Biographies
Acknowledged as one of today’s finest saxophone and piano duos, Duo HaLo has delighted audiences across the United States, showcasing programs with exciting new music from across the globe, but also reimagining works by the great composers of the past. Described by the New York Concert Review as “High Voltage” and “Brimming with Lyricism,” members Andrew Harrison (Saxophones) and Jason Lo (Piano) formed Duo HaLo with the desire to connect the saxophone more deeply to the classical tradition, and their approach has been hailed as “a thrill to hear the saxophone with colors, range, technical virtuosity, and expression in the style of the great composers (Classical Sonoma).” Duo HaLo has presented hundreds of concerts throughout the United States in prestigious venues and universities, including San Diego State School of Music, University of the Pacific School of Music, the US Navy Saxophone Symposium, the North American Saxophone Alliance, BargeMusic NYC, and the Green Music Center, to name a few. Both Andrew and Jason hold Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from the USC Thornton School of Music. Andrew is currently the Lecturer of Classical Saxophone at Sonoma State University and Jason is the Keyboard Area Coordinator at the University of La Verne. You can find more information about Duo HaLo at www.duohalo.com.
Andrew Harrison
Jason Lo
Acclaimed for his unique approach, virtuosic performances, and as a champion for both new and forgotten works, Indian-American Saxophonist Andrew Harrison has captured the hearts of audiences across the globe with “electric performances of stunning expression (Classical Sonoma)”, while introducing the world to important voices, and showcasing the beauty and brilliance of the saxophone. Described as a “magician showing off his tricks" (Austin American Statesman), Andrew uses his distinctive style to create a new environment for classical music, connecting the saxophone to its rich tradition, while offering performances that are "high voltage" and "brimming with lyricism (New York Concert Review)." He has commissioned and premiered works by a diverse group of emerging and celebrated composers, including Jules Pegram, Giovanni Santos, Viet Cuong, and Nina Shekhar, among numerous others.
Andrew’s playing, which has been described as "spectacular" (LA Opus) with a sound that is "broad and rich" (The Instrumentalist), has garnered him numerous awards in prestigious competitions, including the U.S. “Pershing’s Own” Collegiate Concerto Competition, the LMC Frances Walton Competition, and most recently the American Prize in Music. He has been a featured soloist with several symphonic groups, including the Cal Poly Pomona and La Sierra University Wind Ensembles, South Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble, and has upcoming performances with the Chandler Symphony, Orchestra Santa Monica, the Sonoma County Philharmonic, and the Santa Rosa Symphony. As a chamber musician, Andrew has toured the US extensively, performing at prestigious universities and venues from Los Angeles to New York City as both a recitalist, and with his saxophone quartet, TC4.
Andrew is passionate about mentoring the next generation of artists to find their unique perspectives and to craft a professional journey that is singular and meaningful. Currently he serves as the Professor of Classical Saxophone at Sonoma State University, and previously served at San Diego State School of Music, Mt. San Antonio College, Cerritos College, the French Conservatory of Music, and the Colburn School. As an in-demand clinician, he has presented masterclasses at Southern Illinois State University, the University of Southern California, Webster University, Franklin College, and the New England Conservatory, among numerous others. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, and a Masters degree from the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music. Andrew performs exclusively on Eastman Winds Saxophones and is an endorsing artist with them and Key Leaves Saxophone Accessories.
For more information, visit www.andrewsharrison.com
Chinese-American pianist, teacher, and chamber musician, Dr. Jason Lo is an in-demand performer whose diverse talents bring him around the globe. Audiences enjoy his heart-felt and soulful performances in Strasbourg, London, Chicago, Honolulu, New York, Washington DC, and throughout Southern California, where he is based. Some notable performance locations were Westminster Hall, the 2012 London Olympic Games, and Carnegie Hall several times. Dr. Lo often collaborates and travels for competitions, conferences, and concerts for various organizations, such as the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT), Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA), and the International Trombone Festival (ITF). He has been a guest artist and lecturer at Santa Monica College - Emeritus College (SMC), Los Angeles City College (LACC), Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC), Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), California Lutheran University (CLU), California State University Long Beach (CSULB), Fresno State University (FSU), the University of the Pacific (UoP), San Diego State University (SDSU), California State University Fullerton (CSUF), Wright State University, Ohio University, University of Northern Kentucky (UNK), University of Central Arkansas (UCA), Sonoma State University (SSU), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and George Mason University.
As an educator, Dr. Lo has taught general music, piano, and choir programs from grades K-12 in public schools. At the college level, he has taught and coached private piano, group piano, functional skills, private voice, choir, and group voice. Students are enamored by his musical instincts, kind nature, no-nonsense attitude, and an enthusiastic passion for music by breaking down mechanics of learning. Outside of academia, he enjoys weightlifting, baking, shopping, studying French and Chinese, and plays Percussion and Euphonium with the Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles.
Dr. Lo is proud to have shared the stage with John Thiessen (Baroque Trumpet, the Juilliard School), Megumi Kanda (Principal Trombone, Milwaukee Symphony), Alex López Velarde (Principal Trombone, la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México), Aralee Dorough (Principal Flute, Houston Symphony), and Maki Mae (America's Got Talent). He has also played under the batons of Sharon Lavery, H. Robert Reynolds, Carl St. Clair, and Bruce Broughton.
Dr. Lo is a graduate of University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where he completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance studying piano with Antoinette Perry, and conducting with Larry Livingston, with minors in Theory, Instrumental Conducting, and Arts Leadership, specializing in French and American Music. His Master of Music in Piano Performance is also from USC. Previously, he completed his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance Magna Cum Laude, studying piano with Craig Richey from California State University, Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. Other piano teachers include Susan Azaret Davies (Cal Poly), Martin Canin (The Juilliard School), Boris Slutsky (The Peabody Institute), and Edie Orloff (The Pacific Trio). While at USC, he served as a Keyboard Studies Graduate Teaching Assistant, and received the Outstanding Keyboard Studies Teaching Assistant Award for 2015.
Dr. Lo serves as the Keyboard Area Coordinator at the University of La Verne. He teaches Group Piano classes, Private Piano instruction, and Ear Training classes.
For more information, visit www.jasonwlo.com