The Berlage Saxophone Quartet (BSQ) is seen as an advocate of a new generation of saxophone quartets that gives this discipline a strong position in the world of classical music. What stands out is the unique combination of musical depth and refinement, combined with an appealing presentation in which other disciplines enhance the musical message.
The quartet consists of Lars Niederstrasser (soprano saxophone), Peter Vigh (alto saxophone), Juani Palop (tenor saxophone) and Eva van Grinsven (baritone saxophone). Peter Vigh is also the quartet’s arranger and composer, whose qualities are gratefully and frequently made use of.
Founded in 2008 in the class of Arno Bornkamp at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, they won the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb (2011), the Dutch Classical Talent Award (2013) and the Kersjes Prijs (2015). Striving for the highest possible level of playing in chamber music, they took lessons with one of the best string quartets in the world, the Artemis Quartett in Berlin.
Their two albums SaxoFOLK and In search of freedom, released by the German label MDG, received much acclaim from both the national and international press.
“The Berlage Saxophone Quartet’s playing is phenomenal and they create an exceptional richness of sound with just saxophones.” (Luister)
The BSQ produces concerts, shows and videoclips for which they cooperate with writer-storyteller Jan Brokken, music theatre group Via Berlin, light design artists as Blauwe Uur and film director Sander Burger.
Convinced of the quality of the saxophone quartet as a powerful and contemporary messenger of layered classical music, the BSQ plays music that up to this day has a current emotional value, from Renaissance to contemporary music.
Photo credit: Sarah Wijzenbeek
