Dr. Xin Gao
Associate Professor of Music, Saxophone
B.M., M.M., Duquesne University; D.M.A., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Xin Gao, a native of Chengdu, China, is Associate Professor of Saxophone at Truman State University. An internationally recognized performer and educator, he has built a versatile career as a soloist, chamber musician, and clinician across the United States and Asia.
Gao has distinguished himself in major international competitions, winning national first prize in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Competition, reaching the finals of the ISSAC International Saxophone Competition, and advancing to the semi-finals of the Jean-Marie Londeix International Saxophone Competition. He has also served as adjudicator for state, regional, and national events, including the MTNA State Competitions, the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition, and the Yantai National Saxophone Competition.
His festival and conference appearances include the North American Saxophone Alliance Conferences, the U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, the Lanzhou International Clarinet and Saxophone Art Festival, the Asia International Saxophone Congress, the World Saxophone Congress, and the American Single Reed Summit, which he hosted at Truman State University in 2018 and later served on its artistic committee. He has also been featured in residencies and masterclasses in numerous cities across the United States, China, and Singapore. In addition, Gao has appeared as concerto soloist with orchestras and wind symphonies at UNCG, UTK, Duquesne, UIC, UNT, and Truman State, as well as with the Sichuan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
In chamber music, Gao is a founding member of the Sirocco Quintet, QuadAtomic Saxophone Quartet, Minerva Saxophone Quartet, and the ROC Ensemble, a faculty group that blends classical, jazz, and popular idioms. With his ensembles, he received the Coleman Sanderson Prize, third place in the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition, and advanced to the final round of the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. He has also toured extensively with the New Century Saxophone Quartet across nine U.S. states.
As a dedicated teacher, Gao’s students have won first prizes in the Missouri Music Teachers Association Collegiate Solo Competition, several university concerto competitions, and the Southern Illinois Young Artist Organization competitions. His graduate students have been admitted to leading doctoral programs and have gone on to successful professional careers as performers and educators.
Beyond performance and teaching, Gao is a strong advocate for new music. He has commissioned and premiered works by composers Marc Mellits, David Maslanka, Viet Cuong, Gabriela Ortiz, Jenni Brandon, Kenji Bunch, Jaljinder Sekhon II, Joel Love, and Chinese composers Lei Lei Tian, Yunfei Li, Wei Dai, and Zechariah Goh. His artistic vision emphasizes expanding the saxophone repertoire and fostering meaningful cross-cultural exchange.
He holds degrees from Duquesne University (B.M., M.M.) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (D.M.A.), where his teachers included Yusheng Li, Zhenlong Xiang, Steve Stusek, Connie Frigo, and James Houlik. He is a Yamaha Performing Artist.