BRANDON CHOI - [Beethoven]

From Cello Sonatas to Art Songs, this album presents a bold recording venture where classical saxophonist Brandon Choi handpicks and breathes new life into immortal compositions by Beethoven, seen through the lens of a classical saxophonist.

Brandon Choi's new album <Beethoven>:

"After listening to the entire album, you feel as though you are swimming in the ocean created by Brandon Choi's saxophone breaths. A Beethoven album everyone should recommend has arrived."

• Ryu Tae-hyung (Daewon Cultural Foundation Committee Expert, Music Columnist)

This album is the result of Brandon Choi's challenging endeavor to focus on and reinterpret the works of a single composer, following his previous work [Rachmaninoff]. Among the numerous masterpieces of Beethoven, a selection has been reinterpreted and performed on classical saxophone, a rarity in recordings. Pianist Illya Rashkovskiy, who participated in the recording of the [Rachmaninoff] album and frequently shares the stage with Choi as a duo pianist, has once again collaborated for this recording.

Continuing his journey of pushing the boundaries of classical saxophone through endless challenges, such as premiering works for saxophone and orchestra by Paul Creston, Alexander Glazunov, André Waignein, Darius Milhaud, commissioning new classical saxophone works, founding a saxophone orchestra, and engaging in various ensemble works both domestically and internationally, reinterpreting the masterpieces of a great composer who died before the saxophone was invented is a meaningful endeavor for future saxophonists. This album, surpassing the interest and uniqueness of the challenge, ultimately focuses on how Beethoven's music is interpreted and conveyed through the saxophone.

The album features five pieces composed for various instruments: violin, cello, horn, piano, and the human voice. The primary piece, Beethoven's Cello Sonata No. 3, is performed using baritone, tenor, and alto saxophones for this recording. Other pieces are also performed with the most suitable saxophone parts selected for each. Included are the Horn Sonata, often performed on the cello for its stable performance, Beethoven's art song <To the Distant Beloved> transformed into an emotional saxophone piece, the second movement of Piano Sonata No. 8 <Pathétique> showcasing the charm of the saxophone's timbre, and Romance No. 2 for violin.

"Saxophone, although a relatively modern instrument, has a wide range and can digest various genres. I wanted to unravel the infinite creativity, inner turmoil and conflict, and the colorful stories found in Beethoven's music with the classical saxophone and share this music with many people." – Brandon Choi

Saxophonist Brandon Choi (Brandon Choi, Saxophone)

Brandon Choi graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon with a Diploma of Advanced Studies and received a full scholarship to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music for his master's degree and became the youngest to earn a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A) there. He has won numerous international and domestic competitions, including first place in the Cincinnati Competition, second place in the MTNA National Competition in the USA, and first place in both the Korean Music Association and KEPCO Competitions.

He gained recognition as a soloist with the world premiere of Susan Botti's saxophone concerto with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and became the first Korean classical saxophonist to hold a recital at Lincoln Center in the USA. He has hosted invited recitals at venues such as the Strasbourg Concert Hall in France, Blagoje Bersa Hall in Croatia, the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference in the USA, the Asia Saxophone Congress, and the Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy, and has performed with various orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra, Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra, Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra, and Cheonan City Philharmonic Orchestra, making a global impact as a soloist.

He has released several albums to promote classical saxophone worldwide, starting with <Saxophone Sonatas>, and continued his active recording career with releases like <Through Adam’s Fall> with the Prometheus saxophone quartet, <Oh, Happy Day> aimed at popularizing classical saxophone, <The Saxophone Song>, <Blueberry Jam>, <Canon Fantasy>, the classical saxophone mini-album <DREAMING>, and <Rachmaninoff> in 2022, reinterpreting various Rachmaninoff originals for saxophone.

Brandon Choi continues to expand the reach of classical saxophone in Korea, introducing related content through his YouTube channel and teaching at prestigious institutions like Seoul National University, Chung-Ang University, and Sookmyung Women's University, and serving as an adjunct professor at Hanyang University. He is currently a professor at the International Saxophone Academy, nurturing the next generation.

• ARTIST : BRANDON CHOI
• TITLE : Beethoven
• RELEASE DATE : 2024-04-03
• LABEL : (주)뮤직앤아트컴퍼니
• MANUFACTURER : (주)뮤직앤아트컴퍼니
• COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : South Korea
• SKU : MA1014
• BARCODE : 8809875220085