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Saxophone Quartets: PULSE Quartet and Quartet Fiume

Concert details

Program

Danzón no. 5: “Portales de Madrugada” (1997) - Arturo Marquez (b. 1950)

Doublethink (2015) - Takuma Itoh (b. 1984)

Aus Holberg’s Zeit (1884) - Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
1. Prelude
2. Sarabande
3. Rigaudon

PULSE Quartet
Zachary Costello, Soprano Saxophone
Spencer Cox, Alto Saxophone
Owen Robinson, Tenor Saxophone
Michael Ethier, Baritone Saxophone

Italian Concerto BWV 971 (1735) - Johan Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) arr. Katsuki Tochio
III. Presto

Nocturne (2021) - Zhou Tian  (b. 1981)

Quartet for Saxophone (1932) - Alexander Glazunov  (1865-1936)
III. Finale

Unquiet Spirits (2012) - John Mackey (b. 1973)
I
II
III

Quartet Fiume
Nathan Salazar, Soprano Saxophone
Parker Fritz, Alto Saxophone
Owen Kilpatrick, Tenor Saxophone
Michael Keeler, Baritone Saxophone

Performers

PULSE is an internationally award-winning undergraduate saxophone quartet at Michigan State University studying under Professor Joseph Lulloff. Its mission is to deliver a diverse range of repertoire that will engage and inspire any audience while breaking down the proverbial barrier between the audience and the performer. This past summer, PULSE was artists in residence for the 2023 Manitou Music Festival in Glen Arbor, Mich. Previously, the quartet was artists in residence for the Interlochen Public Radio and the Sound Garden Project. PULSE was awarded first prize in the Performing Artist Division of the 2023 NOLA Chamber Festival Competition, won second prize at the 2022 Barbara Wagner Chamber Music Competition, and advanced as finalists in the 2022 Coltman Chamber Music Competition and 2022 North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Quartet Competition. In addition, PULSE has been internationally recognized, receiving 2ème Prix à l’unanimité in the Chamber Music Division of the 2022 International Music Competition. The ensemble has played for many esteemed musicians such as Branford Marsalis, members of Eighth Blackbird, Stacy Garrop, Christopher Creviston, h2 Quartet, and Taimur Sullivan. All members of the quartet value the kind of brotherhood and camaraderie that blossoms while playing chamber music.

Quartet Fiume is a newly formed saxophone quartet consisting of graduate students from Michigan State University: Nathan Salazar, Parker Fritz, Owen Kilpatrick, and Michael Keeler, studying with Professor Joseph Lulloff. Quartet Fiume’s members have previously been recognized in a number of national competitions, such as the NASA Collegiate Solo and Saxophone Quartet Competitions, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist and Chamber Winds Competition, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and the Coltman Chamber Music Competition. The ensemble is committed to expanding the capabilities of the saxophone quartet through diverse programming ranging from transcriptions, saxophone quartet standards, and new saxophone quartet music written within the past decade.