Douglas Masek

Saxophonist Douglas Masek makes his Pacific Serenades debut on our season finale, Ode to Imagination, playing the premiere of Katisse Buckingham’s new work for alto sax and string quartet, Still Time.

Masek, whose performances and recordings have emphasized versatility in a wide range of musical styles, from classical and contemporary to jazz, is recognized internationally as one of today’s foremost exponents of his true passion-contemporary saxophone music. Having premiered dozens of compositions written for him, his concert tours have taken him all over the world, including throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and South America, and his discography includes seven CD solo collections: Distant Memories, Windwood, Recrudescence, Saxvoir Faire, Saxtronic Soundscape, Saxophone Alternative, and EclectSax. The latter three CDs, all on Centaur Records, feature compositions of Los Angeles composers, including Pacific Serenades composers Adrienne Albert, Bruce Babcock, Roger Bourland, and me.

I asked him why playing chamber music is important to him, and he told me:

As a saxophonist, I am continuously searching for quality music and for outlets to perform in a concert setting. Whenever I get the opportunity to play chamber music, I feel enriched by the intimacy of performing with great artists on a smaller scale and by the sounds they produce. It is very rewarding and challenging for me to “test my talents” in a chamber setting. I find the saxophone to be one of the most versatile wind instruments for its ability to change timbre-to create many colors, with a wide dynamic range-so it works beautifully in very different kinds of ensembles, including with strings, piano, brass, and other woodwinds.

And about his devotion to new saxophone music, he said:

Is has been my mission throughout my career to give listeners the opportunity to hear the saxophone in a concert setting. But good chamber music with saxophone is not very abundant. Since the saxophone is the youngest member of the orchestral family, we concert saxophonists missed out on music by the great composers of the 18th and 19th centuries. I find that composers of the 21st century and the late 20th century are more interested in writing for the concert saxophonist than ever before. Being part of music-making with new composers is exciting for me as a performer, as they are continuously searching for new techniques, sounds, and styles for-and from-the contemporary saxophonist.

And though he is new to Pacific Serenades as a performer, he had this to say about us:

I have known about the Pacific Serenades and its members for many years, but have never known them to feature a saxophone. To me, this is a landmark occasion. Not only will I be performing with one of the premiere chamber music groups in the country, but I will be premiering a new composition for string quartet and saxophone. I am honored to have been asked to play this concert and to be able to be a member, albeit for one piece, of this exciting ensemble.

We, too, are honored-to have Doug, with his remarkable artistry and beautiful, singing tone, joining us for this one-of-a-kind experience in chamber music.