Kenari Saxophone Quartet - 2026

Hold on to your hats, ladies and gentlemen, we’re hosting a saxophone quartet again! It’s only been 12 years since the last time (and before that, our first was in 1993), but we all agree that it’s time, and we are convinced we chose perfectly among the many rising stars of this ubiquitous modern chamber music medium.

Applauded for their “flat-out amazing” performances and “stunning virtuosity” (Cleveland Classical), the highly acclaimed KENARI delivers inspiring performances that transform the perception of the saxophone. The quartet aims to highlight the instrument’s remarkable versatility by presenting meticulously crafted repertoire from all periods of classical and contemporary music.

Recent engagements include their New York City debut on the People’s Symphony Concerts series, as well as appearances at Chamber Music Northwest, Chamber Music Tulsa, String Theory, Beaches Fine Arts, Schneider Concerts, and Chamber Music Utica, among others. In 2023, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association presented the group with the Ann Divine Educator Award. As a result, they participated in Fischoff’s flagship S.A.M. I Am Arts-in-Education Residency program, a weeklong program in which the group created and performed a musical rendition of Malcolm Mitchell’s My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World. The quartet advocates passionately for the music of living composers and has given world premieres of new works. In the 2024-2025 season, Kenari gave the world premiere of a work by Steven Banks, the group’s baritone saxophonist, which will serve as a substantial addition to the saxophone quartet repertoire.