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Double Aberdeenshire date for Saxophone Orchestras





While the country was deep in the Covid lockdowns, two saxophone orchestras, Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra based in Inverurie and Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra, based in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, got together online and produced a video recording of a well known piece of classical music, Entry of the Gladiators by Julius Fučik.

The project was shortlisted for the prestigious Inspiration award by the Royal Philharmonic Society - and now, in a new and exciting venture, the two groups are meeting live for the very first time to play two concerts in Aberdeenshire this June.

Each group will play a selection of music from their own repertoires, and then they will perform three pieces together.

Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra members in rehearsal
Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra members in rehearsal

The repertoires cover a lovely mix of musical styles which include classical, jazz, folk, choral and rock, performed on seven different types of saxophone ranging in size from the tiny sopranino to the giant contrabass.

Concerts take place on -

Saturday June 3, 7pm, The Acorn Centre, Inverurie with tickets from trybooking.com/uk/CJAW

Sunday June 4, 10am, The Mansion House Aden Country Park - Tickets on the door.

The grand finale at both concerts will be Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture better known as ‘Fingal’s Cave’.

The arrangement for saxophone orchestra of this beautiful piece has been specially commissioned by the groups from Scottish musician and arranger Catriona Melville-Mason

Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra, based in Inverurie, attracts members from as far afield as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness, Nairn and Elgin as well as Aberdeen City and the length and breadth of Aberdeenshire.

They are a welcoming and inclusive organisation who make the experience of playing in an orchestra available to everyone of almost any age and a vast range of playing standards.

This is free to those under 16 or who are full time students.

They also have a pool of instruments to lend to members, making the more unusual sizes of saxophone available to players who would like to try playing these.


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