The Amstel Quartet
Internationally renowned for their originality and technical
confidence, The Amstel Quartet brings their energetic saxophone
arrangements to the Clark for an evening of innovative chamber
music.
About The Amstel Quartet
It’s been almost a decade since the Amstel Quartet blew
its first notes. Since then, the four young and enthusiastic
saxophonists who make up the ensemble have built an international
reputation in the world of chamber music, and beyond.
They met while touring with the Dutch National Youth Orchestra
and in 1997 decided to form a quartet where they could test
the boundaries of the conventional saxophone repertoire of the
time.
But first – what to call the quartet? The Amstel River
is not only the historical birthplace of the city of Amsterdam,
but also an ever-changing waterscape, reflecting the changes
in life along its shores. For a quartet grounded in the traditions
of chamber music, but ready to meet new and ever-changing creative
challenges, the Amstel Saxophone Quartet was the obvious choice
for a name. After a few years the name evolved even further,
to today’s Amstel Quartet.
With talent, creativity and a new name, the Quartet was on the
road to success. The repertoire of the Amstel Quartet is original,
its performances personal. From the mystery of Bach’s
Second Cello Suite in D to Michael Nyman’s theme for the
film, The Piano, the four saxophones unleash a new energy with
each arrangement. The Amstel Quartet has the technical confidence
to tackle the most difficult piece from Iannis Xenakis and the
versatility to collaborate with artists from other disciplines
– such as dance, musical theatre, mime and cinema.
When a member of the Amstel Quartet listens to music, he is
always wondering: How can our saxophones transform this piece?
Such was the case with the Arabian Waltz by Rabih Abou-Khalil,
never before performed by a saxophone quartet. Adaptations and
arrangements by members of the Amstel Quartet have won recognition
and praise by many composers – György Ligeti, Philip
Glass, Michael Nyman, Peteris Vask and Arvo Pärt to name
but a few. And they’ve brought new life to old saxophone
compositions, such as the infrequently performed Quartet by
Tristan Keuris.
This versatility and talent have earned the Amstel Quartet many
prizes at competitions, the latest accolade coming in the form
of the 2006 Concert Artists Guild Management and Audience Awards
at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2005 the Amstel Quartet
won the International Chamber Music Competition in Illzach,
France and placed second for the Gaudeamus Interpreter’s
Prize. In 2004 they won the Chamber Music in Yellow Springs
Competition in the United States. That same year brought them
the Uitmarkt Audience Award and the Kersjes van de Groenekan
Awards in the Netherlands. Before, the Amstel Quartet won the
Dutch Almere Prize for Chamber Music and was prizewinner at
the Gustav Bumcke Competition for saxophone ensembles in Dortmund,
Germany.
The Quartet has performed in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam;
Vredenburg in Utrecht; the Sogukado Hall in Tokyo, Japan; the
Stadtkirche in Darmstadt, Germany; Carnegie Hall in the US and
in Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
The Amstel Quartet has released four CDs:
1 Gram of Time (2005), Baltica (2005), Amstel Tracks (2004)
and Straight Lines (2002).
Remco Jak - soprano saxophone
Olivier Sliepen - alto saxophone
Bas Apswoude - tenor saxophone
Ties Mellema - baritone saxophone
Het Parool, The Netherlands:
“The Amstel Quartet changes even the most simple work
into a breathtaking diamond.”
Clarinet & Saxophone Society of Great Britain:
“Strong ensemble playing ... The programming on Straight
Lines reflects the versatility of the saxophone quartet and
how the instruments’ rich sound lends itself so successfully
to various musical genres.”
Pizzicato, Luxembourg:
“...highly developed ensemble playing ... masters
of the instruments...”
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