 Joshua Heaney 9/28/26

OKMEA All-State Band Audition Tips from a Judge

I recently had the opportunity to serve as a judge for the OKMEA second-round All-State band auditions. In my room, I evaluated 52 tenor saxophonists as they played back-to-back. Here are a few observations from behind the screen to help students prepare for future auditions, refine their preparation, and stand out to the judges.

Joshua Heaney 9/21/26 Joshua Heaney 9/21/26

Selmer Paris Density Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Selmer Paris recently introduced a brand-new addition to their classical mouthpiece lineup: the Selmer Paris Density alto saxophone mouthpiece. First unveiled at the Andorra SaxFest, Selmer set out to craft a mouthpiece that captures the effortless playability and ease of response that saxophonists love from the Concept series while infusing the focus, projection, and core presence found in the Claude Delangle model.

Joshua Heaney 8/5/26 Joshua Heaney 8/5/26

OCU Saxophone Ensemble Selected as OKMEA 2027 Foyer Ensemble

Catch us at OKMEA Winter Conference 2027! We are honored to share that the OCU Saxophone Ensemble was selected as a Foyer Ensemble, and will perform for the conference’s Honor Awards ceremony on Thursday, January 21, 4:30pm.

Joshua Heaney 4/26/26 Joshua Heaney 4/26/26

Selmer Paris Supreme vs. Signature: What’s the difference?

It’s horn-buying season for all the incoming music majors, so I wanted to touch on a topic that may be helpful to parents and young students shopping around for their next horn… what exactly is the difference between the Selmer Paris Supreme and Signature alto saxophone models?

Joshua Heaney 4/9/26 Joshua Heaney 4/9/26

Newly Appointed as NASA’s Region 4 Director

I am excited to share that, as of today, I have been appointed as the North American Saxophone Alliance’s new Region 4 Director by the organization’s Executive Committee. NASA’s Region 4 consists of the following states: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Joshua Heaney 3/27/26 Joshua Heaney 3/27/26

Everything You Need to Know About Ligatures!

I often get questions about saxophone ligatures… here are my thoughts!

Joshua Heaney 1/11/26 Joshua Heaney 1/11/26

OCU Saxophone Ensemble Selected to Perform for the 2026 SHE: Festival of Women in Music

On Sunday, March 8, 11:00am, The OCU Saxophone Ensemble will be performing music by Robin McLaughlin Conine and Marilyn Shrude for SHE: Festival of Women in Music at University of Arkansas Music!