Carl Raven
Professor of Saxophone
BMus, RNCM, PPRNCM
Email: [email protected]
Tutor in Saxophone
Carl is a freelance saxophonist, improvisor and educator. He performs regularly with Halle, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish, RLPO, RPO, Manchester Camerata, Opera North, Northern Sinfonia. He is a founder member of House of Bedlam, a UK based contemporary music ensemble and is a member of the Apollo Saxophone Quartet. He has solo recordings on Naxos, Odradek and Turquoise Coconut.
Carl is a Selmer and Vandoren performing artist.
Undergraduate Teaching
- Professor of Saxophone, Royal Northern College of Music
- University of Manchester – Saxophone and improvisation tutor
- Chetham’s School of Music – Senior Tutor in Saxophone, Big Band director.
- Masterclasses: Utrecht, Capetown, Durban, Johannesburg, ArtEZ Academy (NL), Birmingham Conservatoire, Leeds College of Music
- Course Director: Harrogate Saxophone Summer School
- External Examiner: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Leeds College of Music
- Lectures and Ensemble leading RNCM saxophone day
Professional Activity
- Guest Principal Saxophone: Hallé, RLPO, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish, BBC concert orchestra, RSNO, Opera North, Manchester Camerata, CBSO, RPO, Royal Northern Sinfonia, ENO, Northern Ballet. Working, broadcasting and recording continually with these groups.
- Chamber: Apollo Saxophone Quartet, House of Bedlam, Riot Ensemble, Ensemble 10:10, Michael Nyman Band
- Concerto Appearances: RLPO – Graham Fitkin, Howard Skempton, Manchester Sinfonia – Malcolm Arnold concerto, Leeds University – Michael Ball concerto, RNCM saxophone orchestra with Vincent David – Scott Double Concerto.
- Solo Appearances: HCMF (with Evan Parker), Dartington, Kettle’s Yard, Music in the Round (with John Butcher), Leeds Recital Series, CoMA Festival, Aldeburgh Festival (2024) Oxford University/PRiSM GAME project, NonClassical St. John’s Waterloo. Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (Hanna Hartman premiere)
- Festivals: World Saxophone Congress (UK/FR) (2012, 2015), EuroSax Festival (PT) (2017), FISP International Saxophone Festival (PT)
Jazz and Commercial Work
- Performed/Recorded with: Wayne Shorter, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Danilo Perez, Eric Marienthal, Gwilym Simcock, Julian Argüelles, Bob Mintzer, Barbara Thompson.
- Musicals (West End) – On Your Toes, Into The Woods, West Side Story, Wonderful Town, 42nd Street, Singing In The Rain, King And I, Light In The Piazza, Pacific Overtures, Kiss Me Kate.
- TV & Commercial: Andy Huckvale (numerous advertisements, writing credits and remote performing/recording/editing), Children in Need BBC1, Soapstar Superstar series ITV1. Library music/TV incidental music collaborations with Mark White Media, George King, Andy Huckvale.
Recording Work
- Solo CDs: ‘Music for Saxophones’ (2023), ‘Memoire, Horizon’ (2024), ‘Scenes from a Life’ (2015) Naxos recording: Malcolm Arnold Concerto (2011/2021)
- Ensembles: House of Bedlam (‘Enclosure’, on NMC, ‘Talking Microtonal Blues’), Apollo Saxophone Quartet (‘Perspectives’, ‘Apollo Artvark’, ‘Continuum’)
- Notable Orchestral: Hallé – Vaughan Williams 6 & 9 (Sir Mark Elder), RLPO – Vaughan Williams 6 (Andrew Manzi) Ravel Bolero RLPO (Libor Pesek), RSNO – Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky (Gergiev)
