NOONTIME CONCERTS, which provides FREE live musical performances at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral (660 California St., San Francisco) on Tuesdays at lunchtime (12:30 pm) presents Mana Quartet - Michael Hernandez, Soprano Saxophone; Michael Mortarotti, Alto Saxophone; Eric Barreto-Maymi, Tenor Saxophone; David Cortez, Baritone Saxophone.
Program:
Maritzika* (2021) – Marc Mellits (1966)
Premier Quatuor (1857) – Jean Baptiste Singelée (1821-1875)
Portrait of My Dead Brother* (2014) – Kevin Villalta (1989)
Diversions in Denim (1977) – Carl Anton Wirth (1921-1986)
Since its inception in 2007, the ensemble has premiered dozens of new compositions and given new life to many underrepresented original masterworks. Using vintage instruments built to the acoustical specifications of the saxophone’s inventor, Adolphe Sax, MANA’s impassioned performances offer a vivid reimagining of the saxophone’s nineteenth-century heritage – a refined aesthetic characterized by intrinsic warmth, a dynamic range of character, and absolute versatility.