Biography

Cory Barnfield is currently a Conn-Selmer endorsing artist and plays exclusively on Selmer Paris saxophones. Mr. Barnfield's playing has been described as “having a warm and expressive sound that speaks melodies easily with complete control of the full range of his instrument. There is a unique intimacy to his playing that is a delight to the listener. His fingers are precise, and rapidly allowing the music to flow unimpeded to the listener’s imagination no matter how difficult or easy. His articulation on saxophone is superb.” Paul Wagner, Saxophone Journal, May/June 2011.

Mr. Barnfield performs frequently with the Kentucky Opera and the Louisville Symphony Orchestra. Recently, Mr. Barnfield performed three weeks with the Louisville Orchestra for the Kentucky Opera Company’s production of Werther. He has performed with the Louisville symphony on Bernstein’s Symphonic Rhapsody and On the Town, as well as multiple orchestra pops concerts. In addition, he plays saxophone in the Indiana University Southeast Concert Band, a group comprised of some of the finest community wind players in the Louisville metro area. 

Mr. Barnfield has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Mr. Barnfield has performed at several regional, national, and international conferences including the Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival, North American Saxophone Alliance conferences held in Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Arizona and Iowa, the World Saxophone Congress held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the United States Navy Band Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Murray State University Orchestra, Murray State University Wind Ensemble, Southern Illinois Concert Band, Indiana State University Wind Ensemble and the Indiana University Southeast Concert Band. Mr. Barnfield was also principal saxophonist with the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles International Youth Wind Orchestra in San Obispo, California and Lucerne, Switzerland. 

As a recording artist, he can be heard on labels such as Mark Custom Recordings, Amos Recordings in Switzerland and New Dynamic Records. Mr. Barnfield has championed new music by commissioning pieces from composers such as Perry Goldstein, Erich Stem, and Daniel Powers. Barnfield has just released his debut CD “Journey” on the New Dynamics Record label. One of the selections is a premiere chamber recording called Kaleidoscope by Perry Goldstein. It was written especially for Mr. Barnfield and features alto sax, clarinet, bassoon and piano. In 2012, Barnfield will be premiering a new piece for saxophone and orchestra by Erich Stem. He is the soprano saxophonist of the recently established DynaSax Quartet, and is the classical saxophone moderator to the interactive saxophone websitemysaxtalk.com.

Mr. Barnfield teaches in the Jefferson County Public School System and is on faculty with the Indiana University Southeast Department of Music. Mr. Barnfield has also given numerous clinics at middle schools, high schools and colleges throughout the Midwestern United States. He also maintains an active studio of instruction for private students. 

Cory's Saxophone equipment

• Selmer series III gold plated soprano saxophone with S-80 C* mouthpiece.
  
  

• Vandoren 3 reeds and solid silver ishimori ligature.
  
  

• Selmer series III gold plated alto saxophone with S-90 180 mouthpiece.

• Vandoren 3 reeds and ishimori solid silver ligature.