World Saxophone Congress
Encyclopedia
The World Saxophone Congress is a festival gathering approximately 1000 saxophonists
and other musicians from all over the world. It is currently held every three years at a different congress centre in a different country and focuses primarily (although not exclusively) on the performance of classical saxophone music.
The Congress presents an opportunity to meet saxophonists from many countries and to listen to various concerts and performances of saxophone soloists, chamber ensembles, big bands and symphony orchestras that run simultaneously throughout the day in different halls of the congress centre. Each of the five days is concluded by an evening concert of the orchestra and outstanding international soloists. It is also convened with the purpose of presenting the advancements of music production and distribution as well as innovations in instrument-making and equipment.
The sixteenth World Saxophone Congress will take place 10-15 July 2012 in St Andrews, Scotland, directed by Richard Ingham.
(1934 - 2007) and co-founded in 1969 with Eugene Rousseau
(b.1932), holding their first Congress in Chicago. Eugene Rousseau writes:
Paul Brodie himself recalls:
In 1981, a 7-member International Saxophone Committee (in French, Comite International du Saxophone, CIS). was set-up to help organise the Congress.
, Eugene Rousseau
, Donald Sinta
, Patrick Meighan, Bruce Faulconer
, One O'Clock Lab Band
, Lee Patrick
, Ronald Caravan
, Paul Brodie
, Lin Chien-Kwan, Roger Greenberg
, Debra Richtmeyer
, Kyle Horch
, the Scottish Saxophone Ensemble, the National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain, and Brian Brown
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and other musicians from all over the world. It is currently held every three years at a different congress centre in a different country and focuses primarily (although not exclusively) on the performance of classical saxophone music.
The Congress presents an opportunity to meet saxophonists from many countries and to listen to various concerts and performances of saxophone soloists, chamber ensembles, big bands and symphony orchestras that run simultaneously throughout the day in different halls of the congress centre. Each of the five days is concluded by an evening concert of the orchestra and outstanding international soloists. It is also convened with the purpose of presenting the advancements of music production and distribution as well as innovations in instrument-making and equipment.
The sixteenth World Saxophone Congress will take place 10-15 July 2012 in St Andrews, Scotland, directed by Richard Ingham.
Origins
The World Saxophone Congress was conceived by Paul BrodiePaul Brodie
Paul Brodie was a Canadian saxophonist. In 1994, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour, for having "shown true mastery of his art through his ability to reach all ages with his music".Since 1960, he performed over 2500 concerts in Canada, U.S.A., Mexico,...
(1934 - 2007) and co-founded in 1969 with Eugene Rousseau
Eugene Rousseau (saxophonist)
Eugene Rousseau is an American classical saxophonist. He plays mainly the alto and soprano saxophones....
(b.1932), holding their first Congress in Chicago. Eugene Rousseau writes:
- "The most memorable time I spent with Paul [Brodie] was our December, 1968 meeting in Chicago. It was during this meeting that he articulated his vision of the establishment of a world saxophone congress. It came to fruition in conjunction with the Midwest Band Clinic during the following year. The World Saxophone Congress, thanks to the dream of Paul Brodie, had become established."
Paul Brodie himself recalls:
- "I went to an accordion congress in Toronto and I was so impressed that I thought “wouldn’t it be great to do this for the saxophone”. [..] The next year I came back to the Midwest Band Clinic. I had written an article for Instrumentalist Magazine - "Towards a World Saxophone Congress", and I was invited to a meeting of the executive committee and they offered me the grand ballroom of the Sherman House Hotel for December 16, 1969. I asked other saxophone players to help me and nobody responded. I called Eugene Rousseau because I had met him in Seattle at a music convention. [..] So we met in September 1969 at the Holiday Inn at O’Hare Airport in Chicago and we stayed up all night designing the program and started to call everybody the next morning and by the time we held the first congress we thought that maybe 200 people would show up. Well over 500 saxophonists showed up."
In 1981, a 7-member International Saxophone Committee (in French, Comite International du Saxophone, CIS). was set-up to help organise the Congress.
Performers and participants
Congress performers/participants have included Frederick HemkeFrederick Hemke
Frederick L. Hemke is an American saxophonist and Professor of Music at Northwestern University School of Music.-Education:...
, Eugene Rousseau
Eugene Rousseau (saxophonist)
Eugene Rousseau is an American classical saxophonist. He plays mainly the alto and soprano saxophones....
, Donald Sinta
Donald Sinta
Donald Sinta is an American classical saxophonist, educator, and administrator.In 1969 he was the first elected chair of the World Saxophone Congress.-Teaching career:He serves as Earl V...
, Patrick Meighan, Bruce Faulconer
Bruce Faulconer
Bruce Faulconer is a composer and the primary author of the music featured in the Funimation English dub of the popular anime Dragon Ball Z...
, One O'Clock Lab Band
One O'Clock Lab Band
The One O’Clock Lab Band for years has been the premier ensemble of the Jazz Studies Division at the University of North Texas College of Music in Denton. The band has performed and toured abroad in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway,...
, Lee Patrick
Lee Patrick (saxophonist)
Lee Patrick is an American saxophonist, saxophone teacher, scholar, arranger, and composer. He is the second of six children born to Robert J. and Sara Patrick.-Education:...
, Ronald Caravan
Ronald Caravan
Dr. Ronald Caravan is an American classical musician. He is a clarinetist, saxophonist, teacher, composer, and arranger....
, Paul Brodie
Paul Brodie
Paul Brodie was a Canadian saxophonist. In 1994, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour, for having "shown true mastery of his art through his ability to reach all ages with his music".Since 1960, he performed over 2500 concerts in Canada, U.S.A., Mexico,...
, Lin Chien-Kwan, Roger Greenberg
Roger Greenberg
-Teaching career:He taught for many years at the University of Northern Colorado and now holds the title of Professor Emeritus there.Greenberg is an artist-clinician for the Andreas Eastman Company.-Education:...
, Debra Richtmeyer
Debra Richtmeyer
Debra Richtmeyer is an American classical saxophonist born June 19, 1957 in Lansing, Michigan.Richtmeyer earned her B.M.E. and M.M. at Northwestern University where she studied with Frederick L. Hemke. She has served as Professor of Saxophone at The University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois since...
, Kyle Horch
Kyle Horch
Kyle Horch is a classical saxophonist.-Biography:Horch studied at Northwestern University in Chicago, U.S. with Frederick Hemke...
, the Scottish Saxophone Ensemble, the National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain, and Brian Brown
Brian Brown (musician)
Brian Brown OAM, is an Australian Jazz musician and educator. He plays the soprano and tenor saxophones, flutes, synthesizers , panpipes and a leather bowhorn designed by the late Garry Greenwood, .-Biography:Brown has performed as a soloist and with his own ensembles since the mid 1950s throughout...
Venues
The World Saxophone Congress has been held in:| No. | Location | Dates | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | I | Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , USA | 1969 | |
| 2nd | II | Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , USA | 1970 | |
| 3rd | III | Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Canada | August | 1972 |
| 4th | IV | Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... , France | 1-5 July | 1974 |
| 5th | V | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , UK | 1976 | |
| 6th | VI | Evanston Evanston, Illinois Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan... , USA | 1979 | |
| 7th | VII | Nuremberg Nuremberg Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664... , Germany | 7 - 11 July | 1982 |
| 8th | VIII | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... , USA | 1985 | |
| 9th | IX | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan | 1988 | |
| 10th | X | Pesaro Pesaro Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206.... , Italy | 1992 | |
| 11th | XI | Valencia, Spain | 1997 | |
| 12th | XII | Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... , Canada | 5-9 July | 2000 |
| 13th | XIII | Minneapolis, USA | 9-12 July | 2003 |
| 14th | XIV | Ljubljana Ljubljana Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants... , Slovenia | 5-9 July | 2006 |
| 15th | XV | Bangkok Bangkok Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... , Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... | 8-12 July | 2009 |
| 16th | XVI | St Andrews St Andrews St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife.... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... | 10-15 July | 2012 |
External links
- 12th World Saxophone Congress, (Montreal, 2000)
- XIII. World Saxophone Congress (Minneapolis, 2003) at Archive.org
- XIV. World Saxophone Congress (Ljubljana, 2006) at Archive.org
- XV. World Saxophone Congress (Bangkok, 2009) at Archive.org
- XVI World Saxophone Congress (St Andrews 2012) | Official Facebook page
- International Saxophone Committee, organisers of World Saxophone Congress
- World Saxophone Congress video clips via Google Video