“As close to a religious experience as you could get without being in church.”
REVIEWS
“As close to a religious experience as you could get without being in church.” —L.A. Observed
"Quartet rocks the house [Headline] A true world-class act . . . It was the total package that wowed the audience. Every note of the evening was exquisite, and this team really knew how to put on a show . . . with a program that spanned the globe and musical styles . . . masters at working the crowd . . . brilliant fingerwork . . . With perfection of style, timing, and showmanship throughout the program, they had all dancing and frolicking right along with them . . . Bravissimo, maestri!” —Sarasota Herald Tribune
“Think you don't like saxophone quartets? Oh my, think again! . . . A revelation . . . knocked me out from the first notes.” —Monterey Peninsula Herald
“CONCERT A SELL-OUT [Headline] An overwhelming success . . . It was standing-room-only to hear an extraordinary performance by four of the top saxophonists on the international scene. The unsurpassed masters immersed the audience in an indescribable atmosphere . . . Ethereal and sensual sounds alternated with blazing virtuosity . . . The audience was conquered, and entranced, and they exploded in a standing ovation, demanding encore after encore—and were repeatedly satisfied.” —Il Corriere Adriatico
“Enthusiasm reached stratospheric heights for the Italian Saxophone Quartet . . . seductive and impassioned . . . a scintillating whirlwind of a performance, shifting from muscular sonorities to delicate wisps of sound . . . jaw-dropping virtuosity.” —Messaggero Veneto
“Never before have I heard anything quite as wonderful!” - Joe Harnell, four-time Grammy winning composer
“Boasts a notable career, and has placed itself squarely among the most interesting groups on the Italian musical scene, as much for the the originality of its instrumentation as for the unquestionable quality of its performance.” -Il Messaggero, Rome
“A perfect ensemble . . . spectacular . . . sure to be talked about.” -Gazzetta Del Sud
“Genuine and spontaneous performances.” -Bergamo Oggi
“There was musicality to burn-and technique likewise. Intense applause. They could have gone on playing for us all night.” -La Repubblica, Rome
“Secure intuition . . . mastery of their instruments . . . tight and well-blended ensemble.” -Il Tempo, Rome
“The long, heartfelt and extremely warm applause earned two encores.” -Il Resto Del Carlino
BIOGRAPHY
The Italian Saxophone Quartet was founded in 1982 by four saxophone soloists, close friends determined to join together to perform chamber music for saxophone at the very highest artistic level. Now nearing the thirty-year mark as a group, they have played to wide acclaim in more than 500 concerts in Italy (including the most important concert institutions), France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Japan, USA, Sweden, Lebanon, Bermuda and Russia. The quartet's concerts have been recorded and broadcast by the Italian RAI-Radio 1 and RAI-Radio 3 as well as by Swedish, German, Japanese and American national radios.
The quartet has won a number of important chamber music competitions including the unanimous First Prize, plus a special prize, at the prestigious “Premio Ancona” in Italy.
Among their important projects, in 1999 the quartet performed Berio's work “Outis” with the Symphony Orchestra of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala. They recently appeared as soloists with the Malipiero Symphony Orchestra in works by P. M. Dubois and A. Piazzolla, and collaborated with the Fonè String Quartet on the creation a new arrangement of the Art of the Fugue by J.S. Bach for string and saxophone quartets, which was premiered at the XXII International Chamber Music Festival in Asolo.
Since 2002 the ISQ's annual tours of the United States have brought them to New York City (where they showcased at the annual Arts Presenters Conference), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and other venues in California, Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Idaho and Alaska.
Recent international activities include concerts at the Bermuda International Festival, the Alicante Festival (Spain), the Oleg Kagan Musikfest in Munich (Germany), the Palaces of St. Petersburg Chamber Music Festival (Russia), and the Al Bustan Festival in Beirut (Lebanon).
Highlights of their discography include two CDs on the Delos label and a CD of contemporary music on the Pentaphon label.
“Secure intuition . . . mastery of their instruments . . . tight and well-blended ensemble. ”
PRAISE FROM PRESENTERS
“Federico and all ISQ are a major class act—not just unbelievably talented.”
—Julie Williamson, Yamaha-St. Martha Concert Series, Miami, FL
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"The Italian Saxophone performance was a huge success! Everyone loved them, giving them 2 standing ovations. They are great entertainers as well as fantastic musicians. It was a delight getting to know them. What wonderful people! Grand County would love to have them return!"
—Judy Baxter, Grand County Concert Series, Colorado
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“The concert was fantastic! Everything about it was wonderful. The musicians had just come from theatres with 1,500 and then 1,000 . . . so to come to a small theatre with 250 people — WOW was it terrific! The four of them had such a great time on stage. Not only was their playing impeccable, but their musicianship, their choice of repertoire, their stage presence, and their communication with the audience was superb! They did a lot of ‘funny’ little things like putting a banana down the bell of the tenor sax, etc. Also, the San Diego Chargers were playing their play-off game at the same time as the concert and I told the musicians about this. The game was over by the time we got to the intermission, and so when the musicians came back on stage, they mentioned the fact that they knew there was a game going on today and they hoped that San Diego would win. Well . . . the audience yelled out, ‘We lost!’ Marco and Marzio then proceeded to put their arms around each other and said, ‘Oh, then we cannot play, we just cannot play,’ and they proceeded to walk off stage arm in arm with their heads down. Then finally the bass sax went around the shell and brought them back out and they had their heads down saying, ‘Oh, how can we play . . . how can we play.’ It was really hysterical. Everyone had a great time!
—Brenda Montiel, Fallbrook (CA) Performing Arts
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“Great reaction! One of the best of the season. They were much fun and their musicianship unsurpassed.”
—Stan Dean, Lyceum Director, Pensacola State College
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“It was fabulous . . .By the end of the concert, the audience was completely enwrapped and carried away . . . The audience's enthusiastic response wasn't just emotional, as our organization received money donationsand the quartet sold almost all of the CDs they had brought with them.
I fear that after such a wonderful performance we all will go out of business, as it will be really hard to find another group that will be able to compare.
It was an immense pleasure to invite "i ragazzi" to play and for dinner afterwards. We all had a very good time together. Many thanks for making all these beautiful things happen.”
—Raffaele Montuoro, Friends of Music, Texas A & M University / Community Concert Series
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“What a tremendous success yesterday's concert was! We had a huge turn-out, and everyone enjoyed the concert immensely . . . They are so obviously consummate virtuoso musicians, but delightful and charming performers as well, able to walk the tightrope between serious music played with subtlety or passion, and lighter music played with wit and humor. In other words, they pleased our entire audience from connoisseurs of chamber music to those out for a fun afternoon of musical entertainment, without straying from the essential values of the music they played so beautifully. Every piece was a gem, and I am hard-pressed to select a favorite. Any program that ranges from Barber's Adagio to Rota's Passerella can only be a disaster or a triumph—and they definitely triumphed, making it look completely natural and easy!
They were very easy to work with, and interacted warmly with the audience. Our dinner afterwards turned into a joyful celebration of Italy and Marco's birthday—I hope they enjoyed it as much as wedid! They seemed to be having fun.
Their concert truly was one of the best HCCA has had in recent memory, and we are eager for a return visit. They would be a terrific season-opener; any chance they will tour California with a new program in October of 2014? If so, we would love to invite them back to open our 2014-15 season!
I am so pleased with the success of this concert, and only wish we'd had more CDs to sell - the ones they brought with them were snapped up immediately.”
—Diane Mitchell, Director, Hemet Community Concert Association
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“They were fantastic. Everyone loved them. They are very nice people as well as great performers.“
—Harvey Greenblatt, University of New Orleans, Director, Graduate Program in Arts Administration
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"Their years of playing together really show—they play as one. So sensitive and colorful and they bring out so much personality from the music they play. My students thought it was one of the best concerts they ever heard."
—David Henderson, saxophone teacher, University of the Pacific
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“The Italians were great. They received three (possibly 4) standing ovations. We loved them. Their skill was obvious and choice of music varied and interesting but even more than that, they had a good time themselves during their performance and that was transmitted to the audience. Afterwards they mingled with the audience, signed autographs, and were all around great guys . . . they were a dream to work with; gracious, charming, fun, appreciative. If only all the artists I work with during a concert season were that down to earth. We would love to have them back again in a few years.
—Gail Marshall, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL
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“Standing Ovation! They were great. Thanks for bringing them to us!”
—Brett Gibbs, Cedarhurst Concert Series, Mt. Vernon, IL
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“We loved the saxes, and we loved Federico, Marco, Mario, and Massimo. They are really good guys, and consummate musicians. What a concert! Our audience loved them.”
—Steve Gannon, Sun Valley (ID) Artist Series
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“Featuring the soprano saxophone master Federico Mondelci, the quartet presented a delightful program of classical, blues, contemporary and of course Piazzolla’s tangos. The quartet’s flawless performance was entertaining for hardcore classical music fans and yet reached the more novice concert goer—which is just what we wanted. Having presented and listened to many American sax quartets it was amazing to hear how much more sublime the ISQ sounds. The uniqueness of their instrumentation and the unquestionable quality of the performance teamed with creative programming is a winning combination.”
—Corby Skinner, Dir. Alberta Bair Theatre, Billings, MT
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“They were absolutely fantastic and the audience adored them. Truly elegant playing, and wonderful people as well. Many thanks!”
—MaryAnn Bonino, Director, Da Camera Society, Los Angeles
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“Three standing ovations - of course. We loved them! Great musicians and a wonderful show! Thanks for being our best agent. Program and clip on the way to you already.”
—Jack Bell, Gainesville (Georgia) ProMusica
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“They were a smash. Charming, as you might expect from quatro Milanesi!”
—Sam Kamilos, Sacramento Community Concert Association
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“They were wonderful - we all had a great time, and the audience LOVED them!”
—William Vestal, Los Angeles County Museum “Sundays Live” Series
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“The Quartet performed beautifully. Many audience members were extremely complimentary and they also had a great time.”
—Bill Schuck, Bishop, CA Community Concert Association