Cezariusz Gadzina – artistic director, conductor
Annelies Cornette – sopranino, soprano saxophone, LUXEMBOURG
Jakub Łępa – soprano saxophone, POLAND
Eloise Marson – soprano saxophone, ENGLAND
Yevgen Popel – alto saxophone, UKRAINE
Chloé Chasson – alto saxophone, FRANCE
Jana Pilařová – alto saxophone, CZECH REPUBLIC
Manuel Pramotton – tenor saxophone, ITALY
Jurij Bregar – tenor saxophone, SLOVENIA
Jos Baggermans – tenor saxophone, NETHERLANDS
Zsofia Meszaros – baritone saxophone, HUNGARY
Merle Wölker – baritone saxophone, GERMANY
Stef Verpraet – bass saxophone, BELGIUM
Annelies Cornette – began her musical education at the Conservatory School of Arts in Ghent. In 2018, she graduated in the class of Raf Minten, Koen Maas, and Rik Vaneyghen. She then continued her studies at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional (CRR) of Grenoble under the guidance of Alexandre Doisy. In 2024, she obtained her Master’s degree at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in the class of Simon Diricq. In 2022, Annelies won an audition as a young musician, which gave her the opportunity to participate in the project *Un été en France* with renowned cellist Gautier Capuçon. Alongside her studies, she has taken part in various internships and competitions across Europe and attended masterclasses with Claude Delangle, Lars Mlekush, and Joonathan Rautiola, among others. Currently, Annelies is a member of the sextet Isatis, the Belgian Saxophone Ensemble and the European Saxophone Ensemble. Her musical career is marked by a versatile and international approach, as she continuously develops herself as a saxophonist.
Jakub Łępa – Polish saxophonist, graduate of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice at the Jazz Department. He has won many awards and honours at festivals such as the Burghausen Jazz Festival (Germany), Getxo International Jazz Festival (Spain), B-Jazz International Contest (Belgium), Jazz nad Odrą, RCK Pro Jazz, Blue Note Competition, 19 Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa, Novum Jazz Festival, (Poland), Big Sky Jazz (Russia), Sibiu Jazz Festival (Romania), Zilina International Jazz Contest (Slovakia). Scholarship holder of the “Young Poland” program in 2022. He has performed at many music festivals: JazzBez (Ukraine), Lotos Jazz Festival (Poland), Bueno Jazz Festival, Bermeo Jazz Festival (Spain), Kaunas Jazz Festival (Lithuania), Novi Sad Jazz Festival (Serbia). In 2018, being a member of the band, Adam Jarzmik Quintet recorded the album On The Way Home with American jazz guitarist Mike Moreno. In 2023, he was nominated for a Fryderyk Award with the band Superminimalism. Currently an academic teacher at Maria Curie Sklodowska University in Lublin. Currently working on two original projects: Łępa&Jarzmik duo and Jakub Łępa Quartet.
Eloise Marson is a Graduate Saxophone Scholar of the Royal College of Music and a former student of the prestigious Chetham’s School of Music. She also holds the DipABRSM and LRSM Saxophone Diplomas with Distinction. She has enjoyed a varied career, performing both nationally and internationally as a soloist and as part of ensembles. Highlights feature several performances for members of The Royal Family including for HRH King Charles, being the UK representative in the European Saxophone Ensemble (EU project with new works commissioned, concert tours and CD recordings), performing as a Saxophonist for brands with Ministry of Sound, BBC Radio and Proms recordings, private events for the Royal Family of Morrocco, The Ritz Carlton Dubai, and many other collaborations and concerts spanning China, South Korea, Egypt and Europe, to name a few. She also produces and records her own music and has several music releases on all streaming platforms. Eloise is also passionate about music education and believes that music should be accessible to all. Over the years, she has taught hundreds of students in school and home settings and held numerous roles within schools and music services, teaching Saxophone, Piano, Flute and Clarinet.
Yevgen Popel, Ukrainian saxophonist. He holds a Master’s degree from the Ukrainian National Academy of Music in Kyiv, specializing in saxophone performance, conducting, and ensemble music. He also holds Bachelor’s degree in saxophone pedagogy and teaching from Vinnytsia Music Conservatory. He is a highly experienced saxophone teacher with over 15 years of expertise, working with students of all ages, from children and teenagers to adults, in both private and group lessons. Many of his students have become winners of prestigious international music competitions. From 2008 to 2022, he taught at the Vinnytsia Conservatory of Music in Ukraine, where he introduced students to both fundamental and advanced saxophone techniques. He prepared aspiring musicians for professional careers and higher education, directed the conservatory’s saxophone ensemble, and conducted its brass band. In addition to teaching, he has performed as a soloist and ensemble musician at concerts and private events, with a repertoire spanning classical, jazz, and pop music.
Chloé Chasson, began playing saxophone at the music school near Lyon, France. She entered Alexandre Doisy’s Class in the Conservatory of Grenoble following this, where she obtained her conservatory certificate before passing the entrance exam to the «Haute École du Rhin» in 2023 where she has been studying with Philippe Geiss in Strasbourg. During these years, she has collaborated with many saxophonists, pedagogues, and other musicians through courses, masterclasses and competitions. Chloe performs a varied repertoire and has an interest for chamber music. She is also a member of the saxophone sextet Isatis, which plays original pieces as well as numerous transcriptions.
Jana Pilařová is a Czech saxophonist currently in her fifth year at the Prague Conservatory. She is 23 years old and she has a deep passion for playing the saxophone, especially the alto sax. In addition to solo performance, she enjoys chamber music, particularly saxophone quartets, and has been a long-time member of a big band. While her repertoire is primarily focused on classical music, she also enjoys exploring other genres. Beyond her formal studies, she actively expands her skills through various saxophone masterclasses, where she has had the opportunity to learn from renowned musicians such as Lev Pupis, Ryo Noda, Philippe Portejoie or members of the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet. Among her most memorable musical experiences are performances in which she was a member of professional symphony orchestras, including the Czech Philharmonic, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and North Czech Philharmonic.
Manuel Pramotton is an Italian saxophonist and a founding member of The European Saxophone Ensemble, which he joined at its inception in 2008. He earned his Diploma in Saxophone in 2003 from the Conservatorio della Valle d’Aosta, followed by a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Saxophone in 2010 and a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance in 2012, both from the Conservatory of Lausanne (HEMU), Switzerland. Since 2003, he has been a saxophone professor at the Scuola di Formazione e Orientamento Musicale in Valle d’Aosta (Italy), where he teaches saxophone, harmony, ensemble playing, improvisation, and jazz language to students of all ages and levels. His performance career has taken him across Europe and beyond, including appearances in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Burkina Faso. As both a leader and sideman, he has contributed to numerous CDs and DVDs, showcasing his versatility and depth as a musician.
Jurij Bregar is a Slovenian saxophonist. He studied at the Conservatory of Music and Ballet in Ljubljana with Professors Matjaž Drevenšek and Jan Gričar. He then pursued further education at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where he successfully completed his master’s degree with magna cum laude in June 2024 under the mentorship of Professor Simon Diricq. He is currently furthering his education at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, where he is undertaking pedagogical-andragogical training and an advanced saxophone program under Professor Miha Rogina. Jurij has received numerous awards both domestically and internationally. With the saxophone octet Saxfam, he won first prize and a gold plaque at the TEMSIG competition. They also received a special award from the Slovenian Music Youth Association and performed at the Lent Festival in Maribor and at the Slovenian Philharmonic, where their concert was recorded by Radio Television Slovenia. With the ensemble Saxplode, he has performed multiple times at the AS Festival in Bled. They have also performed in Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Croatia, where they premiered a piece by Jean-Denis Michat dedicated to them at the World Saxophone Congress. As a soloist, Jurij distinguished himself at the TEMSIG competition, winning a silver plaque and second prize in 2019. At the international competition in Gran Canaria, Spain, in 2021, he secured third place. In 2022, he once again participated in TEMSIG, receiving a silver plaque and a special award for the best performance of the required piece. During his studies in Brussels, Jurij performed frequently. With the quartet IGRA, he appeared at festivals in Brussels and Leuven. In addition to Brussels, he also performed in Antwerp and Waterloo as part of various musical ensembles.
Jos Baggermans is a Dutch saxophonist. He loves to engage in creating and performing brand-new music. Whether he is composing, playing, or conducting, new music is his passion, which he approaches with youthful curiosity. After studying at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Zwolle and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Jos dedicates himself to creating and performing new repertoire, in various ensembles, such as Cyclone Saxophone Quartet and Nachtlicht Ensemble. Additionally, he substitutes for various orchestras, including Het Residentie Orkest, Orkest De Ereprijs, and Doelen Ensemble.As a soloist, he is a prize winner of the Grachtenfestival Conservatorium Concours.
Zsofia Meszaros was born in Budapest. After finishing her bachelor at the Universitat für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien by Oto Vrhovnik, she moved to Holland and continued her studies as a master student of Johan van der Linden. She gained her Master degree in 2010. She joined the European Saxophone Ensemble when it was formed in 2008 and represented Hungary in it. This orchestra consisted of 12 saxophonists in which Zsofia played the alto and baritone saxophone traveling with the band on tours in Europe and having numerous concerts. She was a member of numerous formations in Holland and she is also the founder of an international baroque trio in which she played with a harpsichordist and bassoonist. Nowadays she lives in in Hungary and works with numerous formations such us the Quattro per Tutti Saxophone Quartet addition to being the founder of Cross Roads Duo.
Merle Wölker grew up in Germany without any musical background in her family. However, when she heard the saxophone in the town’s wind band, she was immediately captivated by its sound and the wide range of colours it could produce. That moment inspired her to learn the instrument herself. In her early years, she discovered that the saxophone family extended far beyond just the alto saxophone—there was a whole world of instruments she wanted to explore and play. At the age of 10, she began playing the baritone saxophone, drawn to its deep vibrations and powerful sound. Around the age of 17, she began taking lessons at the conservatory in Utrecht, where her love for the instrument deepened even further. A few years later, she began her formal studies there with Johan van der Linden. She received extensive training in ensemble playing, as she enjoyed blending different instruments and timbres. Performing in groups has always been one of her passions, regardless of the musical style. She has played in big bands, performed gigs in bars with various groups, and also engaged in symphonic wind music with the Junge Bläserphilharmonie NRW. The saxophone offers such a broad spectrum of styles, sounds, and expressive possibilities, which continues to inspire her. Currently, she is focused on performing contemporary music with her saxophone quartet in the Netherlands. Looking ahead, her goal is to return to her home country, Germany, to perform in symphonic wind bands and take part in projects such as the European Saxophone Ensemble (ESE). Alongside her saxophone studies in Utrecht, she also conducts a wind band in Germany. She deeply values the social aspect of making music together and enjoys offering small pieces of advice to musicians of all levels—knowing that even the smallest changes can have a big impact. She believes that music becomes truly powerful when it’s created with love and dedication.
Stef Verpraet from Belgium, completed his classical saxophone studies at the Lemmens Instituut Kunsthumaniora with Nadine Bal, graduating with great distinction in saxophone. He then went on to the Royal Conservatory, where he graduated with the highest distinction in saxophone under Hans de Jong. In the academic year 2012-2013, he moved to the Fontys Conservatory, where he specialized with Andreas Van Zoelen. He also attended masterclasses with various teachers, including Johan Van De Linden, Philippe Geiss, Johannes Ernst, Jean-Marie Londeix, and Leo Van Oostrom, among others. As a saxophonist, Stef is primarily active as a freelancer in both classical and popular music genres. He has performed with ensembles such as the Flemish Philharmonic, the Royal Air Force Band (Belgium), Belgium Saxophone Ensemble, European Saxophone Ensemble, Glen Hardin, Joe Guercio, and Peter Koelewijn, among others. Stef has recorded several television and radio appearances for stations in Belgium and the Netherlands and is featured as a session musician on various recordings. He has performed concerts as a saxophonist in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In addition, Stef is active as a conductor, runs his own saxophone store, and is a Selmer Performing Artist.