FAQ: Choosing Repertoire

We are so often asked about our repertoire selection process, and we love to share our ideas on picking the music we play!

Where do you start in choosing repertoire?

Our first step is to come up with a list of pieces that we have a desire to learn and perform. We believe the best performances are a product of enjoyment on stage. Next, determine who will be in the audience. Students, teachers, judges at a competition, friends and family? Everyone has different tastes, so tailor your program to fit that specific set of listeners!

Where do you find your music?

There are so many resources for discovering music in today’s multimedia world. A recommended list of standard repertoire for saxophone quartet exists on the Texas Prescribed Music List. This resource contains basic information regarding composer name, piece title, and difficulty.

We also find a lot on Youtube! Thousands of videos of saxophone quartet are one click away, so search for your favorite quartet, composer, or piece and see what new pieces you find along the way.

Facebook and Instagram always offer new information about the saxophone quartet. Follow many composers and quartets and see what new pieces they are posting about each day!

We are always listening to our friends perform, and when we hear something we like, we get the music so we can take a crack at it!

How do you pick a recital program?

Many factors go into selecting the right program. Our goal is to perform the perfect mix of music. You want a little bit of everything: traditional classics, contemporary music, transcriptions, something fast and exciting, something slow and beautiful, etc. Take the audience on a musical journey- don’t be a broken record!