BariTones: two premieres of contemporary works for baritone saxophone

Website(s) : http://www.blogs.uni-mainz.de/musik/41302162-2/ / http://www.alantheisen.com / http://www.mmaros.com/default.html

Through two premieres, the baritone saxophone, an often neglected instrument, will be enlightened : “Doppelsgesang for saxophone and piano” by Theisen and “Calling for saxophone and piano” by Maros.

Biography

Noah Bedrin (*1979, Arizona) completed his B.A. at Northern Arizona University (Dr. Wildy Zumwalt, Dr. Jonathan Bergeron) and his M.A. at Florida State University (Patrick Meighan). He won first place in the MTNA Chamber Music Competition with the Equinox saxophone quartet. Since 2007 Noah lives in Germany and is a member of the Tetraphonics saxophone quartet, the internationally renowned Raschèr Saxophone Orchestra and is soloist with the Tübinger Saxophon-Ensemble. He has performed with orchestras such as the Badische Staatskapelle Karlsruhe, the Orchestra of the Nationaltheater Mannheim and the Philharmonisches Orchester Freiburg.

Noah teaches saxophone at several music schools and is an adjunct professor for saxophone at the School of Music of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

More information

Of the four main members of the saxophone family, the baritone saxophone is often neglected as a solo instrument, as evidenced by the relatively small assortment of quality repertoire. This recital offers two premieres: the world-premiere of Doppelgesang for baritone saxophone and piano by Alan Theisen as well as the french-premiere of Calling for baritone saxophone by Miklós Maros.
Doppelgesang for baritone saxophone and piano was commissioned by Noah Bedrin in 2014. The piece is an exploration of antagonism, opposites, and conflict between two sound sources capable of both extreme delicacy and violence. As the composition unfolds, the baritone saxophone and piano alternately merge and diverge in a dance of tension.
Doppelgesang means “double song” and refers to the two performers, each exhibiting a split personality. The composition also includes extensive use of microtonality from the baritone saxophone.
Calling for baritone saxophone is a solo work written in 1996 at the request of Linda Bangs-Urban, formerly of the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet. Although the work is short (under 5 minutes), it is by no means absent of content. Rhythmic motives of quintuplets and triplets dominate larger sections, while the middle section utilizes the microtonal possibilities of the saxophone. Maros places many demands upon the saxophonist, including an almost four-octave range and large interval jumps.
This project aims to showcase the potential of the baritone saxophone as a versatile solo instrument and through this increased awareness continue the creation of new repertoire.

The japanese pianist Shoko Hayashizaki studied in Kobe, Japan and with Prof. Robert-Alexander Bohnke in Freiburg, Germany. Her stylistic diversity is exemplified through international performances as soloist, vocal and choral accompanist and with various ensembles. The piano-duo Hayashizaki-Hageman is recognized as a leading duo specializing in repertoire for four-hands. Their CD “Alma Mahler-Werfel und Josef Labor“ received the Pasticcio-Prize of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF).