Encontros by Fernando Valente & The Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet

(1997) Encontros: Fernando Valente com Quarteto de Saxofones de Amesterdão
Encontros: Fernando Valente & The Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet
:.Convergence
Portugal
Summer 1989

It all started one evening when the Aveiro Saxophone Quartet were playing in Coimbra.

Henk van Twillert, the baritone saxophonist of the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet was sitting in the audience. After the concert, Henk and the Aveiro Saxophone Quartet had a chat, a conversation that was to have many consequences …

In 1990 the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet visited Portugal for the first time, invited by Fernando Valente and the Aveiro Conservatory, to give a saxophone course. Besides the course, The Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet gave concerts in several cities and took part in radio and television programmes with Fernando Valente as a soloist.
The saxophone course, the concerts and recordings were all successful and so, enthusiastically, they decided to strengthen their co-operation. In 1990, 1994 and 1996 Fernando Valente visited Holland where he appeared with the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet and the quartet returned to Portugal in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1995. The evolution of saxophone in Portugal owes much to the courses given by the quartet. Over the years the Amsterdam saxophone Quartet has played in many Portuguese cities together with Fernando Valente (Lisbon, Oporto, Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, etc.) They also taken part in several radio and television programmes.
The culminations of these years of co-operation in this CD. It crowns the friendship and respect built up amongst the five saxophonists.


:.Fernando Valente
Fernando Valente Studied at the Aveiro and Lisbon Conservatories. He first studied violin, then saxophone, piano, harp and advanced composition. In 1981 he concluded his saxophone studies at the Aveiro Conservatory under Fernando Rainho, gaining the highest marks. Afterwards he continued his music studies in the areas of composition and saxophone, taking several courses on composition in Portugal and Spain. He continued his saxophone studies with François Daneels and Ed Boggard in Belgium, with Daniel Deffayet in France, with the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet in Holland, and with this quartet and the Rascher saxophone Quartet and Daniel Deffayet in Portugal.
Over the last few years he has attend the contemporary music encounters at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, violin, ensemble and pedagogy of musical education coursesand composition, musical analysis and music therapy seminars.
As a teacher at the Aveiro Conservatory since 1985 he has taught saxophone, analysis, composition techniques and ensemble classes. He also belongs to the committee responsible for the artistic activities of the Aveiro conservatory.
He founded the Aveiro Saxophone Quartet in 1986, with whom he has given concerts in Portugal, Spain and France and also made recordings for radio and television. In 1989 he reated the Aveiro Conservatory Light Orchestra. In 1993 the Aveiro Saxophone Orchestra, and in 1995 the Aveiro Big Band. He is a member of the artistic board of the “Encontros com Musicas” (Musical Encounter) that takes place in Aveiro Annually.
Since 1990 he has organized saxophone courses in Portugal under the direction of the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet, with whom he has performed in several recitals and televisions programmes as soloist.
Since 1993 he has been organizing Jazz workshops in the Aveiro conservatory under the Carlos Martins Quartet; in 1995 the direction passed on to famous double-bass Player Zé Eduardo. Fernando Valente has given several recitals and taken part in various radio and television programmes as saxophonist. Together with the Coimbra Wind Ensemble he has played in France, Belgium, Luxemburg and Poland. He has been the pedagogical Director of Agueda Conservatory since 1994.




The Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet

You would not believe what four saxophones can do!
The unlimited power of expression of the saxophone has always been then starting point for the selection of the quartet’s repertoire. At times it is smooth and brilliant and other times dark and “misty” or sensual and exciting.
All these aspects find expression in the various methods of playing of this quartet and which can be heard in pieces by Glazounov, Florent-Schmitt and Rivier, representing the classical style, or in pieces by Meijering, Dikker and Ketting representing the contemporary Dutch repertory ( the entire repertory was composed orinally for the A.S.Q..
A large part of the repertoire consists in arrangements such as: “Puerto Rican SuitE”, “ Duke Ellington Suite”, “West Side Story”, “ An American in Paris”, “ Frank Zappa Suite”, and “ Jimmy Hendrix Suite”.
The A.S.Q. appears regularly with famous jazz, folk and classical music soloists.
In 1994 they recorded a CD in Co-operation with the famous Dutch violinist Jaap van Sweden, that included “An American in Paris” (G. Gershwin) and West Side Story” (L. Bernstein) both arranged by Henk Huizinga.
The ASQ has already recorded five CD’s. They have been in Concert tors through Germany, Belarus, Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal. From August 1996 they will be touring through Holland, Japan, USA, France and Italy.

Daphne Balvers – Sax Soprano
Studied with Henk van Twillert in the Sweelinck Conservatory, Amsterdam. Joined the QSA in 1993. Completed her studies with the highest marks in 1994. She is a member of the World Saxophone Orchestra. Plays regularly for theatre.

Rob Hauser – Sax. Alto

Studied in Utrecht with Ed Bogaard. Played an important part in the development of Modern Dutch Theatre, both as a saxophonist and an actor, with Hauser Orkater. Joined the quartet in 1985. Teaches Sax in the Music Conservatory of Bloemendal. Beside his work as a director for T.V. and theatre, he composes for television, opera, theatre, cinema and ballet.

Bart Kok – Sax Tenor
Studied with Ed Bogaard in the Amsterdam Conservatory. Created with Henk van Twillert the Amsterdam Saxophone Quartet in 1979. Teaches Sax in the Hilversum music Conservatory. Was head of programming for the Amsterdam Radio and plays regularly with the world saxophone Orchestra.

Henk van Twillert – Sax Baritone
Studied with Ed Bogaard on the Amsterdam Conservatory. Teaches Sax at this Conservatory and in Hilversum. Conducts in the Hilversum Saxophone Orchestra. As a soloist gives great exposure to the Baritone sax. December 1995 saw published his first CD solo, in collaboration with the chamber Soloist of Salzburg, with works of Astor Piazzolla. He has since been touring in Holland and Austria.

Henk van Twillert is a versatile saxophonist who plays his baritone, in such a way it goes through vaines and touches the soul! His genre is diverse; Classic, World Music, Jazz and many other styles are part of his oeuvre. Playing solo, with an orchestra, with the Vento do Norte Saxophone Ensemble, with the quartet or with the piano; in a small church or a city theatre, everything is possible.

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