PARMA’s latest Featured Recording Opportunity invites composers to submit scores to be considered for recording, release, and live performance by the Milano Saxophone Quartet, an ensemble recognized for their musical cohesion, expressive color, and commitment to contemporary repertoire.
Approved works will be recorded at Studio Martínek in Prague, renowned for its superb acoustics, with option to record in Dolby Atmos immersive audio. A live concert will follow in Prague, featuring the ensemble, with logistical and promotional support all coordinated by PARMA.
Learn more about the opportunity and submit your music at the link below, and read to the end for an exclusive interview with the ensemble.
Active internationally since 2010, the Milano Saxophone Quartet has earned consistent praise for their ensemble unity and interpretative depth. As noted by Pizzicato, their recordings display “outstanding technical quality,” with performances that are “musical and vital” and serve contemporary repertoire with rare imagination.
We sat down with members of the quartet to learn more about their individual artistic journeys and musical experiences as an ensemble.
What drew each of you to the saxophone, and how does that shared passion come together in the ensemble?
Each of us came to the saxophone for different reasons, but what really brings us together is our passion for its sound and incredible versatility. It’s an instrument that can move easily between so many different musical styles, and that’s something we all connect with.
This shared passion really comes through in our work as a group. The quartet gives us the chance to dive into all kinds of projects : from original saxophone quartet repertoire, to arrangements of pieces written for other instruments, to musical theatre and new contemporary works.
How do you approach a brand-new score, and what’s your process for bringing unfamiliar music to life?
One of the best things about working on brand-new scores is getting to collaborate directly with the composers. It’s really important for us to understand their intentions, their musical language, and what they want to express through the piece. That initial conversation sets the foundation for an authentic interpretation.
Next comes the individual work, where each of us works the technical challenges and develops our own take on the music. Then, we come together as a quartet to shape a shared and coherent musical idea. Of course, if any tricky parts come up, whether during solo practice or group rehearsals, we don’t hesitate to talk to the composer and work with them to find solutions that stay true to their artistic vision.
Finally, we collaborate with the composer on the last details: we share our perspective on the piece and work together on the final tweaks to strike the right balance between respecting the score and allowing room for our own interpretation.
Is there an aspect of modern repertoire, and/or the voices of today’s composers, that particularly resonates with you as an ensemble?
What resonates most with us as a group is the creative collaboration with today’s composers. Having the opportunity to take part in the creation of a new piece and exchange ideas with the composer makes the role of the performer much more dynamic.
What are you most looking forward to hearing in the submissions to this Featured Recording Opportunity?
We think the most exciting part will be discovering how composers from different parts of the world will use the saxophone quartet to give voice to their unique musical worlds.
Featured Recording Opportunities Open New Avenues to Record Classical Music
PARMA leads initiatives year-round to curate and promote new classical music from a wide variety of today’s composers for recording or performance with top soloists and ensembles. Learn more about our Featured Recording Opportunities.