Dr. Brandon Quarles is a music-maker and teacher who thrives on cross-genre collaborations. A native of Ringgold, Georgia, Dr. Quarles is the Lecturer of Saxophone and Allied Areas at the University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music where he is the director of the Saxophone Studio, director and conductor of the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, and teaches a local music history course “Music in Athens.” Prior to joining the faculty of UGA, Dr. Quarles was the Associate Lecturer in Classical Saxophone at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was an Instructor for Northwestern University’s general music curriculum. 

Dr. Quarles’ performance experience spans a wide array of genres and styles on a variety of instruments. As a saxophonist, he has performed with symphony orchestras such as the Grant Park Symphony; chamber ensembles such as Eighth Blackbird, Ensemble Dal Niente, and ensemble vim; and indie rock bands such as My Brightest Diamond and Night Palace. Dr. Quarles lived in Chicago, Illinois from 2015 to 2021 where he was a dedicated member of the city’s contemporary classical and free improvisation scenes. Dr. Quarles made his debut as a concerto soloist in 2015 as a winner of the UGA Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. Since then, Dr. Quarles has been a featured soloist with ensembles such as the Northshore Concert Band, the Atlanta Freedom Band, The University of Wisconsin-Madison Wind Ensemble, and the University of Georgia Wind Symphony. He has given the premiere of over 65 works for the saxophone to date.

Dr. Quarles was one of the founding members of ~Nois, a Chicago-based saxophone quartet dedicated to contemporary classical music and improvisation. Dr. Quarles served as the organization’s Executive Director and soprano saxophonist from 2016 to 2021, and he now serves on its Advisory Board. During his five years performing with the quartet, Dr. Quarles was awarded top prizes at prestigious chamber music competitions such as the Silver Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Second Prize in the M-Prize International Chamber Arts Competition’s Open Division. Dr. Quarles performed over 75 concerts in 20 states with ~Nois, including appearances at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and Big Ears. The quartet was regularly invited to give performances, master classes, and residencies at universities across the country such as the University of Colorado at Boulder, Princeton University, and the Manhattan School of Music. For the 2020-2021 academic year, ~Nois was one of the Don Michael Randel Ensemble-in-Residence at the University of Chicago. 

Since the mid 2000’s, Dr. Quarles has been playing and composing rock and pop music, performing on keyboards, guitars, electronics, saxophones, and vocals. Under the artist name The Employment Pages, Dr. Quarles will release his debut album of original songs titled All My Ghosts in 2023. Dr. Quarles synthesized his classical and popular music experiences in a collaboration with artist Convict Julie and the Athens Hip Hop Harmonic in 2022. Convict Julie and Dr. Quarles co-composed a suite of songs that were then performed at Athens’ Ciné by the composers and the UGA Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. 

In addition to performing and composing, Dr. Quarles loves teaching. He is regularly invited to give guest lectures on a variety of topics including saxophone composition, improvisation, entrepreneurship, and more. During his first two years at UGA, Dr. Quarles taught “Music in the Real World,” a course designed to provide students with the tools needed to create a sustainable career. In the spring of 2023, he began teaching “Music in Athens,” which focuses on the diversity of musical practices in Athens, Georgia and their cultural and historical contexts. Since 2021, Dr. Quarles has led the University of Georgia Saxophone Day which helps prepare high school saxophonists for collegiate and All-State auditions. While at Northwestern, Dr. Quarles created a course on the music and the history of the Beatles for non-music majors. He has been invited to give lectures on the Beatles by UW-Madison’s Badger Talks Live and the UGA Alumni Association’s London Chapter, among others.

Dr. Quarles holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance with a cognate in music theory from Northwestern University along with the Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from Northwestern and the University of Georgia, respectively. He has had the honor of studying the saxophone with Clint Schmitt, Connie Frigo, and Taimur Sullivan.