More than 50 players have taken part in a saxophone day with saxophonist Richard Ingham, a Yamaha artist.
The event – held on 26 June at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Hornchurch and supported by Yamaha – was organised by Anne Brown of the school’s music department and attracted musicians aged from nine to into retirement. Such was Richard’s approach that even beginners were happy to improvise in front of the rest of the huge band.
The day began with ‘The Great Tuning-Up’, when Ingham went to every single player to make sure they were all playing from the same starting point. A few exercises to ensure good posture followed before it was straight into the music.
Ingham worked through a series of pieces concentrating on tuning, tone and ensemble for the whole band. It was the first time many of the musicians had played in a full sax ensemble and, judging by the quality of their music-making, they obviously had a great time.
If improvisation is a skill many pianists shy away from, it seems to be musical bread and butter for the jazzer! Beginning with short rhythmic phrases building up to melodic fragments over a piano blues bass, all the players in this vast sax ensemble were asked to contribute.
Some courageous volunteers took part in a masterclass session where Ingham, encouraging and supremely musical, tutored five young players in a selection of their repertoire from Cool Camel to Milhaud’s Scaramouche. Players and audience alike learned much from his voice of experience as he discussed points of interpretation as well as tips on technique and all important tuning.
The day ended with a concert before an audience of families and friends, demonstrating exactly what can be achieved in a day’s work when you enjoy music-making under the guidance of such a friendly and musical expert.