Great Players U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium January 9-10, 2026 GMU Fairfax Virginia

SaxOfSteel · Monday at 8:20 PM

Martysax said:
SYMPOSIUM!!!!!!!!!

SYMPOSIUM!!!!!!!!!

Looking forward to it. I plan to hit the road early Friday morning, so I should get to the symposium by 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I'll probably head straight to the vendor area to scope it out.

-John

Martysax · Monday at 8:27 PM

SYMPOSIUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WARNING: You will know when I arrive at the vendors room.

ESJohn · Tuesday at 12:08 AM

Have a great time, everyone! I wish I could have been there to meet all of you!

Martysax · Tuesday at 12:36 AM

ESJohn said:
Have a great time, everyone! I wish I could have been there to meet all of you!

Aim your ears towards Fairfax at about 10-10:30 on Friday morning.

Grumps · Tuesday at 2:53 AM

Can anyone drag Mojo away from the other site? I'm hoping he can attend this year.

SaxOfSteel · Tuesday at 4:10 AM

Martysax said:
Aim your ears towards Fairfax at about 10-10:30 on Friday morning.

Just don't break any horns before I get there, please. 😉

Martysax · Tuesday at 4:32 AM

SaxOfSteel said:
Just don't break any horns before I get there, please. 😉

I make the cheaper ones vibrate out of control sometimes. Otherwise, there should be no casualties, besides Grumps and myself.

Grumps · Tuesday at 4:45 PM

Warm temps in the 60's for the weekend, but maybe a bit of rain for Saturday. Just glad not to have to lug around a heavy winter coat. Just the case.

Martysax · Tuesday at 4:50 PM

Grumps said:
Warm temps in the 60's for the weekend, but maybe a bit of rain for Saturday. Just glad not to have to lug around a heavy winter coat. Just the case.

Don't forget the case.

Grumps · Tuesday at 11:27 PM

To find us, you must first find Confucius:

Translation: This is the monolith in front of the Arts Center... and how you'll recognize us. Come up and say hello!

Martysax · Wednesday at 5:30 AM

Grumps said:
To find us, you must first find Confucius:

View attachment 32303

Translation: This is the monolith in front of the Arts Center... and how you'll recognize us. Come up and say hello!

We'll probably be wearing the same clothes!

PigSquealer · Wednesday at 7:56 AM

Martysax said:
We'll probably be wearing the same clothes!

Hopefully launder since last year.

PigSquealer · Wednesday at 8:09 AM

Grumps said:
To find us, you must first find Confucius:

View attachment 32303

Translation: This is the monolith in front of the Arts Center... and how you'll recognize us. Come up and say hello!

Looks like statue of Van Helsing. Dare I ask what’s in the case ? Mouthpieces, Budweiser, Defibrillator or cash for C Melody GAS ?
Long shot. Portable heated accommodations for two if you two can’t crawl 1000 meters back to rooms.

Grumps · Wednesday at 4:40 PM

Martysax said:
We'll probably be wearing the same clothes!

That is funny. I was looking through old pics and was planning on wearing the same shirt/jacket/pants for Friday that I wore in a picture taken with you two years ago at the hotel when we showed up. With some rain in the forecast, I'll likely switch up this time... and with the Ravens out of the playoffs, no fan gear (even though I'm actually glad that the missed kick last Sunday night got our coach fired. FINALLY!).

PigSquealer said:
Dare I ask what’s in the case ?

You can ask...

Grumps · Wednesday at 4:49 PM

If folks want to check-in and/or go off topic with Symposium weekend, here ya go:

https://cafesaxophone.com/threads/ot-symposium-check-in-talkem-up-thread.37637/

SaxOfSteel · Wednesday at 5:53 PM

It sounds like Dr. Cohen will have some interesting horns on display in the vendor room:

At Navy this year, in addition to playing two killer saxophone quartets (program theme is "New York, New York", I will be bringing some rare horns for display at the Sax Whisperer booth. This year I'm bringing one of my Connosaxes, a curved sopranino (Rampone), Soprillo, Glissotar and Slide Saxophone.

Paul Cohen

I seem to remember people trying out a connosax last year (I didn't) - I wonder if that'll be the case this year. Or maybe I just dreamt that.

Colin the Bear · Wednesday at 6:01 PM

Grumps said:
You can ask...

When people ask me, I tell them not to get excited. It's just my washing

Martysax · Wednesday at 7:17 PM

SaxOfSteel said:
It sounds like Dr. Cohen will have some interesting horns on display in the vendor room:

At Navy this year, in addition to playing two killer saxophone quartets (program theme is "New York, New York", I will be bringing some rare horns for display at the Sax Whisperer booth. This year I'm bringing one of my Connosaxes, a curved sopranino (Rampone), Soprillo, Glissotar and Slide Saxophone.
Paul Cohen

I seem to remember people trying out a connosax last year (I didn't) - I wonder if that'll be the case this year. Or maybe I just dreamt that.

It was there and Graysax had some fun stuff too!