John Perrine, soprano, is Director of the Jazz Ensemble and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Cleveland State University. He has premiered works by Kari Juusela, Aaron Johnson and William Price. Perrine holds a doctorate from Louisiana State University , a masters from Northwestern University , and a BME from Stetson University . His teachers include James Bishop, Fred Hemke, Jonathon Helton and Griffin Campbell. He has studied jazz with Harold Blanchard, Don Owens, Tony Garcia and Michael Koucour.
Recently, Perrine has performed the Bolcom Concert Suite with the Volga Band (Saratov, Russia). Perrine also gave master classes at the Saratov Conservatory and the Rostov On-Don Conservatory and well as at Moscow State University for Culture and Arts where he has been invited back to perform the Ingolf Dahl Saxophone Concerto. In addition to work abroad Perrine has also recently given live broadcast recitals with faculty members Eric Ziolek, Rock Wehrmann and Mark DeMio on WCLV in Cleveland, Ohio and performed with his own jazz quartet at Night Town (Cleveland Heights) and The Bop Stop (Cleveland, Ohio)
He is a founding member of the Red Stick Saxophone Quartet. The quartet has won national prizes in the MTNA and Fischoff chamber music competitions. Perrine's composition "Vonnegut:Suite for Saxophone Quartet" was premiered at the North American Saxophone Alliance International Convention in Columbia, South Carolina by the Red Stick Saxophone Quartet.
Cory Kasprzyk, (kăsp-shick), alto, is a composer, saxophonist, free-improviser, amateur photographer, and avid "bring your own bag" grocery shopper. He works to explore music that draws an intangible parallel between a cognizance of one's surroundings and music transcribed from (or inspired by) that environment. Quite often this includes a particular interest in human impact on the planet.
Kasprzyk's performance credits include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall, CCRMA (Stanford U.), Camden Yards, St. Peter's, the Red Room, Bowerbird, HBO/New York International Latino Film Festival, Martian Gardens, Kalvos and Damian Show, Columbia University Radio, the 60x60 project, the Spark, International Computer Music Conference, Electronic Music Midwest, High Zero, and MusicX Festivals, and various other venues throughout the United States, Canada, Belgium, and The Netherlands.
Kasprzyk holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and the Peabody Conservatory. He has studied composition with Kaija Saariaho, Alvin Lucier, Tristan Murail, Kurt Ellenberger, and Christopher Theofanidis and saxophone with Laurie Sears, Arthur Campbell, and Gary Louie. He is a former faculty member of the Maryland Conservatory and Morgan State University in Maryland, where he was also a site coordinator for The Creative Access Outreach Group. Most recently, he enjoyed the photographic opportunities of life in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he drank water from a reusable bottle, and served on the faculty of Bluefield College.
Tom Lempner, tenor, holds a Masters of Music degree from Kent State University where he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Additional formal studies include a double Bachelors degree in Music Performance and Music Therapy at the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin-Wallace College. He also earned a diploma from the Armed Forces School of Music, Little Creek, VA. As an educator, Mr. Lempner currently serves on the music faculty at Western Reserve Academy and is a Music Therapist for PEP schools in Cleveland.
Tom has premiered the works of Cleveland composers Nicholas Underhill, Loris Chobanian, Jeffrey Quick, and Thomas Janson. His performances have been broadcasted on 90.3 WCPN FM radio, CBS channel 7, 104.9 WCLV FM, and the Hazel Chapman Show. Performance highlights include Lake Kostanz Music Festival, concerto soloist with the Kent State Orchestra, Elmhurst Jazz Festival, Chas Baker Quintet, Severance Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center, Cleveland Bop Stop, House of Blues, and Cleveland Composer’s Guild. Tom currently performs with Cleveland Winds, Trepanning Trio, Hermit Club Jazz Orchestra, Gabriel’s Horns, Dan Zola Swing Big Band, Sarata Duo, Transportation Boulevard, and Burning River Jazz Trio.
Richie Gaukin, baritone, recently graduated from Cleveland State University with an undergraduate degree in music education and is currently working on his masters in saxophone performance at CSU. While at CSU, he had the pleasure of studying under Dr. John Perrine and Howie Smith. Richie has had the opportunity to perform with Jack Schantz, Howie Smith, Dr. Angelin Chang, Jeffery Seigal, Dr. John Perrine, and the Either/Orchestra.
The Cleveland Public Library Fine Arts Department is pleased to present The Neo-Tessares Saxophone Quartet on August 7th, 2010 at 2pm in the 3rd floor lobby of the Main Library building (325 Superior Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, 44114). The group consists of soprano saxophonist John Perrine, Cory Kasprzyk on alto saxophone, Tom Lempner on tenor, and Richie Gaukin on baritone. They will perform works by Orlando Gibbons, Edvard Grieg, György Ligeti, Mike Mower and John Perrine. This program is free and open to all ages. For more information call 
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