Newsletter
<MAY 15, 2006.
For General Release
VALENCIA, CA
The seventh annual Saxtravaganza concert will be held on Saturday, July 22 at 7:30pm at the Hart High School Auditorium located at 24825 Newhall Avenue in Newhall, California. The Saxtravaganza concert and related week of workshops leading up to the public performance will feature approximately 30 local saxophonists. It has been organized for the last seven years by area saxaphone instructor Kathleen Maxwell as a venue for performing saxophonists to learn, share, and play as a group.
According to Ms. Maxwell, the large saxophone ensemble has a truly unique sound and dynamic range. And while the sound from pure saxaphone ensembles of this size is rare today, it wasn't always so. "There is plenty of evidence that very large ensembles with as many as 100 players were formed durring the early part of the twentieth century." While their popularity may have been driven by their use in ragtime and vaudeville, Ms. Maxwell attributes the traveling organizations of John Phillip Sousa and others with being an even bigger factor in the first saxophone craze. Since that time there has only been a few scattered revivals of this music.
Saxtravaganza was started seven years ago by Kathleen Maxwell as an outgrowth of her research in historical saxophone performance. Since then, the group has grown into an important mentoring group for the areas saxophonists. "Many of our performers are area students, but private teachers, band directors who play saxophone, and seasoned professionals are all encouraged to join us," said Ms. Maxwell. She also notes that a certain level of proficiency is required of all participants. According to Ms. Maxwell, players are generally required to audition durring the month of June. Music arrangers are encouraged to submit materials for reading at that time.
For more information, contact Kathleen Maxwell at 661-291-1SAX. Online, visit the Saxtravaganza website at http:///www.saxtravaganza.com.
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Click here to see what The Signal is saying about Saxtravaganza. <link>
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Radio Spot running on KHTS, AM Radio 1220
“On Saturday evening, July 22, “Saxtravaganza”, Santa Clarita’s very own all-saxophone band, will present a free concert at Hart Auditorium. Kathleen Maxwell directs the group of area saxophonists in their seventh annual performance featuring a little classical, a little swing, and a lot in between. Come experience “Saxtravaganza” for yourself. Saturday, July 22, at 7:30 P.M. Hart Auditorium is located at 24825 Newhall Avenue. And the concert is FREE!”