Arno Bornkamp

Classical saxophonist Arno Bornkamp is a unique figure in both the saxophone world and the Classical music world in general. In his career, now spanning nearly 40 years, he has amazed the music world of his energetic and stylish interpretations, full of lyricism and passion. He is a natural storyteller on his instrument, and offers a highly personal take in his interpretations of all the music he plays.

Arno Bornkamp's saxophone style is strongly rooted in the 20th century French tradition: his primary teachers were, in addition to Ed Bogaard, the French saxophone legends Daniël Deffayet and Jean-Marie Londeix. Nonetheless, he was primarily influenced by the Dutch musical climate of the 1980s, a time when traditions were overthrown, dogmas were broken and classical music reached a huge audience. Together with Johan van der Linden, André Arends and Willem van Merwijk, he founded the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet (1982-2017). For a long period this quartet was one of the world’s greatest. One of their merits was opening the doors to make string quartet literature accessible to the saxophone quartet, such as the quartets by Debussy and Ravel, which they usually performed without sheet music. The Aurelia Quartet, later with Niels Bijl, Femke IJlstra and Juan Manuel Dominguez, has left a true legacy, which still serves as a source of inspiration for young quartets. 

Also noteworthy is Bornkamp's long collaboration with pianist Ivo Janssen. Their interpretations of original repertoire and arrangements, many of which have been released on CD, are still considered exemplary. More recently, Bornkamp has started working with younger musicians: the Voyager Trio with cellist Pamela Smits and pianist Tobias Borsboom, the Duo Calvadoré with the Flemish pianist Jan Lust, and the Pannonica Saxophone Quartet, which specializes in playing Argentine tango. 

As a soloist, Bonrkamp has performed the world over. His repertoire spans from the standard repertoire for saxophone to new, often commissioned concerto, such as the Tallahatchie Concerto by Jacob ter Veldhuis. In July 2018, he gave the premiere of Leyendas by Guillermo Lago (pseudonym of Willem van Merwijk), which was warmly received by the audience during the performance of the XVIII World Saxophone Congress in Zagreb. Bornkamp has built up a small collection of historical instruments, which enable him to perform older repertoire in an historically informed way, in both solo projects and also with the Flemish orchestra Anima Eterna. However, he has a particular fondness for new music: in total, Bornkamp has collaborated on more than 150 premieres, both as a soloist and chamber musician. Initially inspired by leading composers such as Luciano Berio and Karlheinz Stockhausen, he later built deep, long-term, and productive musical relationships with composers such as Ryo Noda, Christian Lauba, Guillermo Lago, Santiago Baez and Jacob ter Veldhuis, frequently performing many of their works. 

For approximately 25 years, orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Residentie Orkest, Holland Symfonia, and various radio orchestras have used Bornkamp's services as a substitute player, giving him the privilege of performing orchestral repertoire under such greats as Carlo-Maria Giulini, Ricardo Chailly, Mariss Jansons, Daniele Gatti, Mstislav Rostropovich, Heinz Holliger and Bernard Haitink. 

Arno Bornkamp has been a teacher of saxophone as a principal subject at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam for many years. Additionally, he is regularly invited to give master classes all over the world. 

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