Member Profile

Resume:

AUGUST (GUS) ARNOLD

www.gusarnold.com • (931) 980-0202 • garnold97@gmail.com

Instruments:
• Alto, Tenor, and Soprano Saxophones, Bb Clarinet, Flute, and Piccolo

Education:
• University of North Texas (Denton): Fall 2015 – Spring 2019
o Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies
o Date of Completion: May 2019
o Summa Cum Laude Graduate, GPA: 3.942
• University of North Texas (Denton): Fall 2019 – Spring 2021
o Master of Music in Jazz Studies
o Date of Completion: May 2021
o GPA: 4.0

Principal Applied Instructors:
• Brad Leali: Jazz Saxophone Professor at the University of North Texas (Fall 2015 –Present)

Additional Applied Instructors:
• Jeff Coffin: Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Saxophone at Vanderbilt University (May – August, 2016)

Notable Performing and Recording Experience:
• Played woodwinds (piccolo, flute, Bb clarinet, soprano sax, alto sax, and tenor sax) in the pit orchestra for multiple musicals organized by Lyrique Music Productions in Huntsville, Alabama (June 2016 – June 2021)
• Performed with Carmen Bradford and the UNT Three o' Clock Lab Band at the 25th Annual Friends University Jazz Festival in Wichita, Kansas (February 16, 2018)
• Recorded alto sax and flute on the UNT Two O’ Clock Lab Band album, Here’s Two the Writers (May 2019)
• Played alto and tenor saxes, flute, and Bb clarinet in the show band of a cruise ship (Norwegian Dawn of Norwegian Cruise Line) from May 25 to August 10 of 2019
• Played lead alto saxophone in the University of North Texas One O’ Clock Lab Band under the direction of Alan Baylock (Fall 2019 – Spring 2021) with guest artists Maria Schneider, Gary Smulyan, Regina Carter, and Michael Abene
• Performed at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City with the UNT One O’ Clock Lab Band (January 16, 2020)
• Performed in the 2020 Jack Rudin Jazz Championship at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Rose Theater with the UNT One O’ Clock Lab Band that placed fourth in the competition (January 19, 2020)
• Performed as a semi-finalist in the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz Competition at Arizona State University (March 5, 2020)
• Recorded lead alto sax, soprano sax, and flute on the UNT One O’ Clock Lab Band albums, Lab 2020 (July 2020) and Lab 2021 (May 2021)

Teaching Experience:
• Graduate Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas teaching collegiate jazz saxophone students (Fall 2019 – Spring 2021)
• Director of the University of North Texas Eight O’ Clock Lab Band (Fall 2020)
• Director of the University of North Texas Six O’ Clock Lab Band (Spring 2021)
• Private woodwind instructor and side-by-side coach for Metro Nashville Public Schools (September 2021 – Present)
o Sax, flute, and clarinet instructor at Antioch Middle School
o Sax instructor at Antioch High School
o Sax and flute instructor at Donelson Middle School
• Leading jazz saxophone sectionals at John Overton High School (September 2021 – Present)

Music Awards and Achievements:
• Winner of the Alabama All-State Solo Festival (April 2014)
• Winner of the Alabama Bandmasters Association Scholarship (April 2015)
• Winner of the BMI Future Jazz Master Scholarship (April 2019)
o https://bmifoundation.org/news/story/august_arnold_awarded_fourth_annual...
• Lead Alto Saxophonist in the University of North Texas One O’ Clock Lab Band (Fall 2019 –Spring 2021)
• Won “Outstanding Saxophone Section” at the 2020 Jack Rudin Jazz Championship
o https://www.jazz.org/press/jazz-at-lincoln-center-announces-inaugural-ja...
• Semi-finalist (Top Ten) in the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance National Collegiate Jazz Competition at Arizona State University (March 2020)
• 1st Place Winner in the 2021 North American Saxophone Alliance Region 4 Collegiate Jazz Competition (March 2021)
o https://jazz.unt.edu/saxophonists-win-nasa-2021-regional-competitions

Academic Awards and Achievements:
• UNT Eagle Excellence Scholarship (Fall 2015 - Spring 2019)
• Korean American Scholarship Foundation Scholarship (September 2015)
• Member of Phi Kappa Phi (Spring 2017 – Present)
• Honors College Scholar Award (May 2019)
• Member of Pi Kappa Lambda (Spring 2020 – Present)

Bio:

Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Gus Arnold is a jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, and teacher currently living in Nashville. After graduating from high school in 2015, Gus moved to Denton, Texas to study jazz at the renowned University of North Texas where he completed both his B.M. in Jazz Studies (2019) and his M.M. in Jazz Studies (2021). While at UNT, Gus studied with esteemed saxophonist Brad Leali, worked as a teaching fellow teaching jazz saxophone lessons and directing the Eight and Six O’ Clock Lab Bands, and played lead alto saxophone with the Grammy-nominated One O’ Clock Lab Band under the direction of Alan Baylock. With the One O’ Clock Lab Band, Gus performed with Maria Schneider, Gary Smulyan, and Regina Carter and performed at world-renowned venues such as Birdland Jazz Club and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Rose Theater in New York City. Gus has also recorded two albums with the One O’ Clock: Lab 2020 and Lab 2021. Additionally, Gus has won several prestigious awards and competitions such as the BMI Future Jazz Master Scholarship (2019) and first place in the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 4 Jazz Competition (2021).