Nigel Wood (Musical Director)

Nigel studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and later became one of its first teachers of saxophone. While he was still a student he founded the group Saxtet, which encouraged him to compose, arrange and later to publish new music for saxophones, resulting in the birth of Saxtet Publications.

SXP, as it is known, was established with the primary objective of developing and promoting new music for saxophone and is now internationally recognized as a leading specialist in the field. Many of its titles appear on exam syllabuses and it supplies most of the music used by the National Saxophone Choir. It has also become the main publisher of Nigel’s works, which have been performed and broadcast worldwide by leading figures such as John Harle and Gerard McChrystal.

Although publishing has occupied much of Nigel’s time until recently, the formation of the NSC has inspired him to turn more attention to composing again, and specifically to concentrate on writing for the neglected genre of large-scale sax ensembles.

Read more at Saxtet Publications

Keith Allen

Keith Allen was born and educated in London. Following his studies in several prestigious music conservatoires, he held various posts with Birmingham Education Department, finally from 1987 to 1992 being the Head of Music Service for the city. Keith is an experienced conductor and adjudicator who has been working with a wide range of orchestras, choirs and youth ensembles for a number of years. He has also been responsible for many premiere performances by British, American and European composers including Malcolm Arnold, Benjamin Britten, Philip Sparke, and Kit Turnbull, both in this country and abroad, and has worked with a number of distinguished international soloists.

Keith Allen is a Consultant Editor for Faber Music Ltd., Artistic Director of the National Concert Band Festival, Festival Manager of the 2004 London International Wind Band Festival and is a member of the National Executive of BASBWE. At the end of 2001, he spent a month conducting and promoting British music in Australia and will be returning to the USA in December 2003 to promote British music at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and also in May 2004 to conduct British repertoire in Minnesota, USA.

Keiron Anderson

Keiron Anderson was born in Aberdeen and studied trumpet and keyboard at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Whilst at the RNCM he started both a light orchestra and big band, and apart from playing in leading orchestras has become one of the most experienced and innovative conductors of wind groups in the country.

In 1994 Keiron took over from Frank Renton as musical director of the Yorkshire Wind Orchestra and has steadily brought it to its present level of excellence. He also includes the musical direction of the outstanding Harlequin Brass ensemble based in Sheffield and more recently has taken the Phoenix Concert Band in Leeds under his wing. He has also conducted one of his own works with the National Saxophone Choir at the Edinburgh Festival.

Keiron is a firm believer in the accessibility of all the music played under his direction even though some of it may be unfamiliar to the audiences. He is a consummate all-round musician experienced as a teacher, being head of Music at Ilkley Grammar school, musical director, performer, adjudicator and composer. All his efforts with his students, ensembles and audiences go to, in his own words "... no matter what else we do, we must get to the emotional content of the music and bring it to life for the audience ..."

Visit Keiron's website

John Robert Brown

John is a past chairman of the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain and a prolific author and composer. John has recently completed 'A Concise History of Jazz' for Mel Bay. His arrangement of The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba was performed by the Fairer Sax in the John Schlesinger film 'Madame Sousatzka'.

Rob Buckland

Rob Buckland is internationally acclaimed as one of the leading saxophonists of his generation. Appearing as concerto and recital soloist, in duos with pianist Peter Lawson and percussionist Simone Rebello, and with the Apollo Saxophone Quartet, Rob performs throughout the UK, Europe and Japan.

Alongside his busy performing schedule, Rob is Professor of Saxophone at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where, along with Apollo colleague Andy Scott, he has established what is regarded by many as the country's leading saxophone programme.

Visit Rob's website

Christian Forshaw

Christian Forshaw graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 1995 with a first class degree. He then began working with some of the world’s finest ensembles including the London Sinfonietta, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Philharmonia Orchestra. He has toured extensively with smaller ensembles including the Michael Nyman Band, The Endymion Ensemble, Icebreaker and the Composers Ensemble.

Christian is a member of the prestigious Notes Inégales directed by Peter Wiegold and was featured as soloist with the group in 2005 playing Donatoni's Hot. He has also made solo appearances with the Scottish Ensemble giving several critically acclaimed performances of Richard Rodney Bennett's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Strings and composed and performed in his chart-topping CD, Sanctuary.

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Chris Gumbley

Currently a tutor at Birmingham Conservatoire and also lectures in Jazz Composition at Birmingham University. He has produced a wide range of educational wind music for saxophone and clarinet. In addition to this composing career, Chris was a member of Saxtet between 1993-1998 and is in regular demand as a freelance player.

Read more at Saxtet Publications

John Harle

John Harle's name is synonymous with new and innovative musical ideas and projects associated with the saxophone. He is known for both his pioneering work as a saxophonist in concert halls and for his bold compositions; sensitively linking aspects of jazz, rock, classical music, electronics and opera.

John has created over 30 concert works and 40 film and television scores in addition to solo recordings of concerti by Debussy, Villa-Lobos and Glazunov (which have sold over 200,000 copies to date), plus interpretations of over 25 concerti written for his remarkable saxophone tone.

Harle has also been nominated for a variety of awards. He has won a Royal Television Society award (RTS) for his theme to BBC 1's Silent Witness, and received nominations for Defense of the Realm and Summer in the Suburbs.

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Kyle Horch

Born in 1964, Kyle Horch is one of Britain's leading saxophonists. After studying at Northwestern University (Chicago) with Frederick Hemke and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) with Stephen Trier, he was a prizewinner at numerous young artist competitions in Britain, the USA, and Europe. He made his London debut in 1989 on the Park Lane Group series. Since then he has performed as a soloist at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, British and World Saxophone Congresses, and numerous other venues in this country and abroad.

His two CD recordings on the Clarinet Classics label, ChamberSax and AngloSax, have received international praise from reviewers. He has also recorded John Carmichael's Aria and Finale for ABC Classics, and the 2006-7 Grade 8 Saxophone Syllabus for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Kyle's work as a freelance musician has involved him in performing across a wide range of orchestral, contemporary, chamber, and light music. He has worked with many well-known ensembles including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Royal Opera House, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony, London Musici, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Mistral and Paragon Saxophone Quartets, Carlos Bonell Ensemble, and Piccadilly Dance Orchestra. He is saxophone professor at the Royal College of Music in London, and has given masterclasses in Britain, Holland, Norway, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, and the USA.

Richard Ingham

Richard is an international saxophone soloist and has broadcast and recorded many items of the solo saxophone repertoire. He has presented masterclasses in conservatoires in the UK and abroad, and in his capacity as a jazz educator gives many workshops throughout the country. He is also a composer, and editor of the critically acclaimed Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone. Richard's role as the NSC's Principal Guest Conductor is part-funded by the University of St Andrews, where he is Visiting Professor of Music.

Gerard McChrystal

International recording artist and soloist Gerard McChrystal is Professor of Saxophone at Trinity College of Music, London and tutor at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff. He is constantly in demand as a soloist with some of the world's leading orchestras, and was the first person from UK/Ireland to be invited to give a concerto performance at the 2003 World Saxophone Congress.

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Sarah Markham

Sarah is a member of the internationally renowned Adelphi Saxophone Quartet, and is also in great demand as a soloist and freelance player. She also teaches at the junior department of the Royal College of Music and at the University of Huddersfield.

Ben Palmer

Ben graduated in 2003 with first class honours from Birmingham University, where he was also awarded an MPhil in composition. After studies at the Royal Academy of Music he is now pursuing a busy career as a freelance conductor. He is Musical Director of the Orchestra of St Paul's (Covent Garden), South West Essex Choir and Manor Light Opera, and regularly guest conducts ensembles such as Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra, Camden Chamber Orchestra and Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra.

Alistair Parnell

A graduate of the Royal College of Music, Alistair currently plays saxophone with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, the Tribune Saxophone Octet, the Equinox Sax Ensemble, the Northern Sax Quartet and is guest conductor of the Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra.

He runs a very successful private teaching business in Nottingham and is visiting Scholar of saxophone for Nottingham University. He is in demand as an accompanist and has adjudicated for the Royal College of Music, the Birmingham Conservatoire and abroad. He has a growing audience for his innovative recitals, and has released two solo albums.

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Andy Scott

Andy is a freelance professional saxophonist, composer and tutor of saxophone at the Royal Northern College of Music. He is also a member of the internationally acclaimed Apollo Saxophone Quartet and founder of the saxophone ensemble Sax Assault.

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Andy Tweed

Composer, performer and teacher Andy Tweed has worked with the RSC and many major symphony orchestras and repertory companies. Well known as a member of Saxtet, he also teaches at Birmingham Conservatoire and Guildhall Junior School.

Visit Saxtet's website

Karl Veen

Karl Veen studied the saxophone with Ed Bogaard. He studied in Groningen, Holland and did the HaFaFra course in addition to studying flute. In the 70's and 80's Karl taught the saxophone in the conservatoire of Enschede, Groningen and Leeuwarden.

Karl founded The Saxofoonorkest, The Saxophone Orchestra in 1990. He wanted to show the versatility of the saxophone.

Nowadays Karl is a music teacher at the School of Music in Holland. In the past he has held many workshops and study days for saxophone and ensembles. He hopes to continue these activities long into the future.

Karl arranges every type of music for saxophones, be it 2 saxophones or 268 saxophones. Karl also possesses many saxophones, for example the sub-contrabass tubax. He is a respected expert in the Saxophone World.