'Then and Now' with the Donald Sinta Quartet

MILFORD — The Donald Sinta Quartet, an all-saxophone ensemble, will perform music by Schubert, Glazunov, Ligeti, and others at the Milford Theatre at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Saxophones come in several sizes and shapes, so the Donald Sinta Quartet — Dan Graser, Zach Stern, Joe Girard, and Danny Hawthorne-Foss — may surprise listeners with its range, from bottom notes you'd expect of a double bass to treble notes you might hear on a flute.

Although the idea of a saxophone quartet is fairly new, this foursome's repertoire spans centuries, from transcriptions of music originally written for string quartets, such as the Schubert piece in this program, to cutting-edge pieces this group commissioned.

Since its formation in 2010, the quartet has toured widely in Europe and China as well as the United States. Not only did the group win the coveted Alice Coleman Grand Prize in Los Angeles, but it is also the first all-saxophone ensemble ever to have won the Elmaleh Prize at the Concert Artists Guild International Competition in New York City.

The quartet also wins critical and audience raves for its entertaining style. When these musicians premiered and recorded Pulitzer Prize-winning composer William Bolcom's "Concerto Grosso for Saxophone Quartet and Band," Bolcom said, "Donald Sinta is probably the most influential saxophone teacher in existence, so a group called The Donald Sinta Quartet had better be up to a very high standard...and they are!"