Allison Balcetis, DMus

About

Allison Balcetis is a saxophonist living in Edmonton, Alberta in Treaty 6 Territory. As a musician she is drawn to sounds that grab the audience with visceral force or nudge them to lean in deeper, catching ethereal textures. In a world where isolation and loneliness are an epidemic, Allison prefers playing with others, performing both composed and improvised music. Fulfilled by creative partnerships, she plays in several groups including echoradia, where she uses effects pedals on saxophone while improvising with Kelly Ruth on amplified spinning wheel; and Ultraviolet, a mixed instrument quartet focused exclusively on commissioning Canadian composers. For over 10 years Ultraviolet remains Edmonton’s only chamber ensemble to do so. Allison also performs in damn magpies an improvising sextet, avant-jazz combo Blackout Over Rio, indie folk rock band Next Stop, Otago!, and the Edmonton Saxophone Quartet.  

Collaborating with living composers is a cornerstone of Allison’s work. Through these partnerships she has  premiered over one hundred works that have spoken poignant truths of our shared contemporary life. Highlights include works by Anthony Tan, Heather Hindman, Andriy Talpash, Anna Pidgorna, Jane Berry, and Marcos Balter.

Having taught in the Department of Music at the University of Alberta since 2011 Allison’s great passion is to help students: express themselves maturely  on their instrument; interpret others’ compositions with critical thought; and work together effectively and artistically.  

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Research

Ensembles

• echoradia. saxophone and effects pedals + amplified weaving loom with Kelly Ruth
• damn magpies. Improvisation sextet with flutist Chenoa Anderson, percussionist Mark Segger, singer Jane Berry, electronics by Scott Smallwood, and found oddities by Ian Crutchley. 2014 - present
• UltraViolet. Quartet with pianist Roger Admiral, flutist Chenoa Anderson, and percussionist Mark Segger. 2014 - present
• Edmonton Saxophone Quartet. Saxophonists Charles Stolte, Kendra Heslip, Emily Schultz, Allison Balcetis. 2015 - present
• Blackout Over Rio. avant-jazz combo with Mark Segger, Will Northlich, and Nico Arnaez
• The Bent Note. Duo with pianist Sandra Joy Friesen. 2014 - 2016
• Anubis Quartet. Chicago-based Non Profit / 501(c)(3) Organization and saxophone quartet, 40 commissions and/or world premieres. 2007 - 2014

Notable Performances/Premieres

• Field Studies - An album of chamber music by composer Emilie LeBel, released on Redshift Records, featuring Balcetis on three tracks.  May 2023.
• Ten new commissions of works by Canadian composers for the UltraViolet ensemble. 2022-2023
• Relay. Launch. A solo album of works written for Balcetis.  Released March 2020
• Six World Premieres/ University of Chicago, residency with composition grad students. January, 2020. Chicago, Illinois
• . . . sur un îlot de la rivière . . . by François Rossé. Solo performance at the World Saxophone Congress. July 2018. 

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Teaching

MUSIC 251A - Aural and Keyboard Skills II

A continuation of MUSIC 151. Prerequisite: MUSIC 151. Corequisite: MUSIC 255 or 256 or consent of Department.

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MUSIC 251B - Aural and Keyboard Skills II

A continuation of MUSIC 151. Prerequisite: MUSIC 151. Corequisite: MUSIC 255 or 256 or consent of Department.

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MUSIC 439A - Vocal and Instrumental Chamber Ensemble

Prerequisite: consent of Department, based on audition.

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MUSIC 439B - Vocal and Instrumental Chamber Ensemble

Prerequisite: consent of Department, based on audition.

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MUSIC 639A - Vocal and Instrumental Chamber Ensemble

Prerequisite: consent of Department, based upon audition.

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MUSIC 639B - Vocal and Instrumental Chamber Ensemble

Prerequisite: consent of Department, based upon audition.

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MUSIC 739A - Special Projects in Chamber Music

Restricted to Doctor of Music students.

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MUSIC 739B - Special Projects in Chamber Music

Restricted to Doctor of Music students.

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Browse more courses taught by Allison Balcetis

Started: 2019-08-01

echoradia is the surreal combination of spinning wheel, weaving loom, electronics, and saxophones played by Kelly Ruth and Allison Balcetis. Performing improvised music together since 2019.

echoradia début EP

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2010 to Ongoing

New Music Edmonton - the city's foremost organization promoting Canadian composers and producing an annual new music concert series as well as an annual festival.  
Visual documentation from past shows and outreach events.

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Started: 2013-08-01

Comprising pianist Roger Admiral, percussionist Mark Segger, flutist Chenoa Anderson, and saxophonist Allison Balcetis, UltraViolet’s musicians are forward-thinking, virtuosic, dedicated artists. UltraViolet is named in honour of composer Dr. Violet Archer, who encouraged her students to create their own opportunities for their music to be performed.

UltraViolet YouTube channel