Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra

St Mary Magdalene Church, Cottingham
2024-08-31 19:30 - 21:00 UTC | St Mary Magdalene Church, Cottingham, Church Street,, Cottingham, Market Harborough, LE16 8XU, United Kingdom
Phoenix will be performing a joint fundraising summer concert at St Mary Magdalene Church in Cottingham
All profits will be split equally between Phoenix and St Mary Magdalene Church.
Tickets are £12 each (£6 for under 16s), to include a glass of Pimms and nibbles, available from Angela Preston-Jones on 07594 682671, email cottinghamchurch@gmail.com

Western Park, Leicester
2024-07-28 15:00 - 16:00 | Western Park, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE3 6XH, United Kingdom
Phoenix is delghted to be performing in the bandstand at Western Park, Leicester as part of Leicester City Council’s Summer ‘Bands in the Park’ series.
We’ll be performing from 3pm to 4pm. Do come along and see us!

Hunsbury Hill Country Park, Northampton
2024-07-27 15:00 - 17:00 | Hunsbury Hill Country Park, Hunsbury Close, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN4 9UE, United Kingdom
Phoenix has been invited to perform at Hunsbury Hill Country Park, Northampton, to coincide with National Love Parks Week.
Love Parks Week aims to get as many people as possible, young and old, out into the great outdoors to take advantage of their local parks. A park is an excellent place to get some fresh air and boost your mental health, and you’ll also be doing your part to preserve your local park’s resources for future generations by making regular use of them.
Hunsbury Hill Country Park is home to the remains of an ancient Iron Age Fort, built between the 7th and 4th Centuries BC. The site was a major focus in the early settlement of the Upper Nene Valley (Iron Age and Roman periods) and was also a key area for the extraction of ironstone.
We’ll be performing from 3pm to 5pm. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bands in the Park, Kettering
2024-07-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Rockingham Road Pleasure Park, Park Road, Kettering, NN16 9RG, United Kingdom
We’ll be back at Rockingham Road Pleasure Park for a third consecutive year to perform as part of the ‘Kettering Bands in the Park’ series. Entrance is free and, in the event of bad weather, performances will take place in All Saints Church.

New Park, Melton Mowbray
2024-06-09 14:45 - 16:30 | Melton Bandstand, New Park, Play Close, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0PP, United Kingdom
Phoenix will be performing live at the Grade II listed Melton Bandstand in New Park, near the Town Centre, as part of the town’s Summer Bands Concert programme. Free entry.

Abington Park, Northampton
2024-05-12 14:00 - 17:00 | Abington Park, Northampton, NN1 5LW, United Kingdom
We’re delighted to be taking part in this year’s Northampton Bands in the Park series, performing at the beautiful Victorian bandstand in Abington Park.
Abington Park is the oldest and most popular park in Northampton. It’s home to the Abington Park Museum, a cafe, flower displays, lakes and a garden for the blind. Beneath the surface lies the archaeological remains of the old medieval village.
These well-established and popular free events have taken place for many years and are very much enjoyed by the local community and park users.
For more information, visit northamptontowncouncil.gov.uk/bandsinthepark
The full programme for 2024 will be available soon.

Sax workshop with Dan Forshaw
2024-03-24 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
We’d like to invite saxophonists grade 3 and above to join us for an all day workshop with Dan Forshaw on Sunday 24 March. The cost is £30 including tea and coffee and the focus will be on pop and jazz music, with some improvisation included.
Dan will be working with us on:

Releasing the power of the pentatonic scale
The answer to all your questions is simple – listen
Releasing your inner Coltrane

Parts will be sent out in advance, so there’s no need to worry about sight reading.
The day will end with a 20-30 minute concert showcasing what we’ve learned during the day, and you’re welcome to invite friends and family along to listen to this.
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to receive first hand, expert advice from this inspirational saxophonist!

How to book
If you’d like to come along, please download our leaflet for full details, including how to pay.
And if you have any queries, please email Liz Pearce on treasurer@phoenixsax.org.uk

About Dan Forshaw

Meet Dan Forshaw, the UK jazz scene’s charisma king and sax maestro. But he’s not just a player, he’s also a true pioneer, having developed the multi-award-winning cambridgesaxophone.com website and his latest venture, sax.coach.
Dan is the first study saxophone tutor at the University of Cambridge, lectures on creative music at Middlesex University and was named UK music teacher of the year in 2020 and 2021.
But his classroom extends far beyond walls. Dan’s YouTube channel @danforshaw has ignited more than seven million people with his infectious passion since 2016.
His mission is to unleash the inner musician in everyone, proving age is just a number when it comes to igniting a lifelong love of music.

Christmas Concert, Sibbertoft Church
2023-12-15 19:30 - 21:30 | St Helen’s Church, Sibbertoft, Church Street, Sibbertoft, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9UA, United Kingdom
Phoenix is delighted to have been invited to perform a Winter themed concert at St Helen’s Church in Sibbertoft, which will be all decorated for Christmas!
Tickets are £15 to include interval drink and nibbles, or £5 for children aged 16 and under, accompanied by an adult. All proceeds go to the maintenance and running of St Helen’s Church.
To reserve tickets, please contact Lesley Hartshorne on email lesley1702@aol.com, telephone 07765 256552
View website

Christmas joint fundraising concert, Desborough Library
2023-12-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Desborough Library and Community Hub, High Street, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2QS, United Kingdom
Phoenix is delighted to be putting on a Christmas concert at Desborough Library and Community Hub.
This concert will be a joint fundraiser for the library and Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra, with all profits split equally between the two charities.
Tickets are £10 each (£5 for under 16s) to include a glass of wine or soft drink.
Tickets are available from the Library on Desborough High Street (NN14 2QS), or by calling 01604 364633* or 07867 504996, or emailing dhubcontact@gmail.com
* Note that this number being used temporarily by the library while their main number (01604 368169) is out of order, due to a problem with the Council’s phone system. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Download leaflet
View showreel

Sax workshop with Gerard McChrystal
2023-11-12 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
About the workshop

Our patron, international saxophonist Gerard McChrystal, will be running a full day saxophone workshop on 12 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.
We will be playing a selection of music, including pieces from our sponsor Saxtet Publications, who we would like to thank wholeheartedly for their ongoing support of Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra.
The music we’ll be focusing on is around Grade 4-5 standard, but individual parts will be sent out in advance, so there’s no need to worry about sight reading! Whatever the level of your playing, the opportunity to play with a large ensemble, learn from fellow musicians and receive first hand, expert advice from a professional saxophonist like Gerard is one not to be missed.
We are looking forward to welcoming saxophonists from far and wide to this special event.
How to book
If you’d like to come along, please download our leaflet for full details, including how to pay.
And if you have any queries, please email Liz Pearce on treasurer@phoenixsax.org.uk

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.

Harrington Concerts
2023-10-15 15:00 - 16:30 | St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Harrington, Church Lane, Harrington, Leicestershire, NN6 9NX, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra is delighted to have been invited back to take part in the 2023 Harrington Concert Series.
Tickets are £10 each (£5 for under 18s) from musicharrington@gmail.com, telephone 01536 713944.
For more information about the Harrington Concerts, visit harringtonconcerts.co.uk

Southwell Music Festival
2023-08-26 12:30 - 15:00 | Archbishop’s Garden, Southwell Minster, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0HD, United Kingdom
Phoenix is thrilled to have been invited to be part of the free Musical Picnic at the 2023 Southwell Music Festival, performing in the beautiful surroundings of the walled garden at the ruined Archbishop’s Palace, which stands in the grounds of Southwell Minster.
We will be playing two half hour sets at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
Between our performances, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason is giving a piano recital inside the Minster.
Download Festival brochure

Melton Bandstand
2023-08-06 14:45 - 16:30 | Melton Bandstand, New Park, Play Close, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0PP, United Kingdom

Newark Castle
2023-07-30 14:30 - 16:30 | Newark Castle, Castle Gate, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1BG, United Kingdom
Phoenix is excited to have been invited to perform at the bandstand in the grounds of Newark Castle in Nottinghamshire.
Known as ‘the Gateway to the North’, the castle dates back to the 12th Century and is strategically located on the Trent at the intersection of the Great North Road and Fosse Way.
In 1216, King John died at Newark Castle during a tempestuous storm, not long after he’d purportedly ‘lost’ the crown jewels attempting to cross The Wash! The Castle fell into disrepair after the Civil War, but its walls, towers and dungeons still stand as a reminder of Newark’s turbulent history.
In 1887, the castle site was landscaped and repaired, and opened as a pleasure garden for Queen Victoria’s 70th birthday on 24 May 1889. A covenant was made at this time for the grounds to be ‘for the free use of the people forever’, and this covenant still exists today.
Victorian landscape gardener H.E.Milner’s original designs did include a bandstand, but it was not actually built and installed until the Year 2000.
Come along and hear us play in these atmospheric surroundings.

Evington Park, Leicester
2023-07-23 15:00 - 16:00 | Evington Park, The Common, Evington, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE5 6EA, United Kingdom
Phoenix is delighted to be returning to Evington Park, Leicester, where we’ll be performing on the oval in front of the stylish Georigan mansion, Evington House, that sits at the heart of the park.
If you’d like to see and hear us play in this beautiful setting, we would love to see you! Entrance is free.

Bands in the Park, Kettering
2023-07-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Rockingham Road Pleasure Park, Park Road, Kettering, NN16 9RG, United Kingdom
We are delighted to have been invited back to perform as part of the ‘Kettering Bands in the Park’ series. Entrance is free and, in the event of bad weather, performances will take place in All Saints Church.

Concert Tour to Aberdeenshire
2023-06-01 - 2023-06-05 | Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra is heading to Aberdeenshire for a four day tour, which will include two joint concerts with fellow RPS award nominees Aberdeenshire Saxophone Orchestra, and two pop-up mini concerts.
Friday 2 June
Phoenix will be performing a pop up 30 minute concert at Braemar Village around 12.30pm, and another at Crathes Castle at around 3.30pm.

Saturday 3 June, 7pm
Joint concert at The Acorn Centre, West High Street, Inverurie AB51 3SA
Tickets £7.50 from trybooking.com/UK/CJAW
Refreshments available

Sunday 4 June, 10am
Joint Concert at Aden Country Park, Station Rd, Mintlaw,
Old Deer, Peterhead AB42 5FQ
Tickets £10 on the door or from the Aden Gift Shop

Joint Fundraising Concert - St Hugh's Church, Harborough
2023-03-18 19:30 | St Hugh’s Church, Granville Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9HF, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra is delighted to present a joint fundraising concert at St Hugh’s Church, Market Harborough.
Tickets are £10 each (£5 for Under 16s) to include a glass of wine or soft drink, and profits from the concert will be shared equally between Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra and the St Hugh’s Cygnet Fundraising Project.
Tickets are available by emailing transfig@harborough-anglican.org.uk
Tickets may be available on the door but, as we are selling out fast, we’d recommend that you give Kathy a call on 07746 782027 beforehand, to check availability.

Download leaflet

About the Cygnet Fundraising Project
Building a welcoming, safe space, where church and community meet
Saint Hugh’s Parish Church stands at the corner of Northampton Road and Granville Street, Market Harborough.Built in the 1940s it has been used for Christian worship and related church activities since it was first opened.
Consultation with the local neighbourhood has identified the need for a safe and welcoming space for the community to meet and help to tackle some of the issues in the area.
The Church community has decided to sell the nearby hall, with the sale proceeds being used to improve the main church building. The inside of the church will provide a large community space (bigger than the current hall), separated from the worship area by a movable glass screen. There will also be a smaller meeting room. The building will have a well-equipped commercial kitchen, accessible toilets and storage. The inside of the church will be also re-configured on the one level for ease of access.
Whilst the church is busy applying for grants, fundraising events are all necessary to raise the funds to make these changes happen. Social events have already taken place raising £2,000 in just a few weeks, but there is still a long way to go!
The Cygnet Project gets its name because the Church’s patron saint, St Hugh, is known to have had a swan as a pet. The Church is starting with a cygnet so that, over time, when the project is finished, it will have grown into a swan.

Sax workshop with Mick Foster
2023-02-26 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
Professional saxophonist Mick Foster will be running a saxophone workshop for Phoenix on Sunday 26 February.
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.
We will be focusing on music specifically written for the saxophone ensemble, including a brand new piece that Mick has composed especially for Phoenix and a couple of pieces that have been generously gifted to Phoenix by composers Richard Percival and John Holland.
The playing level for the day is around Grade 4-5, but parts will be sent out in advance, so there’s no need to worry about sight reading.
The opportunity to receive first hand, expert advice from a professional sax player like Mick is certainly one not to be missed, and we look forward to welcoming sax players from far and wide to enjoy a full day of learning and ensemble playing with fellow musicians.
How to join

For more details, including how to pay, please download our leaflet.
Or if you have any queries, please contact Liz Pearce on treasurer@phoenixsax.org.uk

About Mick Foster
Mick Foster is a saxophonist, woodwind player and composer who is known as one of the UK’s foremost exponents of the baritone saxophone. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London and has since worked extensively in the fields of jazz, commercial and classical music. He has played with many ensembles such as the big bands of John Dankworth, Stan Sulzmann and Mike Garrick, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Swing Out Sister, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Mick has recently been recording and touring with Alan Barnes + 11 and Jim Rattigan’s ensemble Pavillon, and is currently a member of The Humphrey Lyttelton Band, the Back to Basie Orchestra and the London Jazz Orchestra. Other notable jazz musicians that Mick has worked with include Dame Cleo Laine, Jacqui Dankworth, Trudy Kerr, Mark Lockheart, Guy Barker, Laura Jurd and Digby Fairweather. Mick has recorded three albums under his own name and is in demand as a session musician, having played for many film and TV soundtracks including Prometheus, Vice, Don’t Look Up and Downton Abbey.
As a composer Mick has written for various ensembles which include the London Jazz Orchestra, Quartz Saxophone Quartet, Docklands Sinfonia and Onyx Brass as well as his own jazz groups. His music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and he has pieces published by Saxtet Publications; some are included on both the ABRSM and Trinity College exams syllabuses.
Mick is active as an educator; he currently teaches at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and Goldsmiths College; he is also a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective.

Sax workshop with Gerard McChrystal
2022-11-19 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
About the workshop

Our patron, international saxophonist Gerard McChrystal, will be running a full day saxophone workshop on 19 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.
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.
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra features seven different types of sax, and workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to try out some of the giants of the saxophone family – the bass and contrabass sax – which are being brought along for the day by the orchestra’s Jonathan Shaw.
The music we’ll be focusing on is around Grade 4-5 standard, but individual parts will be sent out in advance, so there’s no need to worry about sight reading! Whatever the level of your playing, the opportunity to play with a large ensemble, learn from fellow musicians and receive first hand, expert advice from a professional saxophonist like Gerard is one not to be missed.
We are looking forward to welcoming saxophonists from far and wide to this special event.
How to book
If you’d like to come along, please download our leaflet for full details, including how to pay.
And if you have any queries, please email Liz Pearce on treasurer@phoenixsax.org.uk

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.

Harrington Concerts
2022-10-09 15:00 | St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Harrington, Church Lane, Harrington, Leicestershire, NN6 9NX, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra is delighted to be taking part in the 2022 Harrington Concert Series. We’ll be performing at Harrington Church at 3pm on Sunday 9 October.
Tickets are £10 each (£5 for under 18s) from musicharrington@gmail.com, telephone 01536 713944.

Melton Bandstand
2022-08-07 14:45 - 16:30 | Melton Bandstand, New Park, Play Close, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0PP, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra will be performing live at the Grade II listed Melton Bandstand in New Park, near the Town Centre, as part of the town’s Summer Bands Concert programme. Free entry.

Kettering Bands in the Park
2022-07-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Rockingham Road Pleasure Park, Park Road, Kettering, NN16 9RG, United Kingdom
Kettering Bands in the Park is back for 2022, and Phoenix is delighted to have been invited to perform. Entrance is free and, in the event of bad weather, performances will take place in All Saints Church.

Richmond Retirement Village - private performance
2022-07-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Richmond Retirement Village, Bridge Meadow Way, Grange Park, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN4 5EB, United Kingdom
Phoenix is delighted to be performing for residents at Richmond Retirement Village, Northampton. We are very much looking forward to entertaining you all!
If you’d like Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra to perform at your venue, or for a private event, please contact us.

Naseby Village Fair CANCELLED
2022-07-17 14:00 - 14:30 | Naseby Village Hall, Naseby Road, Haselbech, Naseby, Northamptonshire, NN6 6DE, United Kingdom
Naseby Village Fair has regretfully been cancelled due to the extreme weather warning that’s been issued for Sunday. Stay safe everyone.
You can see the announcement from the organisers on their Facebook page.
Naseby Village Fair, dog and classic car show is back for 2022. The event takes place on the showground next to Naseby Village Hall from 10am to 5pm, and Phoenix will be playing a half hour slot at 2pm. Sounds like a great day out! Entry is free, £4 per car for parking on site.

Hollycroft Park, Hinckley
2022-07-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Hollycroft Park, Shakespeare Drive, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0BG, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra will be performing live at the iconic Art Deco Bandstand in Hollycroft Park, Hinckley. Entry is free. Bring a picnic, and come along to hear us play!

Evington Park
2022-06-12 15:00 - 16:00 | Evington Park, The Common, Evington, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE5 6EA, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra will be performing in Evington Park, Leicester, on the oval in front of the stylish Georigan mansion, Evington House, that sits at the heart of the park. If you’d like to see and hear us play in this beautiful setting, we would love to see you! Entrance is free.

Sax workshop with Gerard McChrystal
2021-11-14 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
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.

Harborough Great Big Green Week
2021-09-25 15:30 - 16:00 | Town Square, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7PA, United Kingdom
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra is delighted to be performing in the Town Square as part of this national event that’s set to be the largest event for climate and nature ever seen in the UK.
We look forward to seeing you! Please note change of time – we will now be appearing at 3.30pm.
