Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra

Sax workshop with Alastair Penman
2025-03-02 10:00 - 16:00 UTC | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
An all day, open workshop for all saxophonists with Alastair Penman. The cost is £30 includng refreshements and we’d be delighted for non-Phoenix members to join us.
About the workshop
The workshop will focus on playing together in a large saxophone ensemble and, throughout the day, Alastair will give tips and advice on different elements of ensemble playing.
He will also give advice on elements of saxophone technique ranging from sound production and intonation through to tonguing and improving your rhythmic accuracy. He will also be happy to answer specific saxophone related questions.
Much of the music will be drawn from Alastair’s extensive catalogue of compositions and there will also be some much loved favourites for the instrument. Music will be around grade 4-5 standard and parts will be made available in advance, so there’s no need for sight reading.
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 Alastair Penman
Alastair Penman is Professor of Saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music and enjoys a busy career as a saxophonist, clarinettist, composer and educator. His solo albums have been played on BBC radio and internationally, and you can hear his playing on film and video game scores including Deadpool and Wolverine, A Haunting in Venice and Call of Duty.
Alastair has performed with orchestras including the London Contemporary Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, London Concert Orchestra and Philharmonia, including at the BBC Proms. Alastair’s compositions are featured on the ABRSM and Trinity Saxophone Syllabus and are published by Saxtet Publications and Sax Music Scores.
Alastair is performing artist for Henri Selmer Paris, Vandoren UK, Buffet Crampon and Key Leaves. More information at alastairpenman.co.uk

Abington Park
2025-04-13 14:00 - 17:00 | Abington Park, Northampton, NN1 5LW, United Kingdom
We’re delighted to be taking part in the Northampton Bands in the Park series, which is this year celebrating its 125th anniversary!
We’ll be performing at the beautiful Victorian bandstand in Abington Park, 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.
Entrance is free.
View full programme of events

Old Grammar School, Market Harborough
2025-05-11 13:30 - 14:30 | The Old Grammar School, 40 The Square, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7PA, United Kingdom
Phoenix will be performing a 1 hour pop-up concert in the undercroft at the iconic Old Grammar School in Market Harborough, as part of the Creative Harborough and Market Harborough and the Bowdens’s Charity busking intitiative.
We’ll be playing to raise money for the town’s Jubilee Food Bank, where one of our sax players volunteers. Please come along and see us, and do pop some coins (or notes) in our collection bucket!

New Park, Melton Mowbray
2025-06-22 14:45 - 16:30 | Melton Bandstand, New Park, Play Close, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0PP, United Kingdom
Phoenix is pleased to be returning to perform 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.

Isle of Wight Tour
2025-06-27 - 2025-06-30 | Isle of Wight
We’re excited to announce that we are going on tour to the Isle of Wight in June, to join up and perform with the Island’s Wight Sax, and their honorary president Dave Plummer AKA Staxofsax!

We’ll also be performing a couple of solo concerts, as well as taking some time to see the sights. Do come along and see us!

Wight Sax

Saxophone Orchestra Manchester
2025-09-27 19:00 - 21:00 | St. Michael and All Angels’ Church, Market Place, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 1DY, United Kingdom
We are very excited to to be joining Saxophone Orchestra Manchester for a joint concert, which will take place at St Michael and All Saints Church in Macclesfield.
Tickets are now on sale. Buy tickets here

Harrington Concert Series
2025-10-19 15:00 - 16:30 | St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Harrington, Church Lane, Harrington, Leicestershire, NN6 9NX, United Kingdom
We are delighted to be returning to perform at Harrington Church as part of the popular Harrington Concert Series.
We look forward to seeing a few familiar faces, and hopefully some new ones, and we’ll have lots of new music for you to enjoy!
Tickets are £12 each from Harrington Concerts on musicharrington@gmail.com, tel: 01536 713944.
For more inforamtion, please see harringtonconcerts.co.uk

Christmas concert, Desborough Library
2025-12-13 19:00 - 21:30 | Desborough Library and Community Hub, High Street, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2QS, United Kingdom
We are delighted to have been invited back to Desborough Library for a Christmas Concert. We’ll be performing a variety of festive tunes along with pieces from our regular repertoire of light classical, pop, jazz and big band favourites, as well as some original music written especially for saxophone ensemble.
Tickets are £12 to include a glass of wine or soft drink. For tickets, please pop into the library, call them on 01536 532415, or email them on dhubcontact@gmail.com.
All profits from the concert will be shared between the library and Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra, both of which are registered charities.

Sax workshop with Andy Tweed and Karen Street
2026-04-19 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
We are delighted to be hosting this saxophone workshop, led by Karen Street and Andy Tweed. The workshop is open to all saxophonists (recommended playing standard grade 5 and above).
Join Andy and Karen for an inspiring and fun play day. They will be bringing some different styles of music to play including Avalon Suite, an original work inspired by the mystical island of Glastonbry Tor and a brand new arrangement of Moon River. Karen’s writing always makes sure that parts are interesting for all players.
Karen will also be bringing some specially written exercises to help players with their rhythmic playing, ensemble playing and musicianship. Andy will give advice on how to make a great sound and tips on technique and we will finish off the day with an accordion and saxophone duet.
Parts will be provided in advice, so you don’t need to worry about sight reading. Please bring a music stand and a packed lunch. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided and are included in the price.
Karen Street
Karen is a freelance accordion and saxophone player and her wide-ranging skills means that she delves into classical, contemporary, jazz and tango hence the diverse projects she has been involved in including: Martin Taylor, Tim Garland, Mike Westbrook, Maria Schneider Big Band, Grace Jones, The Nash Ensemble, Ice Breaker Opera North, BBC Philharmonic, the RPO, WNO, Royal Opera House , Ballet Rambert and the Strictly Come Dancing live band.
Karen is also a composer and writes educational music for saxophone and various other ensembles and her music is published by Boosey & Hawkes, June Emerson and Saxtet Publications. She has produced four jazz CD’s of her own compositions and arrangements.
Andy Tweed
Andy is from Northern Ireland and studied clarinet and saxophone at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the late 1980s. He joined Saxtet while still at music college and over its eighteen year life it became one the UK’s leading saxophone groups performing all over the world with their unique repertoire of their own compositions and arrangements.
Andy continues to perform in both jazz and classical settings across the UK and teaches at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, European Youth Summer Music and the Cape Cornwall Saxophone Course.
He is a regular member of the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, Carismático Tango, the Pinewood Saxophone Quartet with Kyle Horch and Delta Saxophone Quartet and is seen regularly on West End shows.

St Mary Magdalene Church, Cottingham
2026-05-30 19:00 - 21:00 | St Mary Magdalene Church, Cottingham, Church Street,, Cottingham, Market Harborough, LE16 8XU, United Kingdom
We are delighted to be returning to St Mary Magdalene Church, Cottingham, following a sellout concert in Summer 2024.
Tickets are £12 to include a glass of wine and nibbles (£6 for under 16s).
To book, please contact Angela on cottinghamchurch@gmail.com, or WhatsApp to 07594 682671.

Christmas Concert
2026-12-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Desborough Library and Community Hub, High Street, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2QS, United Kingdom
We are delighted to have been invited back to Desborough Library for a Christmas Concert. We’ll be performing a variety of festive tunes along with pieces from our regular repertoire of light classical, pop, jazz and big band favourites, as well as some original music written especially for saxophone ensemble. There’ll also be some Christmas Carols for you to sing along with!
Ticket information to follow
