Local Sax Player Gets Top Honor in Emerging Artist Competition

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Anton Derevyanko and his parents emigrated to the United States in 2000 and chose Medfield, Mass., as their home when he was in second grade.

Little did they know at the time that the town was the birthplace of Lowell Mason, father of music education, and that Derevyanko's experiences in the public school district would inspire his own musical career path as a jazz saxophonist-- and an award-winning one, including recent recognition by Vandoren USA.

Vandoren named Derevyanko as a 1st-place prize winner in its national 2021 Emerging Artist Competition for any highly proficient jazz or classical saxophonist or clarinetist between the ages of 18 and 23. After submitting a number of audition recordings to Vandoren in December 2020, he was recently notified that he had earned the top honor for jazz saxophonist.

According to the Vandoren website, the Emerging Artist Competition was started in 2010 as a way to "identify the next generation of great clarinetists and saxophonists, and to acknowledge them for their talent, hard work to succeed, and the artistry they display on their instrument." It further states, "the winners have reached an extraordinary level of musical achievement through their solo performances, and have distinguished themselves from many exceptionally talented young artists."

As part of his prize, Derevyanko received a $1,000 cash award, the promise of a post-COVID-19 trip to Paris to visit Vandoren headquarters and the chance to perform with groups there, as well in an annual U.S. music festival.

Derevyanko is using his award proceeds to fund a virtual jazz concert later this month to support the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Details will be forthcoming via his Instagram site @anton.derevyanko, plus promotional efforts. He can also be contacted at derevyankomusic@gmail.com.

More about Anton Derevyanko and Vandoren...

Anton Derevyanko is a freelance tenor saxophonist and composer who has performed all over the world, at major festivals and clubs, and with some of the most widely recognized jazz artists, including Joe Lovano, John Patitucci and George Garzone. He is a graduate of Berklee School of Music in Boston and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, which he attended on full scholarship. His early high school years in Medfield were marked by numerous national and state awards.

Vandoren is a family business that was founded in Paris in 1905 and is now a leading manufacturer of reeds, mouthpieces and other accessories for saxophones and clarinets.