The Delta Saxophone Quartet enters its 5th decade with an excitement and enthusiasm for exploring fresh creative opportunities viewed from new vistas, grounded by over forty years of existence.
The Deltas musical journey has taken many vibrant twists, shakes & turns often working with some of the UK’s leading contemporary composers such as Gavin Bryars, Mark Anthony-Turnage, Graham Fitkin, Steve Martland, Mike Westbrook, Hugh Hopper, Eleanor Alberga and Gwilym Simcock. Live recordings have been made for the BBC and for some of the most eclectic new music labels, Decca Argo, Clarinet Classics, FMR, Moonjune & Basho records. Performances on the International Stage in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, along with tours in Uzbekistan, Russia, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, The Netherlands and Germany.
The quartet enjoyed a ten year residency at Kingston University, London (2002-2012) and had a close relationship with Etnafest in Sicily. It now works with a dynamic creative hub of composers linked to the new music series, Late Music York, where many of its most recent projects have had their world première performances.
Following on from its 40th anniversary CD releases of Late Music, Late Music Digital & Songs of Ice And Snow in 2023/24 further new projects have been recorded and will be presented in the UK in the not too distant future: Hanging Around explores the creative and often surprisingly delicate world of the punk/new wave UK band The Stranglers; Abstract Truth is based on the iconic 1961 Impulse! release The Blues and the Abstract Truth by the brilliant jazz saxophonist & TV/Film composer, Oliver Nelson.
A Time To Build is currently still under construction. This a new 40 minute work by the composer Christopher Fox for saxophone quartet and the 8 part vocal ensemble Ex Corde. Seed funding is in place from the RVWT and a schedule of performances will be arranged for later in 2026/27.
This 5th decade will be no different for this vintage saxophone quartet. It will strive to record and present its programmes with vibrancy, energy and the creative force of new music.