David Larsen, the Instrumental Music Director for Spokane Falls Community College, and pianist John Conte, the accompanist for SFCC, joined E.J. Iannelli in the Spokane Public Radio performance space to talk about an October 27 concert of saxophone music and play some short works for solo sax and piano.
Larsen talked briefly about the music program at at SFCC as well as the events that it hosts, such as the upcoming concert featuring the Covert Ensemble. The ensemble is the saxophone duo of Dave Camwell and Kateřina Pavlíková. They'll be performing a mix of classical and original pieces for saxophone, and Larsen took the opportunity to recap his personal history with Camwell and summarize the saxophone's unusually colorful history as a classical instrument.
The all-saxophone Max Quartet will also perform at the same October 27 concert as the Covert Ensemble. Larsen is a founding member of the quartet, and he explained how they came together during the pandemic and some of the work that they've already recorded. The Max Quartet's first album was predominantly work by Japanese composers, including music from Kiki's Delivery Service and Cowboy Bebob.
Larsen (on baritone sax) and Conte performed three songs over the course of the interview: “Mélodie” by Simon Poulain, “If Thou Be Near” by Johann Sebastian Bach and “Élégie” by Joseph Edouard Barat.
The concert itself will be immediately preceded by a masterclass led by Camwell and Pavlíková.
The Friday, October 27 featuring the Covert Ensemble with the Max Quartet takes place at the Spokane Falls Community College Music Building (#15; 3410 W Whistalks Way) and starts at 7pm. The masterclass starts at 5:30pm.
For tickets and event details about that concert, visit the SFCC jazz website. And for more information on Larsen or the Max Quartet, head to his professional website.
