Erik Elmgren
Saxophonist. Educator. Writer.
Welcome!
I believe that the role of artists in our society to is stand in the gaps of cultural, social, and ideological differences and create musical experiences that reaffirm our connection to our shared humanity.
On this site you will find my blog, recordings, upcoming events, and more.
-Erik
“Shed the veneer of being the only presenter in the room, just because of the assumption that we are there to convene the space. What if we shifted the context to allow the audience to become the performer; to decide and embody their music so that we might be the listener?”
— Liz Lerman
“Arts produced by diverse groups of people are socially valuable because they offer ideas, technologies, and values that help us figure out how to live together. The real benefit of a vital, equitable culture lies well beyond the money there is to be made. It offers us a sense of individual worth, bolsters our collective adaptability, and forms a foundation for social progress. In that sense, cultural diversity is like biodiversity - at its best, it functions like a creative ecosystem. The final product of culture is not a commodity, it is society.”
— Alan Lomax
“A strong community helps people develop a sense of true self, for only in community can the self exercise and fulfill its nature: giving and taking, listening and speaking, being and doing. But when community unravels and we lose touch with one another, the self atrophies and we lose touch with ourselves as well.”