Singapore Saxophone Symposium 2019 Gala Concert

Sunday, 4 August 2019, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Lee Foundation Theatre

Georg Philipp Telemann: Sonata for Flute/Violin in G major, TWV 40:101
I. Soave
II. Andante
III. Allegro
Alexis Seah and Samuel Phua, saxophones

John Mackey: Strange Humors
Ramu Thiruyanam, djembe
h2 quartet

Marc Mellits: Groove Machine
h2 quartet

Zechariah Goh: Souvenir from Singapore
Psaiko Quartet and Rodrigo Vila

Waris Sukonpatipark: Incandescence
Salaya Saxophone Ensemble

Intermission

Jun Nagao: Paganini Lost
Joseph Lallo and Chien-Kwan Lin, saxophones
I-An Chen, piano

Ástor Piazzolla: Histoire du Tango pour saxophone et piano
II. Café, 1930
III. Night Club, 1960
Rodrigo Vila, saxophone
I-An Chen, piano

Philippe Geiss: Sir Patrick
Jerry Bergonzi / Philippe Geiss: New In The City
Philippe Geiss and MIT Saxophone Ensemble

Jay Ong: Pelog and Play (World premiere)
Manuel de Falla, arr. Fukio Ensemble: La Vida Breve; Danse Espagnole
Xin Saxophone Quartet

ChihChun-Chisun Lee: Concerto for Saxophone Quartet with Saxophone Choir (World premiere)
The piece was made possible by a grant from the Fromm Music Foundation.
Keuris Quartet & MIT Saxophone Ensemble

This concerto grosso is written for the Keuris Quartet and the MIT Saxophone Ensemble, and comprises of three movements:

I. “Rhyme”
The prime concept of this movement is the flow between each instrument, as well as the variety of sceneries that creates different textures and dialogues within soloist group and the ensemble. Sentences are divided and continued in multiple directions to completion through connections, call and response, and building various layers of music.

II. “Colour”
This features the soloist group while the saxophone choir answers and mirrors the colors of multiphonics and the particular patterns involving combinations of microtones. 

III. “Rhythm movements”
The saxophone choir represents a passacaglia; each time of passacaglia is emphasized via different techniques and sonorities. By using key clicks, blowing and tonguing without mouthpiece, subtones and then ordinary tones, the same pattern results quite differently each time.  Over this, the saxophone quartet travels through the breakdown of different dance rhythms and patterns from Taiwan, Germany, Argentina, Russia and Poland, the nationalities of each member from Keuris Quartet and MIT Saxophone Ensemble.