The Saxophone Connections

Concert under the patronage of the Honorary Consul of Slovakia in Toruń

Janka Macíková (Slovakia) - violin
Ken Wasim Ubukata (Slovakia) - cello
Ladislav Fančovič (Slovakia) - alto saxophone
Urszula Urzędowska - host

Programme:
N. Bacri – Petite musique de nuit for alto saxophone, violin and cello, Op. 111
A. Busch – Suite for alto saxophone and violin
N. Kapustin – Duet for alto saxophone and cello, Op. 99
E. Roters – Trio for alto saxophone, violin and cello, oW26b
M. Piaček – Suburban Folk for alto saxophone, violin and cello


Stories are best told around a campfire, beneath the open sky, on a warm August evening… But what about Slovak stories? They, too, are best shared under the open sky and in August – on 8 August, to be precise. We may not be able to provide a campfire, but we are convinced that the stage will be ablaze.

This time, as part of the Musical Dialogues series, Slovak tales woven from sound will be told by string instruments accompanied by a saxophone.

An exceptionally original trio will take to the stage: Janka Macíková, a young Slovak violinist; Ken Wasim Ubukata, a cellist born in France to Japanese and Tunisian roots, yet closely connected with Slovakia; and alto saxophonist Ladislav Fančovič, an outstanding Slovak musician regarded as one of the leading figures on the European music scene, with nearly forty albums to his name. Replacing the piano – a traditional component of such ensembles – with a saxophone is a rare and highly intriguing approach in chamber music. It promises a sound that is fresh, surprising and warm – and we hope this summer evening will be just as warm.

The programme presents a fascinating mosaic of styles, ranging from jazz and classical music to folk-inspired sounds with a contemporary twist. We shall hear Nicolas Bacri’s charming and somewhat enigmatic miniature Petite musique de nuit, alongside the sophisticated compositions of Adolf Busch and Ernst Roters, which beautifully demonstrate how the violin, cello and saxophone – instruments that might at first seem unlikely companions – can engage in a captivating musical dialogue. A particular highlight of the evening will be the Duet by Nikolai Kapustin, a composer celebrated for his masterful fusion of classical forms with the exhilarating energy of jazz. The programme is brought to a fitting close by a contemporary work from Slovakia: Marek Piaček’s Suburban Folk, which playfully reimagines traditional motifs with remarkable freshness and lightness. This is a programme made for a summer evening: ambitious and thought-provoking on the one hand, yet immediately engaging and accessible on the other.

Your guide through this Slovak world of sound will be the acclaimed music journalist Urszula Urzędowska. Thanks to her colourful stories and behind-the-scenes insights, you will have no difficulty unravelling the threads of these musical tales. And we hope our guests from Slovakia can count on a standing ovation from the Toruń audience.