News & Events

The Saxophone Choir

See & Hear Us Play 2023 (scroll down to see more pictures)

Update 6th November 2023: NEXT GIG: 1st December 2023 Axminster Minster

In aid of Axminister Hospital League of Friends – More details below

We took the usual Summer break and returned to rehearsals at the star of September 2023. Ali our musical director has added some new pieces to our repertoire. Well playing some of them at our first concert at the Minster in Axminster of Friday December 1st 2023 in aid of the Axminster Hospital League of Friends. This poster tells you more….. It will be a good evening. See you there!

We’ve already played at this 2023 Grizzly (a tough fun run in March) in Beer

We have 3 further gigs planned:

Chardstock on 10th June 2023. This poster give you all the details:

The Waffle House in Axminster Friday June 23rd 2023(a picture from last year appears below.

The Minster in Axminster for a launch time concert on Thursday 29th June 2023. For more information please click here view

Some past history appears below

If you think a saxophone choir (official term, but band or group will do) would help your event then please go to the contact page on this website (click this link) and talk to us. Thanks

Keep safe

Completed 2022

Waffle House – Axminster July 2022

Lunch Time Concert – The Minter in Axminster 23rd June

Before Covid in 2020 this gig was a regular event in our calendar, so we were very pleased to return to this venue. The acoustics, as you would expect, are very good and a packed audience was very appreciative of our playing set and in particular our own arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody. I think we all felt in went very well.

Private Wedding Reception – June 11th.

We were invited to play at a private wedding reception near Axminster. Although outside, the weather was fine and our music was well received by the guests as they returned from the church service to enjoy time with the bride and groom in our hosts garden. A lovely setting as you can see from this picture which includes the brides mum (by far the best dressed) who took time out from her guests to be included in our photograph.

Platinum Jubilee Celebrations – Saturday 4th June

We played at an ‘event in a tent’ just outside Exeter for 130 people who first sat down to a sumptuous Bar-B-Q, we provided the evening entertainment. Unlike a previous event, this time ‘smoke did not get in our eyes’. Our hosts provided us with coffee, cake and good parking. We have had some great comments and feed including “when are you going to come again”. A super evening

GRIZZLY @ BEER SUNDAY 6th MARCH 2022

The Grizzly is a very tough run. Our part was very very tough, we first had to have a breakfast at a local Inn, then erect the gazebos and finally play to encourage the runners (the Grizzly is a bit like the London Marathon but with bogs, sand running, road running and near impossible footpaths). As usual we have donated our ‘fee’ from the organisers to our chosen charity, for this year – Pilsdon Community www.pilsdon.org.uk

Have you heard the song “Da Doo Ron Ron” (written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. It first became a popular top five hit single for the American girl group The Crystals in 1963). In honour of this year’s Grizzly event, Saxminster changed the title to something more appropriate and in keeping with the moment – “Da Doo Run Run”

You can check out the Grizzly and the results for this year on the Axe Valley Runners website, here, by clicking this link The Grizzly 2022

Karl Weber has kindly provided all of these pictures of our day in Beer
Saxminster Plays The Grizzly 2022

As you may have noticed, it was windy and cold!!!

27th April: Here is the final note for Grizzly 2022 from one of the organisers:

Following a very successful Grizzly 2022 we held our Presentation Evening last night at The Axe Yacht Club in Seaton. The event was well attended by representatives of the approximately 80 local charities & organisations which benefit from Grizzly donations.

The Grizzly Committee are proud to announce that we were able to donate almost £34,000 to this year’s beneficiaries, Saxminster nomination included.

This now brings a Grand Total donated since The Grizzly started in 1988 to a massive £491,000, just short of half a million pounds.

On behalf of The Grizzly Committee & all our beneficiaries, I would like to thank you for your continued support of the event.

We look forward to working with you in 2023 to help us push through the £500,000 target.

You may like to know that The Grizzly was recently voted No5 in The World’s Top Races by Runners World Magazine. This is in part due to our musicians adding to a great atmosphere for the runners.

OUR CURRENT GIG PLAN FOR 2022

4th June – A private evening event in Millbrook Village Exeter as part of their Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
11th. June – Private wedding
23rd. June – Lunch Time Concert at the Minster in Axminster
15th July – Waffles in Axminster (evening)

Past Events (and glories?):

8th March – Grizzly at Beer (Sea Front 10:30am – 1130 a.m.)
We first met for an early breakfast. The weather looked threatening with wind and rain
in the forecast. We decided to go ahead without a canopy (just too windy). All went well and we were able to donate our playing money to a local charity.

23/03/20 – CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN and restrictions – you know the rest
However as individual sections altos, tenors etc. we’ve been meeting on-line to see
how we might improve on some areas in some pieces in our repertoire.

8th April – Music Room, Sidholme Hotel Sidmouth11:00am – 1200 Noon – Cancelled

10th April (Good Friday) – Marine Theatre Lyme Regis – Cancelled
( 4:00pm – 4:45pm & 5:00pm – 5:45pm)
(Beer festival!)

10th May VE Day Celebration in Seaton – Cancelled
(12:00Noon – 12:45pm & 2:00pm – 2:45pm)
(75th anniversary celebrations)

4th June The Minster Church in Axminster (12:30pm – 13:00) – Cancelled
We’ve been asked back to play at one of their ‘Lunch Time Concerts’
It’s their 36th season of these concerts. Very popular with local and visitors. It’s free, but get there early!

4th July – Dalwood Music Day. (Early afternoon) –Cancelled
(An annual festival in Dalwood Village, Devon )

11th July – Saxminster at Lyme Regis Performance Area –Cancelled
(11:00am – 12:00Noon & 1:30pm – 2:30pm)
(Our own fun gig of the year – free to visitors to Lyme Regis we even provide seats to sit and come & go)

Some Venues/ Gigs from the previous year – 2019 (or what we really got up to in our most recent playing season)!

Grizzily at Beer on Sunday March 10th 2019
Last year we were ‘snowed off’ playing at the Grizzily. Beaten by the snow and ice. Hopefully we thought we would be better prepared this year (forecast is windy and wet). Keeping hold of our music and music stands while trying to play we knew would be interesting!!!!

AND IT WAS SO……..wow was it windy!. Trying to hold down two gazebos, music stands and our music tested us to the mettle. Well done Ali for keeping us together and keeping us going. We’ve had some very appreciative comments on our efforts and playing. Breakfast at a local hostelry before we started was very enjoyable.

What is the Grizzly? To find out CLICK HERE

But here’s a taster

This year Ali (our musical director) had to pull out of the (fun???) event due to injury, so she took to conducting us. Ali even threatened to play one of her saxophones while conducting us and holding on to her own music (alas it didn’t happen). Instead of a performance fee for playing in Beer for the Grizzly Run our monies were sent to ARC (Axminster Recovery with Counselling).

May 2019 – Concert at Millbrook Village Exeter

We were invited back to play at Millbrook Village Exeter at a Bar-B-Q event on Thursday 23rd May. Quite a night! – all went well until the smoke from the BBQ turned against us -we should have played ‘Smoke Gets in your Eyes’ – one for next year (maybe). Thank you Millbrook it was a great evening and your hospitality was superb.

June 2019 – Lunch Time Concert at the Minster (Axminster)

We were invited back to play a Lunch Time Concert at the Minster (Axminster). This is their 35th season. These concerts are always popular with local residents and visitors. The packed audience seemed to enjoy with our set. The acoustics really allow our sound to flow.

The purpose of these concerts is to support young musicians and local performers alike, as well as encouraging all those who are working towards specific musical goals.

Saxminster’s end of year ‘Play for Fun’ July 2019

This is our annual wrap for the 2018/19 season. As usual this was at Lyme Regis on the sea front (Saturday 13th July). It a time when we can let our hair down (at least a little bit). We put out chairs and anyone is free to come along to sit, stand , walk on, dance etc. and generally come to enjoy with us our music and our playing. We had some good audiences both for the morning and afternoon sets. It’s was free, has seating and is very popular with locals and holiday visitors. Yes you had a chance to hear us twice!. If you missed it watch out for this event in next year’s calendar.

We usually add a group picture here, but this year our photographer firstly had other ideas!