The Hart Community Performing Arts Series will present the Sinta Quartet (SQ) in concert on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hart Public Schools Auditorium, located in the Hart Middle School at 308 W. Johnson St. in Hart.
“Virtuosic to the core” (Textura) and hailed as “a tight-knit ensemble exploding with power and virtuosity” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), the SQ is on a mission to bring the versatility, homogeneity and excitement of the saxophone to audiences everywhere. Strengthening an already palpable connection with its audience by performing entirely from memory, the quartet provides a fresh take on chamber music that is at once beautiful, virtuosic and a completely interactive experience.
Having performed in some of the world’s great halls, such as Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Hall and the Beijing Center for the Performing Arts, the SQ also injects music and fun into the air in nontraditional venues. Since forming in 2010 as soloists for a tour of China with the University of Michigan Symphony Band, the quartet has concertized in nine countries, 38 states, and two Canadian provinces, giving diverse audiences a chance to experience a classical saxophone quartet for the first time. The SQ made history in 2013 as the first saxophone ensemble to win the Victor Elmaleh First Prize from the Concert Artists Guild Competition and continued to achieve success on the competition circuit, winning the Gold Medal at the 2018 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, First Prize at the 2017 M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition, the Alice Coleman Grand Prize at the 2013 Coleman Chamber Music Competition and 1st Prize at the 2012 North American Saxophone Alliance Competition.
The quartet’s programming takes the audience on an adventure through time, geography and genre, often mixing classics from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries with commissions by today’s composers and rollicking in-house arrangements from various folk traditions. In addition to their live performances, the quartet recently released their third album, "Sinta Quartet Plays Beethoven," featuring three of his string quartets. The first two, "Collider" (2019) and "Ex Machina" (2020), included predominantly recent commissions and winning pieces from SQ’s annual National Composition Competition. "Collider" was hailed as, “An exciting ride! The ensemble, intonation and technique in this recording are beyond question” (The Saxophonist Magazine), and "Ex Machina" was praised as “tightly performed and flawlessly recorded in generous, in-your-face sound” (Musical America).
All four members of SQ are also passionate and dedicated teachers and relish the opportunity to play for and work with students of all ages. They carefully craft and curate programs designed for all levels of public school students and every type of community venue. They also run an annual saxophone quartet intensive for high school and college saxophonists called the Sinta Quartet Institute at the South Shore Conservatory in Hingham, Mass.
While Dan, Zach, Joe and Danny all grew up in drastically different parts of the country (N.Y., Texas, Mich. and Calif.), they met at the University of Michigan, where they studied with the legendary saxophone professor, Donald Sinta, and decided to name the group after him for the profound influence he had on each member and the inspired coaching he gave to the group during their student years.
Managed by General Arts Touring, Inc., SQ’s members are all Selmer-Paris Artists and perform exclusively on Selmer saxophones.
Tickets for this concert are available at the door or online at hartseries.org.
