Nexas Quartet

Nexas Quartet, 2024

The Nexas Quartet is a Sydney-based Australian saxophone chamber ensemble. They create and perform arrangements of chamber works, and they have new music commissioned for them. Founded in 2002, its members are Michael Duke (soprano), Andrew Smith (alto), Nathan Henshaw (tenor), Jay Byrnes (baritone).

The group performed at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, and the World Saxophone Congress in Scotland (2012), France (2015) and Croatia (2018) and many other venues in Australia and overseas.

Repertoire

Notable composers in their repertoire include Astor Piazzolla (Argentine tango, nuevo tango), Claude Debussy (Children's Corner, Danse sacré, Danse profane),[1] Maurice Ravel (Ma mère l'Oye, String Quartet),[2] Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 (American Quartet),[3] Samuel Barber (String Quartet), Chick Corea (Children's Songs), Tomasz Śpiewak [pl],[4] Kurt Weill, and Carl Vine.[5]

The quartet had new works written for them by Australian composers, including Carl Vine,[5] Matthew Hindson,[6] Lachlan Skipworth; Elena Kats-Chernin arranged her transcription from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach for the quartet.[7]

Recordings

Their debut album Current (2016) demonstrates their collaboration with leading Australian composers.[8][9] Ballads of the Pleasant Life (2017 ABC Classics) with Peter Coleman-Wright,[10] and Tango de Saxos (Da Vinci, 2021) with bandoneist Stephen Cuttriss and pianist Daniel Rojas.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Review: Symphonic Saxes at old 505 – Nexas + Granger" bt Adam Jeffrey, 15 December 2020, classikON.com
  2. ^ "Sydney Chamber Music Festival – Nexas Quartet with guest flautist Bridget Bolliger", 10 November 2024, Sydney Chamber Music Festival
  3. ^ "Live Review: Nexas Saxophone Quartet" by Samuel Cottell, 28 October 2015, CutCommon
  4. ^ "Nexas Quartet – Child's Play", 16 May 2023, Melbourne Recital Centre
  5. ^ a b "Nexas Quartet: Taking it by the horns" by Maddy Briggs, Limelight, 6 November 2023 (subscription required)
  6. ^ "OCMF Gala: A celebration of wonders" by Jennifer Foong, 12 March 2024, classikON.com
  7. ^ "Nexas Quartet: Australian sounds for saxophones (and bicycle bells)" by Samuel Cottell, Resonate Magazine, 8 November 2016
  8. ^ Samuel Cottell (November 2016). "World premieres, bicycle bells and high energy music: Nexas Quartet's debut album Current". Fine Music Magazine. 2MBS Fine Music Sydney. p. 7. Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via issuu.
  9. ^ "Current – Nexas Quartet (CD launch)", Australian Music Centre, 29 November 2016
  10. ^ Steve Moffat (29 September 2017). "Ballads of the Pleasant Life (Peter Coleman-Wright, Nexas Quartet)". Limelight (review). Retrieved 11 November 2024.; Peter Coleman-Wright, Nexas Quartet – Ballads of the Pleasant Life: Kurt Weill, Weimar, and Exile at Discogs
  11. ^ "Tango de Saxos: Music for Saxophone Quartet", Da Vinci Publishing, 2021; "Tango de Saxos, Nexas Quartet", review by Philip Pogson, Loudmouth, 30 March 2023, musictrust.com.au