The UNC Charlotte Department of Music Faculty & Friends Series will feature a performance by the Oasis Saxophone Quartet at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts, Belk Theater.
Founded in 2006, the Oasis Quartet has been praised for its live performances, as well as for its innovative and creative clinic and concert programming. In a review of the quartet’s 2011 album, Allmusic wrote, “The Oasis Quartet performs with impeccable technique and intonation, and the players have a sweet, pure tone.”
The quartet’s members —Nathan Nabb, James Bunte, Dave Camwell and James Romain—are highly regarded concert artists in their own right, appearing regionally, nationally and internationally as chamber musicians, clinicians, orchestral musicians, solo recitalists and adjudicators. They can be heard on the Teal Creek, Centaur, Amp Recordings and Mark Custom labels and in performances with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as a number of regional orchestras.
As an ensemble, Oasis is dedicated to the exploration, preparation, and presentation of important contemporary works for saxophone quartet, while retaining a strong foundation in standard and transcribed repertoire. The Oct. 1 concert includes Nabb’s arrangement of Philip Glass’s “String Quartet No. 3.” Originally composed for and performed by the famous Kronos Quartet, the work is drawn from Glass’s film score to a documentary about the Japanese writer and activist Mishima. Original works for saxophone quartet include the 2007 work “Every Thing Must Go” by New York City composer Martin Bresnick, which pays homage to Steely Dan and Bresnick’s teacher György Ligeti.
Tickets, which are $9 for general admission; $7 for UNC Charlotte faculty, staff, alumni and senior citizens; and $6 for all students; can be purchased online or by calling the Robinson Hall Box Office at 704-687-1849.
This concert is the second of the Music Department’s Faculty & Friends 2013-14 concert season.