Stetson Saxophone Workshop 2025: The Magic of Movie Musicals

The 2025 Stetson Saxophone Workshop took place this June on our campus in DeLand. It brought together middle and high school students from across the region for a week of focused music-making, centered around a single idea: movie musicals.

What We Played

We built the program around music from recent and classic movie musicals. These were not arrangements chosen for convenience or crowd-pleasing value, but because they gave our students real musical problems to solve—and real opportunities to grow.

• Wicked — Defying Gravity and Popular pushed the ensemble in opposite directions—one dramatic, the other rhythmic.
• The Greatest Showman — A strong sense of pulse and phrasing was essential to make the title track work.
• West Side Story — Bernstein’s score remains demanding. Somewhere asked for restraint. Gee, Officer Krupke asked for unbridled bombast. The staff ensemble demonstrated the nuance needed for these two iconic numbers.
• Dear Evan Hansen — Waving Through a Window was a study in balance and tone.

To balance the program, we added light classical works—Strauss, Grieg, and others—that offered contrast and technical grounding.

What We Did

The students were in rehearsal each day, working on ensemble blend, intonation, articulation, and style. They rotated through sectionals, masterclasses, and improvisation workshops. All students rose to the challenge.

Technique was part of it. But just as important was listening—real listening—to each other and to the demands of the music.

The Performance

We closed the week with a public concert. The ensemble was tight. The sound was strong. The students brought focus and intent to the stage. The audeince was deeply moved when we talked about how significant the Saxophone Workshop experience is for young students.

Looking Forward

Each year’s theme is partly an excuse to try something new, to reframe what the saxophone ensemble can be. This year, movie musicals gave us room to interpret, to shape, and to take risks. We’re already thinking about what comes next.

Thanks to all the students, families, faculty, and staff who made this year’s workshop possible.

Details about the 2026 Stetson Saxophone Workshop will be announced in late 2025 and early 2026. 🫶