As titles go, Concerto for Baritone Saxophone, Strings and You is an intriguing one.
Casting the baritone sax as leading man for a concerto and setting it loose among an ensemble of string instruments (not to mention the promise of audience engagement) in a contemporary classical format raises some exciting questions.
The concerto, written by Nicholas Russoniello, debuts at the Orange Chamber Music Festival on 10 March with the saxophonist-composer on the crest of a huge year. With two more concertos to premiere in 2023 (with the Metropolitan Orchestra and Steel City Strings), the genre is fast becoming a vehicle for him to explore the role of audience and performance.
Nick Russoniello. Image © Jacquie Manning.
Dedicated to the Orange Chamber Music Festival itself, Concerto for Baritone Saxophone will be performed by Jay Byrnes and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Ahead of its premiere, he talks to Limelight about what the work entails.
How did the work come together and what is it about?
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