Based in Columbus, Ohio, the contemporary music flute and saxophone duet, Tower Duo (flutist, Erin Helgeson Torres and saxophonist, Michael Rene Torres) has been performing together since 2007 and focuses on the music of living composers. Tower Duo's performances are innovative and narrative driven and often explore improvisation, multi-media, and collaboration with other arts. The Duo has performed all across the United States and Canada at schools, conferences, arts venues, and festivals, including artist residencies at several universities. Highlights include the Omaha Chamber Music Society’s Eko Nova series, the Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project’s Re: Sound New Music Festival, the Brevard Music Center Festival and Institute, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the Society of Composers, Inc. conferences, and North American Saxophone Alliance conferences, as well as guests artist appearances during the contemporary music festivals of Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Ball State University, and Capital University. Tower Duo recorded its debut album, Crosswind, which features the Duo’s favorite collaborations with composers from the first decade of its artistic work. Crosswind was released by Ravello Records under the PARMA Recordings label in January of 2019. 

Highly regarded as an educator, clinician, soloist, new music specialist, and chamber and orchestral musician, flutist Dr. Erin Helgeson Torres has performed and taught throughout the United States and abroad in the United Kingdom, France, Austria, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, China, and Canada. She is Assistant Professor of Music at Ohio Northern University where she teaches the flute studio and various musicology courses. E. Torres is also Artist Faculty of the Summer Music Festival: Mozart in the Knobs and the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. E. Torres is entering into her third year as Principal Flutist with the Lima Symphony Orchestra where she also performs with the LSO Woodwind Quintet. Active as an orchestral flutist, E. Torres also serves as Principal Flutist of the Worthington Chamber Orchestra and Queen City Opera and Solo Flutist with the Columbus Ohio Discovery Ensemble (CODE), a contemporary music ensemble. She performs regularly in various area orchestras including the Columbus, West Virginia, Louisville, Central Ohio, Springfield, and Westerville Symphony Orchestras. Active as a soloist, E. Torres most recently completed a performance tour through the Balkans as a solo artist on the Derek Han Tribute Concert Series, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. She performed as concerto soloist with the North Macedonia Philharmonic Orchestra in Skopje, North Macedonia and Pristina, Kosovo, and the Symphonic Orchestra of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet in Tirana, Albania in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of U.S.—Albania diplomatic relations. E. Torres conducted her dissertation research in Dijon, France and holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, The Ohio State University, and Stetson University. She plays exclusively on Burkart Flutes and Piccolos. 

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​​Saxophonist, composer, educator, and curator, Michael Rene Torres, currently serves as Assistant Teaching Professor at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where he teaches saxophone and composition. M. Torres is the founder and Artistic Director of the Columbus Ohio Discovery Ensemble (CODE), a 501(c)3 nonprofit contemporary music ensemble that is dedicated to the promotion, performance, and perception of contemporary concert music in Central Ohio. Additionally, M. Torres is a Co-Director of the Ohio State University Contemporary Music Festival and also serves as the Program Director and an Advisory Board member of the Johnstone Fund for New Music, which advances the performance of new music for the benefit of the Central Ohio community. M. Torres has presented recitals, clinics, and masterclasses at festivals, conferences, and universities throughout the USA, Canada, and Brazil. As an advocate of contemporary music, M. Torres has extensively commissioned and premiered works for the concert saxophone and is an active chamber musician, recitalist, and concerto soloist. A winner of the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award and the Greater Columbus Arts Council Composition Fellowship, M. Torres’ compositions and commissions have been performed across the nation.​ He holds degrees from The Ohio State University, Northwestern University, and Stetson University. M. Torres is a Conn-Selmer Endorsing Artist and performs exclusively on Selmer Paris saxophones.

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