ENSEMBLES 2023

Sonora Junior Sax

Sonora Junior Sax (SJS) is an orchestra of more than 80 young saxophonists led by a group of young tutors (already concert experts) who play together with the group in an engaging solo/tutti meandering from classic works to pop with both irony and virtuosity. SJS is made up of young musicians aged between 9 and 23 years stemming from secondary musical school. The ensemble is led by the conductor Domenico Luciano and the tutors Angela Colucci, Luigi Cioffi, Nicola De Giacomo and Michele D’Auria. SJS is the only orchestra in the world made up of only saxophonists and it has been highly appreciated among the critics and the audience. SJS played in different places and stages such as Musikverein, Konzerthaus and MuTh in Vienna, Grosbenaw, Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Teatro Bellini in Catania, Teatro Giordano in Foggia, Teatro Curci in Barletta, Teatro Stabile in Potenza, Teatro San Mauro in Lavello, Sala Verdi del Conservatorio in Milan, Teatro dell’Aquila in Fermo as the permanent orchestra of the International Saxophone Stage, Teatro dei Piccoli in Naples. SJS also participated in different editions of Giffoni Film Festival Experience which sponsored the first and second album named “TachiSax” and “Sonora Junior Sax in the district”. In 2016, SJS won an international competition in Vienna. Among 25 orchestras coming from all five continents, SJS was the first Italian orchestra shortlisted and winner. Over the years, SJS organized several advanced courses to stimulate and train the artistic skills both of the individual musicians and the orchestra itself. With this purpose SJS collaborated with well-known teachers like Massimo Mazzoni, Marco Gerboni, Lucy Derosier, Marco Vanni, Jerome Laran, Mario Marzi, Federico Mondelci, Attilio Berni, Nicolas Arsenijevic, Eugenio Ottieri, Salvatore Biancardi, Eugenio Catone, Guerino Bellarosa and the Signum Saxophone quartet.

Domenico Luciano

Conductor

Domenico Luciano graduated with honors from the Conservatory “Cimarosa” in Avellino, under the guidance of Maestro Vanni. He received the master’s degree from the Conservatory “Pergolesi” in Fermo under the guidance of Maestro Mazzoni. He participated in several advanced courses with Maestro Mazzoni and he is now lecturer at the International High Specialisation Course “Viaggio con il Sassofono nel Novecento musicale” which takes place every year in Campigliano (SA). He specialized by taking part in different Master Classes with Maestri Mondelci, Marzi, Londeix, Moretti, Delangle and he performed in different European countries like Russia, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldavia, Croatia, Spain and Austria, enjoying great success with audiences and critics presenting in concert original compositions, arrangements and unpublished pieces. He played as soloist for famous and prestigious theatres like Petruzzelli in Bari, Garibaldi in Enna, Regio in Turin, Rossini in Lugo, Manzoni in Pistoia, San Carlo in Naples and Parco della Musica in Rome. He participated in many national and international competitions, scoring top results each time ( TIM, Rovere D’Oro, Hyperion, Mendelssohn Cup). He worked with several artists like Haber, Papaleo, Izzo and Sepe. One of the most important collaborations is the one with Eugenio Catone, who founded the “2Agorà” with. In a very short time “2Agorà” had a great success among critics and audience. Domenico Luciano and Eugenio Catone worked together also on a discographic project, “Agoraphilia”, labeled Stradivarius Italia Dischi. Since 2015 he is Endorser of Légère, one of the most famous reeds company worldwide. He is director, arranger and founder of the Sonora Junior Sax orchestra, which he had a great success with, by playing in many national and international theaters. He’s saxophone teacher at the I.C. Palatucci di Montella (AV), where he founded an orchestra who won several awards like the “Medaglia del Presidente della Repubblica”, the “Pegaso d’Oro” of Tuscany region and a note of merit thanks to which he had the honorary citizenship of Montella town.

Competition Program

Additional Concerts Program