Sax Forte: Four sax in a sacred space
Event details
Sax Forte returns to the Festival with a fresh programme of music and an entertaining talk on the history of the saxophone.
The saxophone is most commonly associated with jazz, blues and pop, but the quartet demonstrates just how well the instrument sits with a far wider range of music, including classical and baroque.
Come early to enjoy their exuberant style as previous Festival performances have played to a full house.
This event is presented by St Helen Stonegate.
The event is free, but a retiring collection will be taken.
About the performers
Sax Forte comprises Chris Hayes (Soprano Sax), Keith Schooling (Alto Sax), Jane Parkin (Baritone Sax) and David Badcock (Tenor Sax). All four players have been involved in music since school days, each following their own musical interests ever since. When four very different musical backgrounds converged in 2016, the potential was immediately apparent, and they have collaborated to create a successful quartet with a wonderful repertoire. Initially, the focus was on arrangements of 20th-century jazz and swing, which are staples for many saxophone quartets. However, it soon became clear that plenty of choral and baroque pieces could also work beautifully for this line-up. Chris and David are both experienced arrangers as well as being expert players, so they are never short of material. While the quartet still present programmes of jazz arrangements when requested, the majority of their repertoire is classical in style, with pieces frequently ranging over 400 years.
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