Red Stick Saxophone Quartet to perform at SFA

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Red Stick Saxophone Quartet will present a guest artist recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, in Cole Concert Hall on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus. The recital is free and open to the public.

The quartet, formed in 1997 while its members were students at Louisiana State University, consists of soprano saxophonist Brian Utley, SFA associate professor of music; alto saxophonist Djamel Mami, performer and teacher in the Denver area; tenor saxophonist John Perrine, associate professor of music at Cleveland State University; and baritone saxophonist Eric Lau, assistant professor of music at the University of New Mexico.

The quartet will perform both "standards" from the saxophone repertoire, such as an arrangement of George Gershwin's Preludes for Piano and newer works, some of which were written especially for the group, explained Utley.

The newer works include "Restless" by SFA Associate Professor of Composition Stephen Lias and the world premiere of "Saxophone Quartet" by Lance Trevino, SFA junior composition student from Athens.

The ensemble will also perform two works written especially for the Red Stick Saxophone Quartet: "Vonnegut: Suite for Saxophone Quartet" by the group's own John Perrine, and "New England Impressions" by Liduino Pitombeira.

The quartet has performed in numerous venues around the country, including the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans, Murray State University in Kentucky, St. Mary's College in Indiana, Cleveland State University, and has been featured with the LSU Symphony Orchestra and the Louisiana Sinfonietta.

Cole Concert Hall is located in the Wright Music Building, 2210 Alumni Dr. For more information, please call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.