Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet celebrating 50 years with a special recital this weekend
The Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a recital this weekend. Pictured are current members (from left) Warren Yeckel of McKeesport (founding member), Mike Jacob of Pittsburgh, Steve Ehrin of Pittsburgh and Marino Galluzzo (founding member), originally from Uniontown.
The Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend with a special recital. Pictured are the original members at Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. They are (from left) Marino Galluzzo originally from Uniontown, George Furlow of Churchill, David Matthews of Mount Lebanon and Warren Yeckel of McKeesport.
In 1973, four saxophone players set out to get their music heard and to play the music they love.
Fifty years later, that aspect of the Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet hasn’t changed.
“I could not have ever imagined that this would be the situation,” said Uniontown native and founding quartet member Marino Galluzzo. “It’s interesting because we just started off as college students, and were looking for a way to be open to the public and present our music.”
Since their start at Duquesne University, Galluzzo and founding members David Matthews of Mount Lebanon, George Furlow of Churchill and Warren Yeckel of McKeesport have performed not only in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas but also throughout the state, neighboring states, in Canada, and at World Saxophone Congress events.
“We did a lot of colleges, lot of recitals–we pretty much did everything, even a grocery-store opening,” Galluzzo said. “It was important to us to keep playing.”
Although the members of the quartet knew they weren’t going to get rich doing what they loved, they recorded two CDs. They also hosted major performing and recording artists during a period of 25 years for their annual saxophone/woodwind workshops beginning in 1990. The first 22 years of workshops were held at Duquesne University, while the final three years were at California University of Pennsylvania.
Galluzzo, who now lives in Surprise, Arizona, said the workshops brought in saxophonists from all over the world as special guests and opened up the world of saxophone and clarinet to students, adults and other professional musicians.
Through the years, the quartet has expanded its repertoire to include music from the Renaissance through Ragtime, and Classical through Jazz. Members celebrated the quartet’s 25th anniversary with a concert for one of their CD’s, “Venticinque’anni”, meaning “25 Years” in Italian.
In that time and beyond, the group has attracted a following.
“People are enthusiastic and really excited by what they heard,” Galluzzo said. “They never knew that existed.”
To celebrate the quartet’s golden anniversary, original founding members Galluzzo and Yeckel, and current members Mike Jacob and Steve Ehrin, both of Pittsburgh, are holding a recital at the Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church, 975 Washington Road, Pittsburgh on Sunday, June 4 at 3 p.m.
Galluzzo said the recital will include the range of different styles, as well as the premiere of six original pieces. The first will be the centerpiece for the program: “Divertimento for Saxophone Quartet,” written by Pittsburgh musician and friend of the quartet, Vito DiSalvo.
Another premiere piece, written by Galluzzo, is called “Cinquant’anni” (Italian for “50 Years”).
The recital will end with a large saxophone choir made up of invited guest performers who have been involved with the Three Rivers Saxophone Quartet throughout the years.
“It’s going to be a big variety of different styles of music,” Galluzzo said.
Admission to the concert is free, and donations are welcome. For more information, visit threeriverssaxophonequartet.com.