Harborough’s Sax Orchestra Shortlisted For Top Award
Written by HFM News on 3rd September 2021
Harborough’s Pheonix Saxophone Orchestra have been shortlisted for a top award – the equivalent of an Oscar for live classical music.
It’s after they collaborated on-line with a sax orchestra in Scotland earlier this year to record an arrangement of the rousing march ‘Entry Of the Gladiators.’
They’ve jointly beaten off competition from projects across the UK to be shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Inspiration Award and now need people to vote on-line as they hope to pick up the trophy.
The RPS has also recognised other activities undertaken by the two groups over the past year, saying: “Phoenix recorded a Christmas single raising funds for the charity Voluntary Action South Leicestershire, held online workshops with their patron, renowned sax soloist Gerard McChrystal, and even remarkably increased their membership thanks to a committed, creative media campaign throughout the year.”
Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra’s Jane Smith, who plays soprano sax on the piece, said: “Being able to make music across borders in this way has been a real inspiration for all of us, and we are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen as joint nominees for this Award. We all put a lot of work into it – from arranging and rehearsing to recording and video production. We’ve learned so much along the way and it’s fantastic that the Royal Philharmonic Society has selected us for this honour. We now hope that local people will take a moment to vote for us on the RPS website and help put Market Harborough firmly on the musical map!”
For more information, please see phoenixsax.org.uk/RPS21 and, to cast your vote, please go to royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk. The deadline for votes is 11am on 30 September.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony at London’s Wigmore Hall on 1 November.
