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A musical treat for the whole family, the Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra will blend sophisticated music with footloose choreography, ingenious special effects and madcap comedy to delight the audience at the concert hall of the National Library on September 29.
Founded by Don Stevens, the "saxophone family" is composed of Skelley Hart Jenkins, soprano and alto saxophones; Kristen Strom, soprano, alto saxophones and kazoo; Dale Mills, tenor, alto saxophones; Kevin J. Stewart, baritone saxophone; and Art Springs, bass, tenor saxophones.
The concert will also feature the "Mother of the Saxophone" played by Stevens, the rare and monstrous 203-centimetre-tall, 43-centimetre-diameter bell contrabass, which is described by The Los Angeles Times as "...an instrument with the stature of a power forward in the NBA and a pitch that makes a foghorn sound effeminate."
Together, the six create incredibly innovative music with a rich ensemble sound covering an amazing range of over six octaves.
Their repertoire includes classical, jazz, swing and a plethora of original works as well as a tribute to the ocean's whales, which inspired the orchestra's name.
From Bach, Mozart and Strauss to Ellington, Gershwin and Sousa, the Whales leave no musical genre unexplored.
As for the Beijing concert, they will perform a variety of their signature works as well as some Chinese pieces such as "Spring" by Xian Xinghai and the famous "Butterfly Lovers."
The Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra is also pushing to arrange a concert of 1,000 saxophones on the Great Wall in 2005.
The idea is for 500 saxophone players from all over the world to join with 500 Chinese in Beijing for three days of rehearsals, sightseeing, educational workshops, performances, fun and adventure in preparation for the concert.
The Great Wall Concert will be broadcast live on China Central Television (CCTV) and through the CCTV satellite to other Asian countries.
In addition, a live Internet broadcast will also reach viewers around the world and a documentary film will be made.
(China Daily September 27, 2003)
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