Saxophonist ‘Sandy’ unveils the story of her talent and we applaud her approach to the industry.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello, I’m Sandy. I chose this as my stage name to give tribute to one of the greatest female saxophonists of all time… Sandy Evans.
I’ve been in Doha since 2015 teaching woodwinds in one of the most renowned British International Schools. As a musician I felt I needed to feel those vibrations that only playing myself would give me and feel the warmth of the public. So I decided to play saxophone for private and public events in Doha.
Who is your musical inspiration?
There is certainly more than one answer to this question as I am a multi-instrumentalist. I have been lucky enough to study and become proficient with more than one instrument, and I can say that there has been a different composer/inspiration for every musical period, and so for each of the instruments I play.
For instance, if I desire to play Baroque music, I play the masterpieces of Bach with my flute. I can enjoy Mozart’s Classical music with my clarinet, and just have fun with some Jazz and Pop songs with my saxophone. How cool is that? I just love this!
Why did you choose the saxophone as your musical instrument?
Well I think it was destiny as the saxophone was the first instrument that I ever tried. My brother took lessons, and one day when he wasn’t there, I decided to open the saxophone case and try it out. And guess what? It worked! My dad heard me playing and encouraged me to go for a trial lesson. For some reason, the teacher at the time suggested that I switch to clarinet or flute, and so I ended up playing clarinet for most of my life. I’m from the southern part of Italy, and I spent my childhood playing music in the marching band of my town; this embraces both love for traditions and professional development. I have studied in Europe and the U.S., mainly at the Conservatories of Milan, Italy, and Lugano Switzerland where I obtained two masters degrees – one in music performance, and another in pedagogy. And so after many years, I again heard the voice of my first love, the saxophone, calling me back to play.
What has been the highlight of your musical career?
Well, I think I’m currently living the highlight of my musical career – I’m able to pass on my knowledge to the next generation of musicians, to be an entrepreneur by promoting myself as a musician, and I have the opportunity to perform in an exciting and futuristic city!
