Andy Scott is busy preparing for the second Sandbach Saxophone Weekend, which will take place on 4 and 5 July at Sandbach School.
There are still a few places remaining on this tailor made new course, which is suitable for adult saxophonists and young people alike, with a minimum level of Grade 3. As last year, there will be an enjoyable programme of workshop sessions in a friendly, supportive environment, including Andy’s popular SaxAssault workshop, his Access All Areas introduction to improvisation for non-jazz musicians, and a range of small and large saxophone ensemble sessions. Andy will also give an insight into his works for ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall saxophone exams. 
A special feature of this year’s event will be performances by Australian saxophonist Erin Royer and the RNCM and Queensland Conservatorium Saxophone Orchestras. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear these world class players, and to share the stage with them in a massed saxophone spectacular to round off the weekend.
With over 20 years in music education, Andy Scott has earned a reputation as a gifted teacher. As versatile an educator as he is a performer and composer, Andy’s wide ranging music interests and experience enable him to teach across classical, jazz and contemporary styles.
The Sandbach Saxophone Weekend is run in collaboration with the Love Music Trust and sponsored by Selmer Paris, Vandoren and Astute Music. 
Click to view details of the Sandbach Saxophone Weekend on the Love Music Trust website
Click to visit the Educator section on this website for more information about Andy’s education work
Click to visit the websites for Selmer Paris, Vandoren and Astute Music

Andy Scott will be launching an exciting new purpose-designed product for saxophonists this summer. 
Libero is the world’s first and only adjustable saxophone sling spacer, and has been developed by Andy Scott in collaboration with engineer Ian Sanger. By preventing a traditional sling from constricting the sides of the neck, Libero enables players to free up their breathing, thereby achieving a better sound. This can transform a saxophonist’s playing for a relatively small investment.
Libero has the flexibility to be used with any saxophone sling, making it ideal for players who prefer to use different slings for different sizes of saxophone. It can be used with players’ existing favourite sling(s), removing any need to adapt to a different style of sling, and can even be adjusted while playing. Although designed for the saxophone player, Libero is equally suitable for clarinet players who choose to play with a neck sling.
Libero is a stylish high quality accessory, designed to last a lifetime. It is designed to be quickly fitted and removed, and can be adjusted very easily, even while playing. Other benefits include distributing some weight to the chest, enabling fine height adjustment of the mouthpiece and facilitating low note production for beginners. Libero will initially be available in black or silver colour, with solid brass end clamps. Watch this space for future developments!
Libero is currently in production and will be available exclusively from this website from July 2015. 
Click to view the Libero Facebook page from July 2015 (link to follow)

The Apollo Saxophone Quartet will be performing at the official opening event of the new Sax.co.uk London store this month.
The performance will take place on 25 June at 5.00pm. Sax.co.uk London has recently relocated to much larger premises with an even bigger and better range of products and improved customer facilities. Apollo Saxophone Quartet will perform their popular and entertaining music for silent film as part of this event, which will also feature a performance by Gerard McChrystal. There will also be an extra 10% discount for the day as well as free gifts and complimentary refreshments.
Andy Scott is a founder member of the Apollo Saxophone Quartet, which has been at the forefront of the British contemporary music scene for almost 30 years. The ensemble has made the largest single contribution to the saxophone quartet repertoire in the UK, commissioning and premiering over 100 works, ranging from quartets to concerti and film scores, as well as numerous creative collaborations with poet, dancers, multimedia and strings.
Described as The Temple of Sax, Sax.co.uk is the world’s largest saxophone specialist retailer, and has premises in both Sussex and London. The new London store on Hampstead Road is a former furniture showroom with a floor space of 8,600 square feet, making it by far the largest shop of its kind in London. It boasts 11 sound proofed play testing booths and seven practice rooms. The shop features over 300 of the finest new, pre owned and vintage saxophones, plus a wide range of custom necks, mouthpieces and accessories.
Click to visit the Apollo Saxophone Quartet website
Click to visit the Sax.co.uk London website

Following the success of the first Sandbach Saxophone Weekend last year, Andy Scott is finalising plans for the second event in what promises to be a popular annual series.
Andy Scott will lead the second Sandbach Saxophone Weekend on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July at the Maxwell Davies Music Centre at Sandbach School. This course is aimed at both adult saxophonists and young people of Grade 3 level and above, and will include a stimulating and enjoyable mix of workshop sessions in a friendly, supportive environment. 
This year’s event will feature Australian saxophonist Erin Royer and the RNCM and Queensland Conservatorium Saxophone Orchestras. Erin Royer will be playing music from her forthcoming debut album. The RNCM and Queensland ensembles will give a preview of the pieces that they will be performing the following week at the World Saxophone Congress in Strasbourg, before joining the weekend participants for a massed saxophone spectacular to finish.
The weekend will include different levels of groups to enable intermediate and advanced players to improve their skills and be pushed to the best of their ability. Activities will include Andy’s popular SaxAssault workshop, his Access All Areas introduction to improvisation for non-jazz musicians and an insight into his works for ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall saxophone exams, as well as a range of small and large saxophone ensemble sessions. 
With over 20 years in music education, Andy Scott has earned a reputation as a gifted teacher. As versatile an educator as he is a performer and composer, Andy’s wide ranging music interests and experience enable him to teach across classical, jazz and contemporary styles.
The Sandbach Saxophone Weekend is run in collaboration with the Love Music Trust and sponsored by Selmer Paris, Vandoren and Astute Music. 
Click to view details of the Sandbach Saxophone Weekend on the Love Music Trust website
Click to visit the Educator section on this website for more information about Andy’s education work
Click to visit the website for Selmer Paris, Vandoren and Astute Music

Andy Scott will be heavily involved in the Hong Kong Summer Jazz Festival this week as performer, composer and educator.
One of the major highlights of the festival is a concert of music written and performed by Bob Mintzer and Andy Scott with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong Strings plus a rhythm section comprising piano, bass and drums. This will take place on 7 June, with a programme that mixes a classical string orchestra with a traditional rhythm section from the world of jazz, crossing genre boundaries in true Andy Scott style.
Another event not to be missed is a performance on 8 June by Andy Scott's 'SaxAssault Hong Kong!' featuring top saxophone star Bob Mintzer, who was guest artist on the SaxAssault CD Sax of Gold. The Hong Kong incarnation of Andy’s UK based SaxAssault has been brought together for the first time for this event, which will feature Andy’s popular compositions for the unique line-up of nine saxophones from sopranino to bass plus rhythm section.
Prior to these performances, Andy Scott's Saxophone Day on 6 June will feature a wide range of participatory events for saxophonists of all levels and musical interests, including a mass saxophone orchestra for people of all ages.
The festival runs from 3 to 9 June, based at Hong Kong City Hall in the city’s Central District. Andy’s former Apollo Saxophone Quartet colleague Jon Rebbeck is the Artistic Director of the festival, which will also include a final concert by Bob Mintzer with a retrospective programme featuring works from his long and successful career.
Click to visit the Hong Kong Summer Jazz Facebook page for full programme details.

Andy Scott’s new sonata for alto saxophone and piano received its world premiere in London yesterday evening.
Saxophonist Anthony Brown and pianist Leo Nicholson gave the world premiere of Andy Scott's Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano in the Monday Platform series at London's Wigmore Hall. The new sonata has been adapted by the composer from the Sonata for Flute and Piano, a popular work that can be heard on the CD The Bad Tempered Flute.
The event was presented by the Park Lane Group as one of the Park Lane Group Young Artists Concerts. Anthony Brown and Leo Nicholson were among the outstanding artists at the 2014 PLG Young Artists New Year Series, giving performances which transfixed their audiences.
1 June was the night of the saxophone in London. On the same evening, Huw Wiggin and his ensemble the Ferio saxophone quartet performed in the Royal Over-Seas League competion final. The quartet’s debut concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall was as a result of winning the ensembles section of the annual music competition. As a soloist, Huw Wiggin was also the first prize and gold medal winner of the 2014 Royal Overseas League Competition.
Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music
Click to visit the website for Anthony Brown
Click to visit the website for the Ferio Saxophone Quartet

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Andy Scott’s Paquito featured in the International Trumpet Guild 40th Anniversary Conference in Columbus, Ohio last month.
The popular work was heard for the first time in a brand new arrangement by Andy for this event. It was premiered by the United States Marine Band Brass Ensemble with international trumpet virtuoso Rex Richardson as soloist in a concert on 28 May.
Paquito pays tribute to the brilliant composer, saxophonist and clarinettist Paquito D'Rivera in a fast salsa based around a two-three clave pulse, featuring a fiery solo. Originally composed for the British Clarinet Ensemble, Paquito now exists in a number of different instrumental versions, available from Astute Music. The piece can be heard on Looping the Loop by the British Clarinet Ensemble and The Bad Tempered Flute, played by Andy Findon and Lauren Scott.
Renowned international trumpeter Rex Richardson tours throughout the year as a clinician, recitalist and soloist with orchestras, wind ensembles, big bands and brass bands. The International Trumpet Guild Conference is the leading annual event in the trumpet calendar. Celebrating it’s 40th birthday, the conference took place from 26 to 30 May at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus, Ohio.
Paquito is published by Astute Music
Click to visit the International Trumpet Guild Conference website
Click to visit the website for Rex Richardson
Click to visit the United States Marine Band website