The Saxaphone Goes Orchestral

Thai saxophonist Wisuwat Pruksavanich

College of Music, Mahidol University. Nakhonpathom, Thailand. March 17, 2012. The saxophone is not an orchestral instrument, but that didn’t prevent contemporary Thai composer, Narong Prangcharoen, from creating a concerto for saxophone and full symphony orchestra, which had its initial (and probably final) performance by the TPO, with Thai saxophonist, Wisuwat Pruksavanich, as soloist. While I admire the dedication of the musicians in realizing this work, I would rather listen to the saxophone played with the Glenn Miller or Les Brown bands. Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien and Sleeping Beauty Suite, ably conducted by Polish musician, Dariusz Mikulski, consumed the second half of the program, and provided welcomed relief from whatever it was we heard during the first half.