Writing for Saxophone - Call for Composers

Following the success of the first three workshops for horn, violin and clarinet, Composition:Today announces a new workshop for composers interested in writing for the Saxophone, scheduled for September 2007. We are looking for short extracts (not necessarily finished works) , exercises testing out a particular technique, or can even be just a question (eg. How high can you comfortably trill?), or they might be short pieces (1 page max).

Composers may write for Soprano (preferred), Alto, Tenor, or Baritone (Baritone only if demand allows).

The session will be recorded by top UK Saxophonist, and founder of the Lunar Saxophone Quartet, Joel Garthwaite, and performed extracts and examples will be available to the public on the C:T site at a later date.

By sending in your work you grant us a permanent license to use a recording of the extract on the CompositionToday website. On your entry please state whether you wish the extract to remain anonymous or not if it is published on the C:T site. Anyone may send in an extract or a question, but priority will be given to CompositionToday members. Whilst we do hope being able to perform most extracts, we do not guarantee that all entries will be performed.

Even if you are not writing a piece at the moment, why not send in a few bars as an experiment!

Deadline for entries: 17 Aug 2007

Please send your question, or a digital copy of your extract (Sibelius or Finale) to

or by post to:
Red Balloon
PO BOX 850
St Albans
AL1 9BE
United Kingdom

About Joel Garthwaite, Saxophone

Joel Garthwaite graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2006 and continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tutelage of John Harle and Christian Forshaw with the aid of EMI�s Music Sound Foundation.

Joel�s current performance work is centered on the award winning Lunar Saxophone Quartet, his duo with pianist Jennifer Scarisbrick and his collaboration with multi award winning percussionist Dave Danford.

Over the last five years Joel has performed to distinguished names such as The Queen, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Richard Attenborough at venues including The Warehouse (Waterloo), The Barbican Centre, Wales Millennium Centre, and St. David�s Hall.

Strongly committed to introducing new repertoire to the pre-existing list of saxophone music, Joel has commissioned over 10 new pieces with the Lunar Saxophone Quartet since their formation in 2003 culminating in the albums �FLUX� and� Just Around the Next Corner� both due for release in Spring 2008.

With Dave Danford, Joel has developed a set of original repertoire for saxophone and percussion by living composers. The Duo performs regularly throughout the UK and has a strong workshop based education programme.

Joel is also in demand as a teacher of the saxophone and currently teaches at London�s prestigious Grubser�s in Mayfair and for Kent Music Service.

Other current projects include;

Lunar Saxophone Quartet � www.lunarsax.co.uk
Entr�acte (String Quartet and solo saxophone) - www.soundaffairs.co.uk
Ludwig (A tribute to Beethoven through music and film) - www.soundaffairs.co.uk
The Dave Stapleton Orchestra � www.davestapleton.com
Welsh National Opera � www.wno.org