By Sarah McMillin, Staff Writer
The New Thread Saxophone Quartet will perform a concert in Stretansky Concert Hall on Feb. 5.
According to the music department, the New Thread Quartet, based in New York City, was “formed with the mission to develop and perform impactful new music for the saxophone and to provide high level ensemble playing to feature today’s compositional voice.”
The group has received critical acclaim and was called “adventurous” and “rulebreaking” by New Music Box. The New York Times also said that their performances were “a spell cast by music.”
According to its website, the group has traveled and performed in several locations, including but not limited to the New England Conservatory, Carnegie Hall and the World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland.
As a group, the New Thread Quartet has performed and recorded more than 30 works for saxophone quartets.
The group’s members are Geoffrey Landman on soprano saxophone, Kristen McKeon on alto saxophone, Erin Rogers on tenor saxophone and Zach Herchen on baritone saxophone.
According to its website, the New Thread Quartet likes to focus on bringing new works to life. As their website states, “NTQ has a track record of working closely with composers in a workshop environment during the formation of new works and encourages composer attendance at rehearsals.”
“The quartet strives for multiple performances of newly commissioned works in attempt to bring new music to different audiences as often as possible,” the website continued.
Susquehanna is only one of the schools that the group will be performing at this year.
In the past, the New Thread Saxophone Quartet has performed and held master classes for student saxophonists and composers at schools including but not limited to Peabody Conservatory, Queens College and NYU.
The New Thread Saxophone Quartet will be the second musical performance of the month after the SU Bridge Quartet recital on Feb. 1.
The rest of February will include performances by students including senior Heather Knox, juniors Kaitlyn Killeen, Hannah Nyce, Benjamin Nause and Benjamin Nylander. Faculty members Jeffrey Fahnestock and Naomi Niskala will also perform a joint recital.
Other musical events this month include a performance from Kevin Noe, director of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble and the Honors Band Finale Concert in mid-February.
All previously mentioned performances are scheduled to take place in Stretansky Concert Hall, with the exception of the Honors Band Finale Concert, which will take place in Weber Chapel.