Raschèr Saxophone Quartet to perform at conference

The Raschèr Saxophone Quartet See the Rascher Conference Website. Tickets for the concert are available beginning Nov. 1 at the Central Ticket Office in the Williams Center on campus, or at the door the morning of the concert.

As part of the Sigurd Raschèr Centennial Celebration at SUNY Fredonia, the world-renowned Raschèr Saxophone Quartet will perform at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11 in the Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall.

The quartet, including current members Christine Rall, Elliot Riley, SUNY Fredonia alumnus Bruce Weinberger, and Kenneth Coon, has performed this year in Poland, Germany, Seoul, Korea; Hong Kong, Switzerland, Wales, France and Belgrade.

Slated to be performed is the Fugue XII in G minor, written originally by J.S. Bach for organ; and four works dedicated specifically to the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet including, “Miniatures for Saxophone Quartet” by Erland von Kock; “Saxophone Quartet” by Charles Wuorinen; “Moon Over Western Ridge, Mootwingee: Quartet for Saxophones” by Nicola Lefanu; and “Möbius Loop” by Mathew Rosenblum.

The quartet, first formed in 1969, has appeared at the major concert halls of Europe including the Opera Bastille Paris and Royal Festival Hall in London, in Asia, and in U.S. venues of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center. The ensemble carries on a tradition established in the 1930s by the pioneer of the classical saxophone and founding member of the quartet, Sigurd Raschèr, who inspired many composers to write music especially for him.  Over the years, more than 300 composers have written for the group, including Philip Glass. Numerous composers have also been fascinated with the combination of the quartet and orchestra, resulting in more than 25 new works and invitations from many of the world’s leading orchestras.

Of the group’s performances, The Daily News of New York has written of a Carnegie Hall performance, “The virtuoso Raschèr Quartet and the resulting sonorities are fascinating.” Another critic wrote, “If there were an Olympic division for wind players, then the Raschèr Quartet from the U.S.A. would definitely receive a gold medal.”

Tickets for the concert are available beginning Nov. 1 at the Central Ticket Office in the Williams Center on campus, or at the door the morning of the concert. Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for students with ID. For more information, contact the ticket office at 716-673-3501, conference organizer Dr. Wildy Zumwalt in the School of Music at 716-673-3134, or go to the conference website. 

Following the concert, the final event in the conference, a saxophone orchestra reading conducted by American composer Mark Alan Taggart, will be held at 11:30 a.m. in King Concert Hall. This event is free and open to the public.