Calefax is the inventor of an entirely new musical format: the reed quintet. The group is renowned in the Netherlands and beyond for its technical virtuosity, sparkling arrangements, and dynamic stage presence.

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An evening with Calefax is always a journey through styles, eras and genres. The players choose the most suitable sets and setting for each programme, while the presentation remains accessible with a touch of flair. They moderate the programme as they go, and

are available for questions afterwards.

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Over the years, their mission has remained unchanged: to push musical boundaries, and act as inspiration for new ensembles following in their footsteps. There is an evergrowing repertoire available for these new groups, making the reed quintet a nowpermanent

fixture in the musical landscape.

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After its inception in 1985, Calefax believed it had discovered the perfect instrumental combination: oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon. These five reed instruments blend to form a unique timbre, capable of breathing new life into a broad

spectrum of music from Bach to Duke Ellington, and from Debussy to Nina Simone.

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After one performance, The Times wrote: ‘Five extremely gifted Dutch gents who almost made the reed quintet seem the best musical format on the planet.’

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Repertoire

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As pioneers, these wind players have had to create their own repertoire, by arranging existing works and commissioning new ones. The arrangements, almost all by members of the group, now number almost a thousand and span eight centuries of musical

history.

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The sheet music for the most popular arrangements is published under the label Calefax Edition, to make it available for other reed quintets.

Calefax performs in all the world’s major concert halls and chamber venues, from the Herbst Theater in San Francisco and Wigmore Hall in London, to its own Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Calefax is keenly aware of its impact on the environment and the need

for sustainable entrepreneurship, and has imposed an environmental tax on all its flights.

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Collaboration

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Calefax regularly engages in collaborations. These include musical adventures with fellow musicians (such as pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, The United States Air Force Band and violinist Liza Ferschtman), as well as projects with artists from other disciplines,

such as cabaret performer Paulien Cornelisse and inventor Theo Janssen and his ‘Strandbeests’.

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Inspired by Calefax, over seventy reed quintets have now been formed worldwide, from Argentina to Japan. They are united via the International Reed Quintet Network, of which Calefax is the founder and ambassador. Calefax aids these groups by publishing sheet

music, organising workshops and masterclasses, and maintaining a public online platform: reedquintet.net.

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CDs

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The Calefax discography numbers 22 CDs and 2 DVDs, released by Pentatone in the Netherlands, MDG in Germany, and via their own label, Rioja Records. Without exception, they have received universal acclaim by both the Dutch and international press.

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On An American Rhapsody, Dutch daily paper NRC reported: ‘The beauty and fascination of the Calefax arrangements consists in their originality (…) not the faithful translation and imitation of the original, but rather the addition of something new, the tasting and discovery of new flavours in familiar music.’

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The Musicians of Calefax

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The members of the ensemble are: Oliver Boekhoorn (oboe), Bart de Kater (clarinet), Raaf Hekkema (saxophone), Jelte Althuis (bass clarinet) and Alban Wesly (bassoon). More information can be found at: https://calefax.nl/en/calefax/musici/

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Calefax is supported by the Performing Arts Fund NL, the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, and the Friends of Calefax.