Taimur Sullivan is one of the premiere concert saxophonists in the United States and has been a member and Co-Artistic Director of the acclaimed PRISM Quartet for 30 years. His performances have taken him to stages around the globe and have garnered critical praise as “outstanding…his melodies phrased as if this were an old and cherished classic, his virtuosity supreme” (New York Times), a player of “dazzling proficiency” (American Record Guide).
Through his work as a soloist, with PRISM, and as a founding member of Chicago’s Grossman Ensemble, Mr. Sullivan has dedicated much of his career to generating new repertoire for the saxophone. As a result, he has given the premieres of over 400 works by composers including George Lewis, Julia Wolfe, Alvin Lucier, Augusta Read Thomas, Tyshawn Sorey, Kate Soper, William Bolcom, Gavin Bryars, Lee Hyla, Tania León, Olga Neuwirth, John Harbison, Chen Yi, Martin Bresnick, Jennifer Higdon, Steve Mackey, and many others. He has also presented American premieres by major composers such as Gerard Grisey, Toshio Hosokawa, Philippe Hurel, Michael Finnissy, Georgia Spiropoulous, and Jean-Claude Risset. His recent work with PRISM has crossed over into collaborations with noted jazz artists including Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Miguel Zenón, Melissa Aldana, Joe Lovano, and Rudresh Mahanthappa, and his recent recording of Gavin Bryars’ The Fifth Century (ECM) with PRISM and The Crossing choir was awarded a Grammy award.
Taimur Sullivan’s former students populate the musical landscape, and their activity reflects great diversity as artists. They have garnered awards at competitions sponsored by Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, Young Concert Artists, M-Prize, Music Teachers National Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, and others, they hold teaching positions at institutions internationally, they perform as renowned jazz and rock artists, and they have won positions with the United States’ premiere military bands.
Sullivan serves as the Professor of Saxophone at Northwestern University.
