Biography
Hailed as a “pioneering instrumentalist and writer” and praised for his “surpassingly beautiful music” and “undoubtedly brilliant mind”, saxophonist Alastair Penman is a dynamic and versatile performer and composer. Alastair is a City Music Foundation Artist, Park Lane Group Artist, BBC Introducing Artist, Live Music Now Artist, a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, and has won awards from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, RNCM and St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge. Alastair is a Henri Selmer Paris and Vandoren UK performing Artist.
As a soloist, Alastair has been a guest recitalist at European and World Saxophone Congresses and his debut album, Electric Dawn has received airplay on BBC Radio 3. Alastair’s recent EP, Do You Hear Me?, which highlights the climate emergency, has been described by critics as “groundbreaking”, “a superb mix of sounds” and “damn good music”. In an ensemble setting Alastair leads the award-winning Borealis Saxophone Quartet and plays baritone saxophone with the Kaleidoscope Saxophone Quartet. Alastair has performed with orchestras including the Philharmonia, London Contemporary Orchestra and Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
As an educator Alastair is Professor of Saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is a regular tutor at Benslow Music. He has taught classes for UCLA (USA), Royal Northern College of Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and has taken sectional rehearsals for the National Youth Wind Orchestra.
