The saxophone was invented by Adolph Sax in the mid-1800s and since then the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones have played huge roles in wind ensembles, military bands, and in jazz concert halls. 

  

  The sax has also become the instrument of choice for dozens of contemporary composers including John Adams, Arvo Parte, and David Rakowski. This Friday evening at 7:30pm The Red Clay Saxophone Quartet will be premiering David's newly commissioned and highly challenging work Compass as part of the Music for a Great Space performance series. The concert for sax quartet will be held in the Huggins Performance Center of Greensboro College and it'll also feature music by Chick Corea, and the late great Greensboro composer Russell Peck. There will be tango music and more.

One-half of The Red Clay Saxophone Quartet recently stopped by WFDD to talk about their instruments and their program titled Sax Appeal. Duke University and Greensboro Music Academy saxophone instructor and soloist Susan Fancher plays soprano saxophone in the group. She was joined by Associate Professor of Composition and Electronic Music at the University of NC at Greensboro baritone saxophonist Mark Engebretson.

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