The popular Fountain Hills Saxophone Quartet will be performing this free concert in celebration of Valentine’s Day and heart health month. Partnering with the Desert Hills Community School of Music, the Holland Center encourages your to bring a sweetheart, or your own sweet self, to this special Valentine-themed event. Enjoy love songs from the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s — along with the fascinating stories behind the music. Singing or humming along is encouraged, and there will be a dance area for those who want to swing and sway to the music ♥
Tuesday, February 13
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Please RSVP below so we can know how many will be singing with us!
ABOUT THE FOUNTAIN HILLS SAXOPHONE QUARTET
For more than a decade, the Fountain Hills Saxophone Quartet (FHSQ) has been delighting audiences in the greater Phoenix area with its expert musicianship and captivating storytelling. The group is known for performances that are fun, uplifting, informative, and engaging. The FHSQ performs 80-100 shows a year and is a favorite act at many Phoenix-area venues, especially around national and global holidays.
The quartet is proudly serving in its third year as Artists-in-Residence for Desert Hills Presbyterian Church (DHPC) and it frequently partners with the Desert Hills Community School of Music (DHCSM), located on the campus of DHPC. The group includes:
Jeffrey Anthony, Soprano
Jeffrey has an extensive performance history on saxophone. As a member of the Joseph Wytko Saxophone Quartet, he was on the roster of the Arizona Commission on the Arts and performed throughout the southwestern United States. Jeffrey earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Indiana University (Bloomington), a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from Arizona State University (Tempe) where he was a graduate teaching assistant, and a Master of Sacred Music degree in Choral Conducting from Luther Seminary (St. Paul, Minnesota). His saxophone teachers have included Eugene Rousseau and Joseph Wytko. Jeffrey serves as the traditional music director at DHPC, and he teaches organ, piano, and woodwinds at DHCSM.
Heather Baldwin, Alto
Known as “the Captain” for her U.S. Army service, Heather co-founded the FHSQ in 2013 and has been its alto player for the group’s entire 10-year history. Heather is a graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied saxophone under James Forger. She also earned a degree in English, which she puts to use as the FHSQ’s storyteller and spokesperson. Outside the FHSQ, Heather serves as director of administration for the Desert Hills Community School of Music and owns Fountain Hills Piano.
Donna Wilde, Tenor
Vocalist and saxophonist Donna Wilde joined the FHSQ in 2015, augmenting the group’s sound with her incredible vocal talent. Donna earned a music degree at the University of Wisconsin—River Falls and has done just about everything in music since then: show band member on Carnival Cruise Lines, backing singer/saxophone player behind big-name entertainers, public school music teacher, and songwriter. Donna teaches voice and saxophone at the Phoenix Conservatory of Music. She also performs regularly with the S’mile Band and her duo WildeP’lay at many of the top music venues around metro Phoenix.
Dale Nelson, Baritone
Dale co-founded the FHSQ in 2013 and does the heavy lifting for the group. Not only does he haul around the largest saxophone, he also handles the group’s management, to include booking shows, finding new music, and making friends with arrangers around the world to ensure the FHSQ gets first dibs on the best new literature and arrangements. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin—Madison, Dale studied saxophone under Fred Hemke, then went on to a career as a medical products sales rep. Dale is affectionately referred to as “The Badgerer”—due 10 percent to his alma mater and 90 percent to his unparalleled ability to badger the rest of the group into practicing.
