Calefax Reed Quintet

See Calefax on Youtube: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yshNl4X11oM"

"We tapped the feet too at the Pump Room concert by Calefax - five extremely gifted Dutch gents who almost made the wind quintet seem the best musical format on the planet." The Times

Dutch reed quintet, Calefax, established 25 years ago, is known for its virtuoso performances, innovative programming and engaging concerts. The quintet performs standing up, and always introduces itself and the programme to the audience. Most importantly, the five musicians arrange, recompose and interpret music from eight centuries to suit their unique line-up of oboe, saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet and bassoon: from early music, renaissance, baroque, and romantic works to jazz, or world premières.

So forget what you know about a traditional "wind" quintet, Calefax are a "reed" quintet and totally unique!

Calefax is recognized internationally for the quality of its ensemble playing, and has appeared widely throughout Europe, both in new music forums and in early music festivals. The ensemble has also collaborated with artists such as the Zapp String Quartet, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and mezzo-soprano Cora Burggraaf as well as jazz singers.

Their 2009 CD of their arrangements of Nancarrow's fiendishly difficult Studies for Player Piano was applauded by the press "A more beautiful, crazy, inspiring or amazing recording cannot reasonably be expected to appear in 2009". In 2010/11 they will release two new CDs, of their “Music Factory” childrens performance and of their reed orchestra project, in celebration of their jubilee season, involving a total of twelve top reed players.

Since joining Lomonaco Artists Calefax have extended their touring outside of their native Netherlands. Recent tours have taken them to China, UK, Sweden, Russia, Latvia, France, Spain, Italy and Japan.

The quintet’s Wigmore Hall debut in June 2009, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, led to an immediate re-invitiation for February 2011, and set the seal on their growing reputation in the UK. Summer festivals they visited in the UK in 2010 included Buxton, Swaledale, Chester and Cheltenham.

The 2010-11 season includes a series of performances of their new childrens show, "The Music Factory" in the Netherlands, their “Reed Orchestra” project consisting of Calefax plus seven other reed instruments, and international concerts in Ireland, UK, Spain, USA, Italy and beyond.

They return to the Wigmore Hall in February 2011 and April 2012.

Calefax are: Oliver Boekhoorn oboe, Ivar Berix clarinet, Raaf Hekkema saxophone
Jelte Althuis bass clarinet, Alban Wesly bassoon

http://www.myspace.com/calefax
http://www.last.fm:80/music/Calefax+Reed+Quintet