Sinta Quartet

All four members of SQ are also passionate and dedicated teachers and relish the opportunity to play for and work with students of all ages. They carefully craft and curate programs designed for all levels of public school students and every type of community venue.  
 

While Dan, Zach, Joe, and Danny all grew up in drastically different parts of the country (NY, TX, MI, and CA), they met at the University of Michigan where they studied with the legendary saxophone professor, Donald Sinta, and decided to name the group after him for the profound influence he had on each member and the inspired coaching he gave to the group during their student years.
 
Managed by General Arts Touring, Inc., Sinta Quartet’s members are all Selmer-Paris Artists and perform exclusively on Selmer saxophones.

Soprano Saxophonist Dan Graser, originally a New Yorker, now resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he is Professor of Saxophone and Associate Department Chair for Music, Theatre, and Dance at Grand Valley State University. His primary teachers are saxophone virtuosi Timothy McAllister and Donald Sinta at the Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam and the University of Michigan. He teaches a full studio of undergraduate music majors of education, performance, and arts industry backgrounds. He recently completed a trilogy of saxophone methods, the Chops series, currently in use throughout the world and available from Conway Publications. When he isn’t practicing notes that only dogs can hear (and love!) he can be found reading incessantly, pretending his coffee habits are entirely healthy, heading to the gym to work off the caffeine buzz, finishing his next series of saxophone methods The Saxophone Manual, and seeking out the next great string quartet to improve upon with a saxophonic arrangement!

Alto Saxophonist Zach Stern enjoys a career as a saxophone soloist, chamber musician, and educator. A native of Houston, Texas, Zach currently resides in Cape Girardeau, Missouri where he serves on the faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Southeast Missouri State University, and is in demand in the region as a saxophone clinician and adjudicator. During the summer he teaches at the South Shore Conservatory's Summer Music Festival in Hingham, MA. Aside from his musical activities, Zach thoroughly enjoys both eating and cooking, and spending time with his lovely wife and objectively adorable puppy. 

Michigan native, Tenor Saxophonist Joe Girard, currently resides in Columbus, Georgia where he serves as Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University and maintains a full saxophone studio of undergraduate and graduate (masters and artist diploma) students. He has appeared as a soloist throughout the United States, most notably with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra on Glazunov’s Concerto and Ibert’s Concertino da Camera during the 2018-2019 season. As an educator, Dr. Girard has presented masterclasses and clinics across the United States, including at the Brevard Music Center, Eastman School of Music, University of Michigan, and the Frost School of Music among others. He currently serves as co-director and teaches saxophone at the Schwob Summer Music Festival, an immersive week-long music camp at Columbus State University for high school students. When he’s not busy performing and teaching, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his dog, Maizey (Go Blue!), and refining his grilling and culinary skills with his wife, Maureen.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Baritone Saxophonist Danny Hawthorne-Foss began his musical career at the age of 5, playing Bluegrass, American Old Time, and Irish folk music on the mandolin. He now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he teaches a private studio of all ages, coaches young saxophone quartets, and runs sectionals at local middle and high schools. When he's home from teaching and performing, Danny spends his free time learning riffs on electric guitar and teaching his pet cockatiel to whistle movie soundtracks.