Rob Buckland - Saxophonist

Check out this fantastic new recording by the Michael Nyman Band with singer/songwriter David McAlmont. I was lucky enough to be asked to play on this CD, which we recorded in London in July 2009, and released in November 2009 (I play Alto Saxophone throughout). David wrote some incredible lyrics and melodies to go over the top of some of Michael's existing music, and the results are generating a real buzz - there's apparently talk of a Mercury Prize nomination, and the reviews are all excellent.

I've been invited to present a weekend of workshops in Winchester (in the Undercroft of Winchester Cathedral) and then an evening solo recital, accompanied by pianist Tim Carey, at the United Church, Jewry Street, Winchester - this is a public recital, so come along even if you're not part of the workshops. I don't get to perform in the south nearly as much as I'd like, so I hope you can make it along.  I'm playing a whole variety of music, some new, some from my CDs, and some new arrangements too.

Welcome to the new and updated robbuckland.com. I’ve been working on this re-design with Caroline Tresman from www.knowledge.co.uk for months now, (she’s looked after my website from the beginning in 2003) and finally have everything looking as I want it. There’s loads more to do now, with lots of sound and video clips, and a much more comprehensive page of my recordings, and publications, all linked to astute-music.com, all in all a much more interactive website.

A couple of real out of the ordinary events in the last week - over the weekend I was working in the amazing band playing for the Royal Variety Performance, which featured artists such as Chaka Khan, Anastacia, Lulu, Michael Buble, Mika, Alexandra Burke, Diversity, Bette Midler, Katherine Jenkins, Lady Gaga and many more.

Last Sunday, the 15th Nov 2009, was the RNCM’s 9th Saxophone Day. And once again we had an amazing turn out! 250 saxophone players from across the UK took part in what is now the UK’s largest annual saxophone gathering, which featured concerts by the amazing french virtuoso Vincent David, jazz funk and pop virtuoso Simon Willescroft, Carl Raven and his new improvised project, the National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain and the RNCM’s own Saxophone Orchestra. An extraordinarily varied day with something for everyone.

Last night I was lucky enough to perform John William’s “Escapades” from Catch Me if You Can, with the incredible City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) conducted once again by John Wilson at Birmingham’s wonderful Symphony Hall. What a career highlight to stand in front of such a great orchestra in that acoustically stunning venue and perform such a great piece of music! There are some sound clips of the performance I gave with the RLPO in Feb 09 on the Watch & Listen page.

I’m in the middle of a tour with Opera North performing Jules Massenet’s beautiful opera “Werther”, which contains one of the very first orchestral Saxophone parts ever written. The piece was completed in 1879, just 33 years after the Saxophone was invented.

Harrogate Saxophone Summer School: Just got back from another great course working with some great people - always a pleasure to meet so many sax players from around the country, coming together for a weeks saxophonic fun!

Played at the Colourscape Festival on Clapham Common in September - what an amazing structure! If you ever see this touring, you should experience it - each cell is saturated in natural light, filtered through the colour of the material of each cell - so you have totally blue rooms, red rooms, and then long corridors moving from one colour to the next, and contemporary music being played live (this time by a group of eight saxophonists) to confuse and stimulate your senses!!!

Just returned from my International Saxophone Summer School in Woldingham - such a beautiful setting, and as always a great group of saxophonists, from all corners of the country, and from all backgrounds. I was joined for the 2nd year running by Dave O'Higgins, working on all things jazz, and Fiona Asbury assisting me all week on the classical course. Check out the info and links on the Summer School tab (sub section of the Educator tab on the menu bar).

Photo: Rob and Dave soloing on the jazz night at Woldingham 09.