Mana Quartet (Evening)
Recital Hall, Ann E. Pitzer Center
Michael Hernandez, soprano | Michael Mortarotti, alto
Diane Hunger, tenor | Thomas Giles, baritone
Stillabower: Vide Supra
Pelo: Seagram Murals
Minchew: Constructions for Julie Mehretu
Derderian: I Want to Unfold
Sanford: Untitled
Since its inception in 2007, the ensemble has premiered dozens of dedicated twenty-first-century works and widely performed underrepresented masterpieces of the twentieth century. Using vintage instruments built to the specifications of the saxophone’s inventor, Adolphe Sax, Mana’s impassioned performances offer a vivid reimagining of the saxophone’s nineteenth-century heritage—a refined aesthetic characterized by intrinsic warmth, dynamic range of character, and absolute versatility.
In 2009, the group became the first saxophone quartet in history to receive the coveted Grand Prize of the Coleman International Chamber Competition, garnering national attention and activity on the national chamber music circuit.