International Saxophone Meeting SAXGO
For 27 years, Nova Gorica has transformed once a year into a global capital of young, aspiring saxophonists from Slovenia and abroad. As the city’s longest-running festival, SAXGO enjoys an international reputation among both saxophone professionals and enthusiasts, as well as the local community. With a strong emphasis on education, the festival is not limited to the intersection of classical and jazz music, but also presents a wide range of contemporary musical styles. It also includes the International Saxophone Competition, which since 2012 has taken place at various venues across Nova Gorica. The programme and vision of the festival are shaped under the leadership of Jan Gričar, artistic director for classical saxophone, and Boštjan Simon, artistic director for jazz saxophone and improvisation.
An important segment of the festival is the annual saxophone school, featuring both local and international mentors, divided into classical and jazz programmes. In 2024, participants included renowned saxophonists such as Sandro Compagnon (France), Xavier Larsson Paez (Spain), Alessandro Malagnino (Italy), Nikita Zimin (Russia), and Jaka Kopač (Slovenia). The festival programme featured performances at various venues in Nova Gorica and its surroundings (Silvan Furlan Square, Kromberk Castle Hall, the small and large halls of the Nova Gorica Cultural Centre, the terrace of the Slovenian National Theatre Nova Gorica, and the hall of the Franciscan Monastery Kostanjevica), with appearances by the Tivon Pennicott Quartet, Pasquale Calò Quartet, the Kopač/Simon Summer Quintet, and other ensembles.
A key element of the annual programme is the joint performance titled All Together Now, which also serves as the final concert of participants and mentors of the summer school for classical and jazz saxophone. Under the guidance of mentors, participants prepare for this performance throughout the summer school, which for many represents their first concert experience at the festival.
The classical saxophone programme in 2024 focused on a younger generation of established artists who have built their careers through numerous awards at major competitions and performances at renowned festivals worldwide. Sandro Compagnon (France), Xavier Larsson Paez (Spain), Alessandro Malagnino (Italy), and Nikita Zimin (Russia) performed original works for saxophone from the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as arrangements of classical repertoire by Claude Debussy, César Franck, Paul Hindemith, and Sergei Prokofiev. Other notable guests in recent years have included James Carter, Tivon Pennicott, Mark Turner, Nicolas Prost, Filippo Orefice, Petar Ugrin, the RTV Slovenia Big Band, and the SOS Saxophone Orchestra.
Avtor: Jaša Bužinel
Kraj: Nova Gorica
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