It's no surprise that most people think of saxophone music beginning with American Jazz, but the first Impression it made was truly French
ARTISTS: Robert George, soprano sax; David Kirby, alto sax; Alan Moore, tenor sax; Mike Myers, baritone sax
DATE: October 12 2008, 3 PM
SITE: NC Museum of Art
2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh
PROGRAM (The sequence in performance may differ)
INFORMATION & TICKET SALES
- NCMA Box Office (919) 715-5923
- Raleigh Chamber Music Guild (919) 821-2030
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
It's no surprise that most people think of saxophone music beginning with American Jazz, but the first Impression it made was truly French
Adolphe Sax was Belgian, but he moved to Paris, France in 1842 determined to make an instrument that was part woodwind and part brass. After several years of experimenting, he patented the saxophone in 1846.
The first saxophones were made in Paris and Adolphe's new family of instruments made quite an impression on the French composers and military bands of the time. Adolphe, who played as well as he invented, soon joined the faculty of the Paris Conservatoire. The saxophone found its voice with the composers of French Impressionism, such as Claude Debussy and Eric Satie. The first saxophone solos and quartets were written by French composers such as, Paul Pierne, Eugene Bozza and Jean Francaix. The first classical saxophone quartet was founded in Paris by Marcel Mule and fellow members of La Musique de La Garde Republicaine (the French Army Band).
The Lenoir Saxophone Ensemble has been around since its inception in 1992 spreading the wonders of the saxophone quartet to as many places and ears as possible. Lenoir Saxophone Ensemble combined all its forces together a few years back and become LSE, Inc.-a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the underserved and underprivileged. They perform many concerts a year to this effect and work along side the public school systems to help enhance the school arts programs. Below you will find a listing of some of the things this quartet has accomplished. Also, listed near the bottom of the page are the individual biographies of each of the performers.
Over the past few years LSE has been busy commissioning and performing works, including a few from nationally known composers Frank Graham Stewart and J. Mark Scearce. Another recording was recently added to LSE's cap when they recorded the holiday album Christmas... Classically Cool. Several new arrangements were created by the members of the group for this specific purpose. Even more arrangements are coming from within the group as time goes on. Appearances on radio and television have kept the Boys From Lenoir at the forefront of the musical public. More projects are in the making and news will be posted as it is available.
Back in Y2K, LSE traveled to Austria to represent the United States in Bad Ischl's KaiserFest, an annual cultural festival that draws over 25,000 people to the Upper Austrian town near Salzburg in the Salzkammergut region. Before invading Mozart's homeland with their eclectic blend of American classics, they played on a live performance on National Public Radio with a one-hour program of music and interview called Studio One. The group also had the privilege of performing with the Loonis McGlohan Trio and the Asheville Symphony at Brevard Music Center's Summer Serenade Concert. And, in the fall of that same year, LSE gave a memorable performance at The American Guild of Organist's Pipes Spectacular concert in Raleigh, NC - coined the world's largest pipe organ concert and part of a global concert day. The year was concluded with A Caldwell Christmas — a holiday concert with a swinging beat, also featuring jazz drummer and recording artist Rick Dilling. The concert was programmed with holiday favorites arranged by Hollywood jazz composer Lennie Niehaus and some of our own unique arrangements.
Artist Website: www.lenoirsax.org