Projects
A selection of recent programs celebrating the versatility of the saxophone.
Any questions/suggestions? Contact me at nielsbijl(AT)gmail.com
Celestial Cravings
Is all human suffering a direct result of uncontrolable celestial craving?
The art and music of JacobTV
Dutch ‘avant pop’ composer JacobTV (Jacob ter Veldhuis, 1951) is considered an ‘outlaw’ in new music, whose work ‘makes many a hip-hop artist look sedate’ (Wall Street Journal).
A selection of JacobTV's best Boombox and Multimedia works for saxophone quartet, with the world premiere of his brand new work NUTS, a reflection on the brutal police murder of George Floyd and the global BLM movement.
With Sara Beale, Niels Bijl, Shannon Ebeling, Michael Lichnovsky and a video introduction by JacobTV
Ensemble CANE
Chris Healey - Composer
Adam McMillan - Piano
Niels Bijl - Saxophones
Eliza Shephard - Flute
CANE, hailed as the best new music ensemble, focusing on brand new music by Australian composers.
Teaming up with flautist Eliza Shephard and pianist Adam McMillan, instigated by composer Chris Healey. An initiative to find, create, re-create and promote Australian chamber music for sax flute and piano. Beautiful musical discoveries by Katy Abbott, Andrew Howes, Kym Dillon and Luke Severn, paired with a brand new work by Chris Healey. As an added bonus, come and experience the fascinating, haunting poetry of Stephen Cane, in Luke Severn’s 7 movements of “and other lines”.
Chant du Saxophone Ténor
Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata is a fine example of music written for a particular instrument, but immediately gaining popularity in numerous arrangements for different instruments. The Tenor Saxophone turns out to be incredibly multi-facetted, with an ability to shine a new light on romantic masterpieces. This program features Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata, Schumann's Adagio un Allegro, Glazunov's Chant du Ménestrel and other works.
With Brian Chapman, Piano.
Unbelievably Baroque
Combining the saxophone and harpsichord is an act of genius (review)
Numerous editions of baroque music have prefaces indicating that all music is written for diverse instruments. Combining saxophone and harpsichord would therefore be standard practice, was it not that we had to wait until 1840, when Adolphe Sax patented his precious invention, the saxophone. Duo de Fesch focusses on bringing new light to great masters (Händel, Vivaldi, Bach), but most importantly introduce lesser known composers such as Willem de Fesch, Philidor, Dornel and Sammartini.
With Peter Hagen, Harpsichord.
The Sky Below
Solo Telemann Fantasias, interspersed with new works for tenor saxophone.
More than ten years in the making, and first premiered in Australia during one of Niels' many visits to Australia.
Niels' interest in Telemann's solo fantasies started almost three decades ago, when he started his collaboration with master recorder player Ronald Moelker. For many years Niels has been an advocate for new repertoire for tenor saxophone, and this program is a non-stop collage of fantasies mixed with new music by both Australian and Dutch composers such as Folkert Buis, Nicholas Russoniello, Tini Thomsen, Jan Menu and Martin Kay.
Brahms and other Cats
Hard to believe, but it's an actual question in the Dutch version of Trivial Pursuit: which composer was well known for shooting at stray cats with bow and arrow? Answer: Johannes Brahms.
Only quite recently this famous composer was finally cleared of a vicious rumour of being an infamous cat-slayer. Turns out it was fellow composer Richard Wagner, who spread the rumours out of sheer dislike of Brahms' music (and success?).
Master pianist Michael Leslie is a huge admirer of Brahms' clarinet sonata in E flat Major, and is convinced that the piece will come to life even more in a version for alto saxophone and piano. Interested? Have a listen, decide for yourself.
With Michael Leslie, Piano.