Press Release

Concord Band Celebrates French Music and the Saxophone

Concord, MA, February 6, 2010 — It was about one hundred and fifty years ago that inventor Adolphe Sax produced the first version of the saxophone in Paris. The French Connection is the the theme of Concord Band's Winter Concert, which will take place at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street, Concord Center, beginning at 8 PM on March 6th. The program will feature French music and a guest performance by the entertaining Back Bay Saxophone Quartet.

The Back Bay Saxophone Quartet Full-size images: Color B&W

Award winning alto saxophone soloist Dennis Shafer will join the Concord Band to perform an arrangement of Claude Debussy's The Girl With the Flaxen Hair. He is a member and co-founder of the Back Bay Saxophone Quartet, who will be the Concord Band's guest ensemble for the upcoming concert. The other members of this innovative and dynamic quartet are Jennifer Bill, Lauren Nicholas, and John Knasas. Together with the band, they will perform composer Bill Holcombe's piece Stephen Foster Revisited, which is a collection of familiar Foster tunes. The program will also include works by French and American composers, including Milhaud, Berlioz, Dukas, and Ives.

The Winter Concert begins at 8:00 pm in The Performing Arts Center, located at 51 Walden Street in Concord. Ticket prices are $15.00 (Seniors & Students $5.00) and may be purchased at the door, or in advance by calling (978) 897-9969.

The Concord Band, founded in 1959, is one of the leading community concert bands in the United States. It is well known for its innovative programming and the exceptional quality of its commissioned pieces. It presents both formal and Pops concerts throughout the year. Thousands attend its summer concerts each year at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts.

For additional information, contact Louanne Mackenzie, Concord Band Publicity. Visit our website at www.concordband.org.
Back Bay Saxophone Quartet website: www.backbayquartet.com