Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra

Christmas concert, Desborough Library
2025-12-13 19:00 - 21:30 UTC | 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 costs £30 and 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. Pleas bring your own lunch
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 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.
About 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.

Joint charity concert with Rugby Recorders
2026-07-19 15:00 - 17:00 | St Andrew’s Church, Rugby, Church Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 3PT, United Kingdom
We are delighted to be joining up with the Rugby Recorder Ensemble for this joint concert at St Andrew’s Church, Rugby.
The concert is a charity event with all profits going to Rugby’s Myton Hospice.
This concert provides a unique opportunity to experience the sight and sound of more than 30 musicians playing 14 different instruments – six different types of saxophone and eight types of recorder, from sopranino to sub bass.
The concert will feature separate ensemble pieces from Rugby Recorders and Phoenix, plus a joint piece – Viadana’s Sinfonia ‘La Bergamasca’ – and the world premiere performance of Steve Marshall’s ‘Concertino’, a concerto for recorders and solo soprano saxophone, to be performed by Samuel Beddard.
Ticket information

Tickets are £10 (£5 for Under 16s) from Ticketsource.
You can book online by clicking the ‘Book Now‘ button above, or call the Ticketsource Box Office on 0333 666 3366.
The telephone box office is open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) from 9am to 7pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.

Rugby Recorders

Old Grammar School, Market Harborough
2026-09-27 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 Bowden’s Charity Busk! initiative.
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!

Christ Church, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt
2026-11-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Christ Church, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 7ED, United Kingdom
We are delighted to have been invited to perform at Christ Church in Cheshunt by the church’s Director of Music Samuel Beddard, a former Phoenix member and current student of saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music in London. Samuel will also be performing with us on the day.

Ticket information

Tickets are £10 (£5 for full time students and Under 16s) from Ticketsource.

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

Sax workshop with James Rae
2027-04-18 10:00 - 16:00 | Langton Community Hall, Stonton Road, Church Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7SZ, United Kingdom
We are delighted to announce that James Rae – performer, educator and one of Europe’s most published writers of educational wind music – will be coming to Market Harborough to run a saxophone workshop.
More information to follow.
About James Rae
James has some 250 publications to his credit and is also leader of the Phoenix Saxophone Quartet that, over the years, has given many recitals and BBC broadcasts. He has worked in West End and Royal National Theatre productions and has played with some of the country’s leading orchestras and ensembles.
James has been highly involved with the development of woodwind sight reading requirements for the Associated Board and Trinity College London and has taught in both the state and independent sector. He currently works at King’s College School Wimbledon, where he directs the Wind Orchestra and Concert Band, and Shrewsbury House School in Surbiton, where he coaches three large bands and a chamber group.
He has adjudicated at many music festivals and competitions throughout the country and has tutored and conducted on numerous courses. He has presented many masterclasses and workshops in music centres in the UK and around the world.

Joint concert with Yorkshire Saxophone Choir
2027-06-19 19:00 - 21:00 | St Edmund’s Church, Lidgett Park Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 1JN, United Kingdom
We are delighted to be joining with the Yorkshire Saxopone Choir for this joint concert. More information to follow…
