From Baroque to Modern the Fairfax Saxophone Quartet is "Classi Jazz." The FSQ demonstrates the amazing versatility of the saxophone by performing a wide variety of musical styles, including timeless arrangements of classical favorites, traditional French saxophone music, Broadway hits, Ragtime, contemporary arrangements of popular music, and Jazz. The FSQ plays year round as "ambassadors of good will" for the highly acclaimed City of Fairfax Band.

Since 1985 the FSQ has performed for audiences throughout the Washington, D.C. area, and even beyond. Engagements have included appearances at the Kennedy Center's "Millennium Stage" on Inauguration Day 2001 and Annual Fall Open House gala, the 32nd International Saxophone Symposium at George Mason University, Borders Books and Music stores, City of Alexandria "Lunch Bunch" and "Holiday" concerts, City of Fairfax Veterans Memorial Amphitheater Summer Concert series, the City of Fairfax "Spotlight on the Arts", the Old Town Hall in Fairfax, the Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington, D.C., the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria, the Filene Center at Wolf Trap, Congressman Tom Davis' Holiday Reception, area retirement and care centers, and as featured soloists with The City of Fairfax Band.

The FSQ has premiered several new works or arrangements for the saxophone quartet, including: Amazing Grace, Pachelbel's Dilemma, Sonatina for Saxophone Quartet, 'Till You Come Back Home, Twelve-Tone Prelude and Fugue, and Turkey In The Woodshed by Michael Frank Francis; Pachelbel's Canon in D and Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op.3 No. 2, arranged by Michael Frank Francis; Elegy for Saxophone Quartet by Nick M. Mavrakis and arranged by Michael Frank Francis; Suite for Saxophone Quartet by David Berkenbilt; Double Fugue In C Major by Lee Larsen; A Day at the Park by David M. Rubenstein; and, Gottschalk's Morte!, Danza, Souvenir De Porto Rico, and Suis Moi! Caprice, Gershwin's Lullaby, Danza Espanola No. 6 by Enrique Granados, The Bells of St. Genevieve by Marin Marais, Quintet in Eb Major, K.452 for Piano and Saxophone Quartet by Mozart, and the Quintet in Eb Major, Op. 16, for Piano and Saxophone Quartet by Beethoven, and Martin Yates' LA Beach Music for Saxophone Quartet, all arranged by James Francis. A current project of Mr. Francis is to arrange all of Mozart's string quartets for saxophone quartet; five have already been premiered.

The FSQ members include: James Francis, Soprano Saxophone and leader of the FSQ; Stanley Shelton, Alto Saxophone; Brian Cole, Tenor Saxophone; and Betsy Appleton, Baritone Saxophone

Performance Schedule

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