Spearing, heart-rending lines….they travel deep into a land of melodic luxuriance John Shand, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (4½ stars) A deep, near spiritual, communication, along with an openness to risk-taking, and the trust and confidence it requires Des Cowley, RHYTHMS MAGAZINE
In 2023, with the support of private donations including through the Australian Cultural Fund, composer/pianist Mark Isaacs wrote a Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, to be given its world premiere by his long-standing duo with saxophonist Loretta Palmeiro, to whom it is dedicated.
Though this work has many jazz stylistic inflections in its vocabulary, it is fundamentally a fully notated, through-composed ‘classical’ work. The duo has always played only freely extemporised music, but both performers are also classical artists, so this project was seen as a refreshing and diametrical change in approach from their work to date.
The sonata is in three movements, which are entitled ‘Rhapsody’, ‘Benediction’ and ‘Fiesta’.
After the twenty minute sonata premiere, the remainder of the one-hour concert will consist of the duo’s return to free extemporisation. At the time of the concert, Loretta and Mark will not have improvised together, whether in public or private, since the duo’s previous performance at St Stephen’s more than eighteen months ago, wishing to share with their audience the actual joyous moment of the duo’s re-engagement after so long with this cherished way of music-making.
Loretta Palmeiro & Mark Isaacs
Following five years of rehearsal, Loretta and Palmeiro & Mark Isaacs gave their first performance in 2017. Up until the 2025 saxophone sonata premiere, they have exclusively composed their music together on the spot, in real time, and without any safety net or roadmap.
Major live performances have included Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Festival, Johnston Street Jazz/Annandale Creative Arts Centre, SIMA ‘Jazz: Now’, NSW Government ‘Great Southern Nights’, St Stephen’s Church and Orange Winter Jazz Festival.
During 2020 they released an album, an EP and two live music videos for SIMA and Phoenix Central Park. Their debut album All Who Travel With Us was a finalist in two separate categories in the 2021 Art Music Awards, being shortlisted for Performance of the Year: Jazz/Improvised Music and Work of the Year: Jazz
Loretta Palmeiro & Mark Isaacs
Saxophone Sonata World Premiere + Extemporisations
Wednesday February 26, 2025, 6pm-7pm
ST STEPHEN’S IN THE CITY
197 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Bookings here
In 2023, with the support of private donations including through the Australian Cultural Fund, composer/pianist Mark Isaacs wrote a Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, to be given its world premiere by his long-standing duo with saxophonist Loretta Palmeiro, to whom it is dedicated.
Though this work has many jazz stylistic inflections in its vocabulary, it is fundamentally a fully notated, through-composed ‘classical’ work. The duo has always played only freely extemporised music, but both performers are also classical artists, so this project was seen as a refreshing and diametrical change in approach from their work to date.
The sonata is in three movements, which are entitled ‘Rhapsody’, ‘Benediction’ and ‘Fiesta’.
After the twenty minute sonata premiere, the remainder of the one-hour concert will consist of the duo’s return to free extemporisation. At the time of the concert, Loretta and Mark will not have improvised together, whether in public or private, since the duo’s previous performance at St Stephen’s more than eighteen months ago, wishing to share with their audience the actual joyous moment of the duo’s re-engagement after so long with this cherished way of music-making.
Loretta Palmeiro & Mark Isaacs
Following five years of rehearsal, Loretta and Palmeiro & Mark Isaacs gave their first performance in 2017. Up until the 2025 saxophone sonata premiere, they have exclusively composed their music together on the spot, in real time, and without any safety net or roadmap.
Major live performances have included Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Festival, Johnston Street Jazz/Annandale Creative Arts Centre, SIMA ‘Jazz: Now’, NSW Government ‘Great Southern Nights’, St Stephen’s Church and Orange Winter Jazz Festival.
During 2020 they released an album, an EP and two live music videos for SIMA and Phoenix Central Park. Their debut album All Who Travel With Us was a finalist in two separate categories in the 2021 Art Music Awards, being shortlisted for Performance of the Year: Jazz/Improvised Music and Work of the Year: Jazz
Details
Venue
Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia + Google Map