Imagine sitting in a sanctuary and listening to four orchestral saxophones producing the ethereal sounds of George Frideric Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. This and many other selections are on the bill for the Saugerties Pro Musica concert featuring the West Point Saxophone Quartet, to be held on Sunday, November 6 in the Free Saugerties United Methodist Church. These four world-class musicians are members of the West Point Concert Band saxophone section, including master sergeant Wayne Tice, principal saxophonist; sergeant first class Brian Broelmann; sergeant first class Christopher Rettie; and staff sergeant Stacy Wilson. Together they represent multiple holdings of college and doctoral degrees in the areas of Music Education, Performance, Conducting and Music Literature.
The Quartet has appeared in a number of high-profile, significant venues, including major universities throughout the country, collaborating with such partners as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Wind Ensemble, the Long Island Symphonic Winds and the Virginia Wind Symphony. They also appeared as featured performers on the prestigious Barge Music Series.
At this event the Quartet will perform the works of Claude Debussy (String Quartet, Op. 10, arranged by Vincent David: Animato e molto deciso, Vivamente e ben ritmico, Andantino dolcemente espressivo, Molto moderato), Thierry Escaich (Tango Virtuoso), Gabriel Pierne (Introduction et variations sur une ronde populaire) and John Mackey (Strange Humors), along with Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. All selections were either written or arranged for the saxophone, and the performance will be augmented by the rhythms of staff sergeant Dave Bergman on djembe.
Pro Musica is a non-profit organization offering free musical performances to the community. The West Point Saxophone Quartet will play at 3 p.m. at the Church on the corner of Washington Avenue and Post Street in the Village of Saugerties. Visit www.sautertiespromusica.org or call (845) 679-5733 or (845) 246-5021 for further information.
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