ABOUT
Keuris Quartet (KQ) is an international saxophone quartet, specializing in the interpretation of classical contemporary music. After winning First Prize at the inaugural Strasbourg International Saxophone Quartet Competition in 2015, KQ gained international recognition and is considered as one of the brightest saxophone quartets performing today. In 2017, KQ won the Second Prize at the prestigious M-Prize International Chamber Arts Competition in Ann-Arbor, MI (USA).
Founded in 2013 in Amsterdam, the quartet was named after a Dutch composer Tristan Keuris (1946-1996), whose oeuvre includes two highlights of the contemporary saxophone quartet repertoire. The main aim of the quartet is to bring contemporary music to a broader audience by placing their program into a context that makes the music and its emotions easy to perceive.
Since 2016, KQ is regularly performing and giving workshops at the Gaudeamus Music Week (Utrecht), as well as Singapore Saxophone Symposium, Thailand International Composers Festival and more. Repertoire of KQ includes major commissions to contemporary composers such as Thierry Tidrow, Christian Lauba, Alexey Retinsky. In 2019, KQ started a collaboration with Amstel Quartet and recorded an album “Todos los fuegos el fuego” by Maxim Shalygin, which was acclaimed as one of the best classical albums of the year in the Netherlands.
VIDEO
KQ
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KQ
Maxim Shalygin "Insane dances" / extended techniques for saxophone quartet
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Composer - M. Shalygin Performed by Keuris Quartet Facebook: https://goo.gl/YSlMTX Evgeny Novikov - soprano Stefan de Wijs - alto Michal Grycko - tenor Juan Manuel Dominguez - baritone http://www.keurisquartet.com/ Premier at Singapore Saxophone Symposium 2016Music
Evgeny Novikov, Stefan de Wijs, Michal Grycko, Juan Manuel Dominguez, Insane Dances, Maxim Shalygin, saxophone quartet, extended techniques, Dutch composer, contemporary music, crazy, slap, multiphonic, DJ, scratch, kiss, back beat, air sound, whistle, fastest, Virtuoso, moon dance, drunk dance, morse dance, morse code, Saxophone Symposium, Singapore, NAFA, Keuris Quartet, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saxophone Class, CvAmsterdam, Chamber Arts, Competition, Prize, USA, University, Michigan School
Meet Keuris Quartet
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Promo video
saxophone quartet, dominguez, novikov, grycko, de wijs, keuris, tristan, bornkamp
Guillermo Lago - Ciudades, Sarajevo
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Singapore Saxophone Symposium 2016People & Blogs
keuris quartet, Sarajevo, Guillermo Lago, Ciudades, saxophone, quartet
Keuris Quartet at Muziekgebouw
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People & Blogs
Sofia Gubaidulina 'In Erwartung' (fragments)
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Conductor: Ulrich Pöhl Saxophones: Keuris Quartet Percussions: Ramon Lormans, Walter Witick, Yu-Ling Chiu, I-Han Fu, Jasper Mertens, Benjy KraussPeople & Blogs
Keuris quartet, in erwartung, sofia gubaidulina, saxophone quartet, Saxophone (Musical Instrument)
Keuris Quartet, Festival Classique 2014
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Keuris Quartet, Festival Classique 21 juni 2014 in Societeit de Witte. Presentatie Hans van der Boom. Evgeny Novikov - soprano saxophone Stefan de Wijs - alto saxophone Michiel Grycko - tenor saxophone Juan Manuel Dominguez - baritone saxophone Tristan Keuris Music for Saxophone (1986) Thierry Keuris Guillermo Lago Ciudades Kijk voor meer concerten op: http://www.klassiek.avro.nl http://Facebook.com/avro.klassiek - http://Twitter.com/avro_klassiekMusic
AVRO, AVRO Klassiek, Radio 4, Klassieke muziek, classical music, Live, Concert, Keuris Quartet, Tristan Keuris (Composer), Radio 4 Miniconcerten, Hans van der Boom, AvroTros, Festival Classique 2014, Den Haag, Societeit de Witte
Grachtenfestival met het Keuris Quartet op Vuurtoreneiland & Earbites | NPO Radio 4 Festivalzomer
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http://nporadio4.nl 'Expeditie' is het thema van de 18e editie van het Grachtenfestival Amsterdam dat dit jaar plaatsvindt van 14 t/m 23 augustus. Het Keuris Quartet speelt op Vuurtoreneiland muziek van componisten die onder oorlog geleden hebben. Hans Haffmans presenteert Earbites vanuit het Compagnietheater waar o.a het Coal Harbour Sextet optreedt.Music
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Keuris Quartet / Vuurtoreneiland
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People & Blogs
Tristan Keuris (Composer), Vuurtoreneiland, keuris quartet, saxophone, contemporary, Quartet (ensemble)
Vuurtoreneiland
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Met het Keuris Quartet tijdens het Grachtenfestival op Vuurtoreneiland. Podium on Tour (NTR)People & Blogs
AUDIO
KQTV
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KQTV
KQTV - Episode 12: PARMA China Concert Tour 2019 - Part 4 (Epilogue)
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Let's check all together the episode 4 (epilogue!..) of our PARMA China Concert Tour 2019. Many thanks Grycko Visuals (@Michal Grycko) for being our chronicler, and for editing tons of shots from the tour in order to make it compact and fun to watch! Bravo!!! Thanks again to Leon Cheng - our amazing tour manager. Show must go on! Take care everyone, and see you soon!!! KQ https://www.keurisquartet.com/People & Blogs
KQTV - Episode 11: PARMA China Concert Tour 2019 - Part 3
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People & Blogs
KQTV - Episode 10: PARMA China Concert Tour 2019 - Part 2
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Second chapter of our Parma China Concert Tour is now ONLINE! Enjoy this video, subscribe and leave your comments! Let's GO!!! Keuris Quartet: Evgeny Novikov Andreas Mader Michal Grycko Juan Manuel DominguezPeople & Blogs
saxopohone, keuris, on tour, saxophone quartet, china
KQTV - Episode 9: PARMA China Concert Tour 2019 - Part 1
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People & Blogs
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KQTV - Episode 8: Singapore Saxophone Simposium 2019
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People & Blogs
KQTV - Episode 7: Szczecin, Poland
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Follow us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeurisQuartet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keurisquartet/ Filharmonia Szczecin: https://filharmonia.szczecin.pl/en Music by: Lauba, Tidrow, Keuris, Lago, Haas. First song: https://rokiczanka.pl/en/sklep/ Second song: Feel My Sax By Dj Quads https://youtu.be/IIkv9wPkvt4 Artist SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/aka-dj-quads Music Promoted by https://goo.gl/5NfMV4People & Blogs
saxophone, classical music, on tour, saxophone quartet, poland, szczecin, filharmonia szczecin, concert
KQTV - Episode 6: Thailand International Composition Festival 2018
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Christian Lauba - MAMBO Thierry Tidrow - So be it Narong Prangcharoen - Perpetual motions Thierry Escaich - Le Bal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ G.U.Z - Thai Attack - Royalty Free Vlog Music Music By G.U.Z • https://soundcloud.com/g-u-zPeople & Blogs
KQTV - Episode 5: Singapore Saxophone Symposium 2018
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keuris quartet, grycko, de wijs, novikov, dominguez, bornkamp, keuris, saxophone, saxophone quartet, singapore, nafa, vlog, gopro, karmagrip
KQTV - Episode 4: Gaudeamus Muziekweek 2017
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People & Blogs
keuris, saxophone, quartet, grycko, de wijs, novikov, dominguez, bornkamp, amsterdam, gaudeamus, saxophone quartet, kqtv
KQTV - Episode 3: Bangkok & Singapore
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People & Blogs
KQTV - Episode 2: Keuris Quartet in the USA
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People & Blogs
keuris quartet, saxophone quartet, saxophone, ann arbor, chicago, m-prize, michal grycko, evgeny novikov, usa, stefan de wijs, juan manuel dominguez
KQTV - Episode 1: Gaudeamus Muziekweek 2016
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keuris, quartet, saxophone, contemporary, novikov, grycko, de wijs, dominguez, gaudeamus, muziekweek, tv
KQTV
PROJECTS
Piece of cake
Chiel Meijering - Kwispelgerst
Dan VanHassel - Schizoid Devices (written for KQ)
Louis Andriessen - Facing Death
Michael Torke - June, July
Phil Woods - Three Improvisations
This year KQ celebrates its 10th anniversary and on this occasion, we have created "Piece of Cake" - a program meant to turn a concert into a party! The program consists of a combination of American and Dutch compositions with jazz influences.
“Piece of Cake” starts with an energetic, extremely groovy piece by Chiel Meijering – Kwispelgerst. In Schizoid Devices by Dan VanHassel the saxophone quartet transforms into a demented machine built of squeaks and pops and other percussive sounds, which creates a cool beatbox atmosphere.
Inspired by Autobiography of Miles Davis in late eighties, Louis Andriessen creates Facing Death – the central piece of this program. The whole composition is one long development in Charlie Parker’s fast tempo. Originally written for strings, the saxophone version seemed to be a logical step since the early bebop and the art of Charlie Parker are the main subjects in this piece. Andriessen even uses quote fragments of Charlie Parker improvisations, as well as one original melody: Ornithology.
The second half of ‘’Piece of Cake’’ program consists of lighter repertoire for saxophone quartet such as June and July by Michael Torke – peaceful, transparent structures and harmonies, quasi minimalistic and very idyllic piece. Three Improvisations by Phil Woods bring the audience again into a jazzy mood and transforms the program into a jam session! Enjoy your ’Piece of Cake’!
Todos los fuegos el fuego
Composer: Maxim Shalygin
Title: “Todos los fuegos el fuego” 1, based on the eponymous book by Julio Cortázar
Instrumentation: 8 saxophone players
Year: 2019
Duration: 70’
Ensemble: Saxophone Octet (co-work between two extraordinary saxophone quartets Amstel Quartet & Keuris Quartet)
Commissioner: November music and Dag in de Branding festivals with financial support of the Fonds Podiumkunsten.
"Todos los fuegos el fuego” constitutes a mysterious and exciting link between music and literature. The project brought together two prominent Dutch saxophone quartets - Amstel Quartet & Keuris Quartet. Never before have two saxophone quartets worked together on a piece of such length and complexity.
For the second chapter of the life-long Similar cycle (where the first one is: “Lacrimosa or 13 Magic Songs” for 7 violins) , Shalygin draws inspiration from “Todos los fuegos el fuego”, arguably the most enigmatic book by the great Cortázar. All short stories in this collection share an exit into a parallel, magic reality, sometimes near to ours, sometimes strikingly different from it. Their forms provoke peculiar musical dramaturgic solutions, whereas an abundance of pseudo-musical forms enables for the creation of a unique atmosphere, using an enlarged variety of performance techniques.
Suite’s overall structure consists of eight parts, performed by eight saxophone players — as many as there are stories in the book (and syllables in its title, which, incidentally, sounds like a saxophone phrase by itself). The saxophone is chosen for a reason, since, for all his knowledge and passion for music, jazz claimed the most of Cortázar’s attention. Jazz, and accordingly the sound of the saxophonewas his muse and constant presence in many of his most well-known fiction. Moreover, the saxophone is involved in many mystical moments in music, literature, and, last but not least, cinema.
“Todos los fuegos el fuego” is a musical cycle that immerses the listener for one hour in a mystical act, sparking off the imagination and opening up unknown emotional conditions.
SPECTRUM
Georg Friedrich Haas - Saxophone Quartet (2014)
Alexey Retinsky - DUDA (2019)
Maxim Shalygin - Insane Dances (2016)
Tristan Keuris - Saxophone Quartet (1970)
In Spectral music, only the sound must serve as a basic material for the piece, as composer Gérard Grisey explains: “We are musicians and our model is the sound, not the literature, sound, not the mathematics, sound, not the theater, visual arts, theory of quanta, geology, astrology or acupuncture.” To summarize, we can say that composers of spectral music are the musicians of the sound and not of the note. In the center of this program KQ performs a masterpiece by Georg Friedrich Haas – Saxophone Quartet (2014). This piece is a great example of spectral music, in which Haas shows a wide range of microtones on saxophones and pushes the limits of harmonic overtones. Following a great spectral music tradition in Austria, the Vienna based composer Alexey Retinsky (b. 1984) writes DUDA (2019) – a saxo- phone quartet in which combines spectral elements with tonal, and folklore with modern style.
Commissioned by Gaudeamus Festival and premiered in Singapore by Keuris Quartet in 2016, ‘’Insane Dances’’ by Maxim Shalygin goes beyond the saxophone sound in its traditional sense. With its spectral central part based on multiphonics, this energetic piece invites the listener to join an exciting, provocative, ‘’insane’’ sound experience: Morse code, beatbox, free jazz.
Passione Alternativa
Elisabeth Hetherington | soprano
Marcel Wierckx | visuals
Program:
Gavin Bryars - Alaric I or II (1994)
Claudio Monteverdi - Lamento della Ninfa (1638)
Alan Swanson - Equale per quattro sassofoni. Tre frasi di Dante (2015)
Claudio Monteverdi - Pianto della madonna (1640)
Tristan Keuris - Saxophone Quartet (1970)
Maxim Shalygin - Blessing (2018)
Barbara Strozzi - L’Usignuolo (1644)
Live music is back! Passione Alternativa allows the audience to experience the Dutch tradition of the passions under a completely new light within a small scale setting. Visual artist Marcel Wierckx creates fascinating visual landscapes that react to the music and create another layer of perception. It is an interaction between old and new, voice and saxophones, music and visuals.
The program consists of a selection of pieces from the following composers: Tristan Keuris, Gavin Bryars, Alan Swanson, Maxim Shalygin, Claudio Monteverdi, Barbara Strozzi.
This project is made possible with the support of the Fonds Podiumkunsten.