Dr. Sarah Hetrick(she/her) is a saxophonist and educator based in Northwest Arkansas. A fierce advocate for her students and their interests, Hetrick serves as Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Arkansas where she engages with the Saxophone Studio in applied instruction, saxophone pedagogy, chamber music, and more. Hetrick is frequently invited to teach and perform at schools and workshops throughout the United States, including the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, Baylor University, the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop, and others.
In her collaborations and programming, Hetrick often curates narratives that focus on the work and lives of women at the intersection of music and art. Hetrick maintains an active schedule as a solo and chamber musician, performing as a member of the sjel duo, Duo Oenomel, the Lyrique Quintette, and more. Hetrick is an avid performer of new music and has commissioned over 30 new works by composers Alexandra Gardner, Katahj Copley, Viet Cuong, and others. Hetrick has performed as a soloist with the University of Central Arkansas Wind Ensemble and The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, and has performed with the Symphony of North West Arkansas and the Forth Smith Symphony.
Ever curious about the ubiquity and sexualization of the saxophone, Hetrick’s research explores gender, iconography of the saxophone, and the effects of both on practicing saxophonists. Hetrick’s research is published in Contemporary Perspectives on the Legacy of Elise Hall (1853-1924) by Cornell University Press (US) and Leuven University Press (Belgium), and she has lectured throughout the United States on her paper, “He puts the pep in the party”: Gender and the Saxophone in Early-Twentieth-Century American Advertisements. Hetrick enjoys engaging with the innovative work of saxophonists as a reviewer for the Saxophone Symposium Journal.
Hetrick has been awarded a Presser Grant, PEO Scholar Award, and a Rainwater Grant for Innovation. Hetrick previously served as Assistant Professor of Music at Texas A&M International University and holds both a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from The University of Texas at Austin. She has completed additional study at Université Européene de Saxophone in Gap, France.
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Hetrick performs exclusively on Yamaha Custom EX soprano and alto saxophones, D'Addario Reserve Reeds, and a Rousseau NC4 mouthpiece. Hetrick is a proud Rousseau Artist.
