Meet the members of Saxofonie!

 

Tristan Watson

Soprano and alto saxophone

Tristan, originally from York, moved to Cardiff in 2008 to take up a place at Cardiff University to read music, furthering his studies to Masters Level in music composition. Tristan returned to Yorkshire in 2012 to begin working at Leeds College of Music. As a clarinettist, recent performances have seen Tristan perform with the York Young Soloists, Leeds Youth Opera and the Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, as well as giving solo recitals in Sheffield, Wakefield and Leeds. The saxophone has become a recent labour of love for Tristan…

 

Hannah Garnett

Alto saxophone

Hannah is a multi-instrumentalist from Leeds. She recently graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with a degree in classical saxophone, as well as gaining a teaching diploma. Since graduating, she has worked as a woodwind teacher and a freelance performer. Alongside her playing, she enjoys arranging music for sax quartet.  Hannah joined Saxofonie at the start of 2023, ably picking up the baton from Andy Goldsmith, one of the founding members of the quartet.

 

 

Freya White

Tenor Saxophone

Freya is a woodwind player and teacher based in Leeds. Originally from Leicester, she moved up to Leeds to study at Leeds College of Music (now Leeds Conservatoire), graduating in 2017. As well as playing in Saxofonie, Freya also plays tenor in the Yorkshire Saxophone Choir, and regularly plays woodwind parts in musicals around Yorkshire.  Freya is the newest member of the quartet, having stepped in during 2024 to take the place of Amy Lacy, our previous tenor player.

 

Patricia Critchley

Baritone saxophone

Patricia first picked up a saxophone as an adult learner in 2009 and was instantly smitten.  As well as developing her playing skills on all four of the ‘standard’ saxophones, she has more recently branched out further, learning flute, bassoon and clarinet.  Casting around for where to go next on sax after taking Grade 8, she came up with the idea for Saxofonie and persuaded the other founding members that they would enjoy it (they did).  She is also a trained woodwind repairer, which comes in handy for maintaining the ensemble’s instruments!