The Multi-Saxophone Quartet

Biography

Synchronicity is a young, high energy, multi-national saxophone quartet. Set up at the RNCM in 2014 the quartet consists of 4 Saxophone Undergraduates, Emily Burkhardt, Vykis Civas, Thomas Plater and Jamie Sharp. They have wide ranging interests from Classical, to pop and Jazz which brings a unique flavour to the group.
The Quartet currently studies with Rob Buckland at the Royal Northern College of Music and has received coaching sessions from both Andy Scott and Carl Raven. Synchronicity have also been selected to play in the RNCM Composer Festival 2014 celebrating the music of Gerald Barry and are currently planning their first commission with composer Daniel Lim.

More information

This project was conceived by Synchronicity Saxophone Quartet in late 2014. We had heard and wanted to perform the David Bedford piece fridiof kennings and as we are all multi-saxophone instrumentalists we wanted to put a programme together that showed off our strengths as a quartet, as well as putting together a programme of music that people would be excited to hear and would want to return to their respective countries and perform.

David Bedfords Fridiof Kennings was written in 1980 to a commission from the Myrha Saxophone Quartet (John Harle’s group). It is based on a section from Fridiof’s Saga, one of a trilogy of young peoples’ opera using Icelandic mythology that he wrote for Gordonstoun School in the late 1970s. The entire range is presented by having all the players start on soprano saxophones, then gradually, one at a time, change to alto, then tenor, then baritone, so that the piece ends on the lowest possible notes.

Dominic Muldowneys 5 melodies is another minimalist piece for 4 saxophones, in this project we are playing a selection which musically contrast with fridiof kennings providing a rounded recital.