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Sax workshop with Gerard McChrystal
November 14, 2021 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
£30
Our patron, international saxophonist Gerard McChrystal, will be running a full day saxophone workshop on 14 November.
The cost is £30 including tea and coffee and it’s open to all saxophonists. We’d be delighted for non Phoenix members to come along and join us!
The workshop will focus on live ensemble playing, with tips and advice on sax technique, learning, performing and getting the most from your instrument as we go along.
If you’d like to come along, please download our leaflet for full details.
We will be playing a selection of music from our sponsor Saxtet Publications, who we would like to thank wholeheartedly for their ongoing support of Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra.
About Gerard McChrystal
Gerard comes from Derry, N.Ireland. He took up the saxophone as a second study for his RNCM audition in 1982. By 1987 he had made his concerto debut with the RTE Concert Orchestra playing the Dubois concerto live on TV. His UK debut was with the Philharmonia in 1989 premiering Out of the Cool by Dave Heath. He was the first student to graduate from RNCM, Manchester, with three awards, including a distinction in his PPRNCM. Further studies at The Guildhall School, London and Northwestern University, Chicago, followed.
Competition success includes The Royal Overseas League, RTE Musician of the Future, The £15,000 1st Prize Lombard and Ulster Music Foundation, Countess of Munster, The Sir James Caird Award, NFMS Award, BBC1 Opportunity Knocks! and The Park Lane Group. His Wigmore Hall debut came as a result of winning the intercolleagiate Ivan Sutton Recording Award.
He has worked with Philip Glass, The Smith Quartet, guitarist Craig Ogden, percussionists Ensemble Bash, The Soweto String Quartet, tenorist Tommy Smith, Uilleann piper Liam O’ Flynn and vocal group Anuna.
Gerard has performed in 35 countries including USA, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Korea, Sweden and all over Europe including Italy, France, Spain and Slovenia. He has recorded albums with BBC NOW, Ulster Orchestra, London Musici, Craig Ogden, The Smith Quartet, Yan Pascal Tortelier; record labels include Chandos, Signum Records and Silva Screen.
Gerard is Professor of Saxophone at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London and he teaches at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. He is also Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra’s Patron.