Founded in 2012 by Charles W. Gray, the Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra began as an ensemble of music professionals and educators who teach in middle schools, high schools, and colleges in the Hudson Valley region of New York and New Jersey. With thirteen members performing on sopranino through contrabass saxophone, the group strives to capture the rich and sonorous sound established be the Raschèr Ensemble. In an article about the ensemble in the Poughkeepsie Journal (December 16, 2015) founder Charles Gray described their sound: “It’s almost like a string orchestra, but with the versatility to have the power of a jazz setting at times.”
Under the baton of William Stevens, they performed their 4th annual Christmas concert at the Cunneen-Hackett in Poughkeepsie, New York of music first done by David Bilger’s Saxophone Sinfonia as well as new arrangements commissioned from area composers. Proceeds from these concerts have been donated to help fund local music scholarships including the Dutchess Community College Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra Music Scholarship and the Chamber Foundation’s Charles S. North Music Scholarship. After a successful Kickstarter campaign their studio recording “It’s That Time Again” (2014) features this holiday music and is available on iTunes and CDBaby.
The HVSO, with guest conductor Dr. Paul Cohen, was invited to perform a program entitled A Tribute to the Raschèr Saxophone Ensemble, and Beyondat Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virgina for the U.S. Navy Band’s International Saxophone Symposium in 2016.
The ensemble receives the support of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and Paul Effman Music.