GERARD

SAXOPHONE CONCERTOS

MCCHRYSTALSaxophonist

GERARD MCCHRYSTAL COMES FROM

DERRY, N.IRELAND. To date he has

performed in over 35 countries including

USA, Azerbaijan, Korea, China, Indonesia,

Poland, Ireland, Slovenia and the UK.

Gerard has given over 100 concerto

performances and recorded with The BBC

National Orchestra of Wales, London Musici

and The Ulster Orchestra with conductors

including Yan Pascal Tortelier.

Record labels include Chandos, Signum

Records and Silva Screen.

Orchestras he has performed with include

The Philharmonia, San Francisco Ballet

Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony

Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales,

BBC Concert Orchestra, National Symphony

of Ireland and Stuttgart Statsorchestre.

GERARDVenues include San Francisco Opera House,

Baku Opera House, The National Concert

Hall, Dublin, Beethovenhalle, Stuttgart,

Philharmonie Szchecin, Poland, Jakarta

Concert Hall, Indonesia, St. David’s Hall,

Cardiff, The Royal Albert Hall, London and

the BBC Proms in The Park.

Composers who have written concertos for

Gerard include Dave Heath, Ian Wilson and

John Metcalf. He has also premiered

concertos by Michael Kamen and Sir Malcolm

Arnold. In 2000 Gerard spent a week working

with Sir Harrison Birthwhistle culminating in

a performance of his concerto Panic in the

Great Hall, Dartington, UK.

His latest album Aria was named as one of

the best classical CDs of 2011 by Classic FM.

It was also one of David Mellor’s Connoisseurs

Choice on Classic FM, Saturday 15th October

2011. In November 2011, Aria was CD of the

Week on Ireland’s national classical station

RTE LyricFM.

Gerard McChrystal took up the saxophone as

a second study for his RNCM audition in

1982. By 1987 he had made his concerto

debut with the RTE Concert Orchestra

playing the Dubois concerto live on TV. His

UK debut was with the Philharmonia in 1989

premiering Out of the Cool by Dave Heath.

He studied at the RNCM,Manchester and was

the first student to graduate with three

awards including a distinction in his

PPRNCM. Further studies at The Guildhall

School, London and Northwestern University,

Chicago followed.

Competition success includes The Royal

Overseas League, RTE Musician of the

Future, The Lombard and Ulster Music

Foundation, Countess of Munster, The Sir

James Caird Award, NFMS Award, BBC

Opportunity Knocks! and The Park Lane Group.

His Wigmore Hall debut came as a result of

winning the intercolleagiate Ivan Sutton

Recording Award.

He has worked with Philip Glass, The Smith

Quartet, guitarist Craig Ogden, percussionists

Ensemble Bash, The Soweto String Quartet,

The Karol Szymanowski String Quartet, tenorist

Tommy Smith and vocal groups Anuna and

Codetta. His new programme Stand Up has

won two awards from the Arts Council of

England.

In 2013 Gerard performed for BBC1 with

orchestra, rhythm section and choir to 2,500

people at the launch of Derry-Londonderry

UK City of Culture 2013 (view online at

youtu.be/12TtRzg4mMc). He will also appear

in a new promotional film for the city. In March

he was invited to meet the Prime Minister

David Cameroon and the Taoiseach Enda

Kenny at the House of Commons.

Also in March, he played a sell-out concert in

the National Concert Hall Dublin with The

National Symphony of Ireland. In October

performs the Glazunov concerto in the Ulster

Hall, Belfast with The Ulster Orchestra.

Further events in 2013 include a concert in

France with guitarist Craig Ogden.

Visit saxsaxsax.com for Gerard’s latest news

and events throughout 2013 and beyond.

A performer of such striking personality, that he could become theJames Galway of the saxophone ... a natural musical imagination ...McChrystal could not have been more persuasiveTHE GUARDIAN

In October 1999 Gerard represented the UK

at the Visions of Britain festival playing two

concertos and several other works with the

Opera Orchestra. The event was broadcast

on television. Banner in Szchecin, Poland for Gerard'sconcerto performance in the Philharmonieduring March 2008 where he performedconcertos by Glazunov and Dave Heath.

Picture with Harrison Birtwhistlewhere Gerard performed his

saxophone concerto Panic in theGreat Hall, Dartington 2000.

With composer Philip Glass in Ireland performing

to a sell-out audience of 800 people.

With the Prime Minister David Cameronand the Taoiseach Enda Kenny at theHouse of Commons.

Gerard began 2013 with a gala concert at the new Venue in Derry-Londonderry to open UK City ofCulture 2013 for BBC Television. He performed with orchestra, choir, piano and rhythm section to alive audience of 2500. Over 11,000 applied for tickets! See youtu.be/12TtRzg4mMc

REPERTOIRE LIST SAXOPHONE AND ORCHESTRAConcerto for Alto Saxophone and Strings (1994) SIR MALCOLM ARNOLD **

Concerto for Alto Saxophone (1988) SIR RICHARD RODNEY BENNETT

Saxophone Concerto (1956) RONALD BINGE

Panic (1995) SIR HARRISON BIRTWHISTLE

The Green Ray for Soprano Saxophone (1991) GAVIN BRYARS

Saxo Rhapsody (1936) ERIC COATES

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (or Band), Op. 26 (1944)

PAUL CRESTON

Rapsodie pour Orchestre et Saxophone (1901) CLAUDE DEBUSSY

Concerto pour Saxophone Alto (1959) PIERRE MAX DUBOIS

Concerto in E major for Alto Saxophone (1936) ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV

The Celtic (1995) D.C. HEATH *

Élégie et Rondeau for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (1961) KAREL HUSA

Concerto for Alto Saxophone (1967) KAREL HUSA

Concertino da camera (1935) JACQUES IBERT

Choral varié, Op.55 (1903) VINCENT D’INDY

Concerto for Saxophone (1990) MICHAEL KAMEN

Saxophone Concerto (1958) ERLAND VON KOCH

Saxophone Concerto (1934) LARS-ERIK LARSSON

Concerto for saxophone and orchestra (1963) WILLIAM LOVELOCK

Saxophone Concerto No. 2 (1973) WILLIAM LOVELOCK

Ballade for Saxophone and Orchestra (1938) FRANK MARTIN

Tableaux de Provence (1948-1955) PAULE MAURICE

Three Mobiles (2006) JOHN METCALF *

Scaramouche for Alto Saxophone (1937) DARIUS MILHAUD

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 41 (1980)

ROBERT MUCZYNSKI

Saxophone Concerto For Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra (1984)

DOMINIC MULDOWNEY

Where the Bee Dances (1991) MICHAEL NYMAN

Concerto for Alto Saxophone, Cello and 8 Percussionists (2009) LEROY OSMON

Concerto for Alto Saxophone (1999) RICHARD PAYNE

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (1983) GUNTHER SCHULLER

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (... auf den ersten Blick und ohne zu

wissen...) (1980) ESA-PEKKA SALONEN

Légende, Op.66 (1918) FLORENT SCHMITT

In the First, Spinning Place (1999) HILARY TANN

Saxophone Concerto (1944) PHYLLIS TATE

Ballade for Alto Saxophone (1939) HENRI TOMASI

Concerto for Soprano Saxophone (1993) MICHAEL TORKE

Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone, Three Horns and Strings (1948)

HEITOR VILLA LOBOS

Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra (2009) ANDRÈ WAGNEIN

Escapades JOHN WILLIAMS

Who’s afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue (1999) IAN WILSON *

Claremont Concerto (1962) JOHN WORLEY

Cyber Bird Concerto for Alto Saxophone, Op. 59 (1994) TAKASHI YOSHIMATSU

* written for Gerard McChrystal

** premiered by Gerard McChrystal

“Superb saxophone solos by Gerard McChrystal.”New York Times (San Francisco Opera House, Nyman saxophone concerto)

“McChrystal has an enviably full and warmsoprano saxophone tone, and hisintonation is as secure as his gift formelodic phrasing is unfailing.”Gramophone

“Gerard McChrystal’s superb playing on thesoprano saxophone was the highlight of theevening.....the whole performance seemedinspired by the verve of McChrystal’splaying.”The Irish Times

“The kind of tortured honks, squawks and parps thatoften comprise 20th century brass and woodwind writingare delightfully absent from Gerard McChrystal’s latestalbum.”Q Magazine

“ A real unexpected joy... wonderfully well played with extraordinary tone...I love the way Gerard McChrystal sounds... I absolutely love it...well done Gerard McChrystal.”David Mellor, Classic FM

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