Clarinettist and saxophonist Debbie Rawson is the founder of New Zealand's most longstanding saxophone quartet, Saxcess. Photo: SUPPLIED
If it hadn't been for a telethon, Debbie Rawson might never have been blessed with Saxcess.
Rawson, who was a clarinettist at the time, recalls being captivated by a saxophone quartet performing on the small screen, probably some time in the middle of the night.
"I'd never seen or heard one before and I was totally blown away".
The leader of the quartet was Ronald Weatherburn who had a day job playing clarinet with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
A few months later, a young Rawson landed some work with the NZSO, sitting next to Weatherburn.
She told him how much she had loved what she saw and heard on the telly.
He told her his quartet needed a new alto sax player and she had the skills to make the jump to the saxophone dimension.
Speaking to RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump, Rawson maintained switching from the clarinet to the sax was relatively easy.
"Easier than most transfers, the clarinet and sax are cousins. There are many people who play both very well.”
It wasn't long before Rawson found herself in a new happy place, performing "difficult, dangerous, French classical sax music" in Wellington's Broadcasting House.
When Ronald Weatherburn died, Rawson took it upon herself to keep the saxophone quartet idea going. It took her a while to find the right "team" but by 1993, Saxcess was ready to make its debut.
Clarinettist and saxophonist Debbie Rawson is the founder of New Zealand's most longstanding saxophone quartet, Saxcess. Photo: SUPPLIED
Thirty years later Saxcess is still, well, successful.
Rawson puts that down to her work seeking out music that is a mixture of the new and the familiar, classical and popular. A mix which not only stimulates the audience, but the players as well.
She also mixes things up by bringing in guest musicians to perform with the group.
She's bringing some of those guests back for Saxcess's 30th birthday bash in Wellington's Public Trust Hall on November 26th, when the quartet will share the stage with percussionist Jeremy Fitzsimons, bass player (and RNZ Concert star) Nick Tipping, accordion player and composer, Ross Harris, and singer Anna Gawn.
There'll be new music by Gareth Farr, Karlo Margetic, Ross Harris, Nathaniel Ottley, John Rimmer and Cameron Monteith, the New Zealand premier of a John Pthasas piece; Rom in Space for sax quartet and percussion, and a saxsational arrangement of music from Claire Cowan’s ballet music for Hansel and Gretel.
New Zealand's most longstanding saxophone quartet, Saxcess, will play with their sax orchestra (pictured) in its upcoming 30th anniversary celebration concert. Photo: SUPPLIED
And if that's not enough to whet your appetite for sax, former members of the band will join the quartet to form a 14 piece Saxophone orchestra.
Maybe the other reason Saxcess is still a success is Rawson's love of Wellington.
When she's not making music, she's taking photos for a living.
Rawson has a gallery and lives on Wellington's wild south coast. She wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Which brought Bryan Crump to his final question; if Rawson were forced to live on a desert island and had to choose between the clarinet and the saxophone, what would it be?
"That's like saying which of your two children do you prefer.
“But it would have to be the clarinet because that's what I started on. It's got a huge range, a fantastic range of dynamics ... and it's got an awesome fantastic repertoire.”
But Debbie, when no one's looking we'll let you sneak a sax into your rucksack as well.
