Biography
I am an eager, open to new artistic experiences and feel involved in nowadays music.
I have focused my artistic career in the baritone saxophone, an instrument with a large sonority, timbre richness and great versatility able to play any style of music with a very special personality.
I have premiered more than seventy works from multiple musical genres, from solo to opera, by composers from all over the world. Notable among them are the two Concertos for baritone saxophone and orchestra by Albena Petrovic (Philharmonie de Luxembourg, June 2018) and Fernando Lerman (Teatre Fortuny de Reus, November 2024).
Throughout my solo (and also soloist) activity, I have been a member of several chamber music projects (I was a founding member of SAX 3+1 saxophone quartet, 1994-2013), contemporary music ensembles and other orchestral formations. In 2016, composer and sound artist Joan Bagés i Rubí and I created Morphosis Duo (baritone saxophone and electronics), the basic version of Morphosis Ensemble, a flexible collective of electroacoustic musicians of which I am also a member.
I have performed in Europe, America and Australasia in festivals such as Mixtur Barcelona, New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, Rc4 (Rio de Janeiro) and Classical:NEXT (Vienna and Hannover editions), presenting my diverse artistic projects, mainly focused on new music.
I am currently recording two albums for the Italian label AVENTINO MUSIC that will be launched soon. Previously, I recorded two other albums for German label Solo Musica GmbH: “SUITES – A Tribute to Bach’s Cello Suites” (2023, SM426) and “Dreamlover” (2022, SM396) with the complete production of works for saxophone by Albena Petrovic. My solo discs “Believer” (INS Records, 2015) and “Made in BCN” (La Mà de Guido, 2018) contain featured contemporary works from the baritone saxophone repertoire. In addition, I recorded three albums with SAX 3+1 and also participated in several recording projects with Morphosis Ensemble and others formations and composers.
Since 2003, I am teaching saxophone and chamber music at the Music Conservatory of Reus (Catalunya). Furthermore, I have given several baritone saxophone and contemporary music workshops and courses everywhere. My main goal is to train my students as open-minded people and musicians.
In 2023, I assumed the artistic direction, with Joan Bagés i Rubí, of CONTEMPO[R]AN[EUS], a new creation music festival in Reus (Catalunya).
PRESS RELEASES JOAN
(in chronological order)
JOURNALS & MAGAZINES (digital & printed)
2023-11-01. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Review of “Suites”: http://www.revistamusical.cat/critica/el-saxofon-de-marti-frasquier-homenatja-bach/
2023-05-25. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Interview about the release of “Suites”: https://www.melomanodigital.com/entrevista-marti-frasquier/
2023-05. BRÍO CLÁSICA (ESP) > Release of “Suites”: https://www.brioclasica.es/actualidad/joan-marti-frasquier-presenta-suites-un-tributo-a-las-suites-de-cello-de-bach/
2023-05. TODA LA MÚSICA (ESP) > Release of “Suites”: https://www.todalamusica.es/joan-marti-frasquier-presenta-suites-un-tributo-a-las-suites-de-cello-de-bach/
2023-05-20. SETMANARI L’EBRE (CAT) > Release of “Suites”: https://setmanarilebre.cat/el-music-rapitenc-joan-marti-frasquier-presenta-suites-el-seu-disc-homenatge-a-sebastian-bach/
2023-05-19. SCHERZO (ESP) > Interview about the release of “Suites”: https://scherzo.es/joan-marti-frasquier-busco-en-el-saxofon-la-sonoridad-del-violonchelo-barroco/? s=joan+marti+frasquier#
** It also appears at the physic edition of SCHERZO May 2023, number 395, p. 62
2023-05-19. PLATEA MAGAZINE (ESP) > Interview about the release of “Suites”: https://www.plateamagazine.com/entrevistas/15119-joan-marti-frasquier-siempre-me-pregunte-que-hubiera-escrito-bach-para-el-saxofon-de-haber-conocido-el-instrumento
2023-05-18. Blog ACIMC (CAT) > Release of “Suites”: https://acimc.cat/noticies/joan-marti-frasquier-presenta-suites-un-tribut-a-les-suites-de-cello-de-bach/
2022-07. WOXX (FRA) > Review of “Dreamlover”, the new album by Albena Petrovic: https://www.woxx.lu/musique-contemporaine-dreamlover/?fbclid=IwAR09LY4RsTjJ1ia68ek-H3f40ll-bVnc_7EA3t2NRGsvXXKj_RJ4nKYsiHw
2022-06. VIEILLE CARNE (FRA) > Review of “Dreamlover”: https://vieillecarne.com/saxophones-fabien-chouraki-joan-marti-frasquier/
2022-05. REVISTA RITMO (ESP) > Review of “Dreamlover” (recommended album of May): https://www.ritmo.es/discos/discos-recomendados/dreamlover-obras-de-albena-petrovic
2022-05. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Review of “Dreamlover”: https://www.melomanodigital.com/dreamlover/
2022-03. KLASSIK HEUTE (DEU) > Review of “Dreamlover”: http://www.klassik-heute.com/4daction/www_medien_einzeln?id=23907&Kompo45691
2022-03-14. MUSICOLOGIE.ORG (FRA) > Review of “Dreamlover”: https://www.musicologie.org/22/dreamlover_la_musique_pour_saxophone_d_albena_petrovic.html
2022-02. BERTRAND FERRIER, BLOG (FRA) > Review of “Dreamlover”: https://www.bertrandferrier.fr/dreamlover-musique-pour-saxophone-albena-petrovic-solo-musica/
2022-02. REVISTA RITMO (ESP) > Cover and interview about the release of “Dreamlover”: https://www.ritmo.es/revista/en-portada/albena-petrovic
2022-02-01. KLASSIK BEGEISTER (DEU) > Review of “Dreamlover”: https://klassik-begeistert.de/cd-tipp-dreamlover-music-for-saxophone-by-albena-petrovic-klassik-begeistert-de/
2020-07-01. BCN CLÀSSICA (CAT) > Review of my project “Music from my Lockdown”: https://www.barcelonaclasica.info/un-saxo-confinat/
2020-06-14. Blog de la ACIMC (Catalan Association of Classical Music Performers (CAT) > Review of my project “Music from my Lockdown”: https://acimc.cat/noticies/musica-des-del-meu-confinament-per-joan-marti-frasquier/
2020-06-11. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Review of my project “Music from my Lockdown”: https://www.melomanodigital.com/joan-marti-frasquier-musica-desde-mi-confinamiento/
2020-06-10. TODA LA MÚSICA (ESP) > Review of my project “Music from my Lockdown”: https://www.todalamusica.es/musica-desde-mi-confinamiento-grabaciones-de-obras-ineditas-de-y-por-joan-marti-frasquier/
2019-12-29. SONOGRAMA MAGAZINE (CAT) > Review of my album “Made in BCN”: http://sonograma.org/suplement-de-discos/made-in-bcn/
2019-12-11. KLASSIK BEGEISTERT (DEU) > Review of the operas “The Lovers” and “Jealousy” by Albena Petrovic in Luxembourg: https://klassik-begeistert.de/albena-petrovic-the-lovers-und-jealousy-theatre-national-du-luxemburg-6-dezember-2019/#more-15569
2019-12-05. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Collaboration with Lucilin Ensemble in Luxembourg: https://www.melomanodigital.com/joan-marti-frasquier-colabora-con-united-instruments-of-lucilin/
2019-05-26. NÚVOL (CAT) > Review of the concert by Barcelona Modern Ensemble at Auditori (Barcelona): https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/el-talent-de-barcelona-modern-conquereix-lauditori/
2019-05-15. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Concerts in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca: https://www.melomanodigital.com/joan-marti-frasquier-en-el-festival-barcelona-modern-el-me_mmix-y-el-sampler-series/
2019-05-01. TODA LA MÚSICA (ESP) > Performance of “Concierto” by Albena Petrovic in Sofia (Bulgaria) and review of the album “Made in BCN”: https://www.todalamusica.es/el-saxofonista-joan-marti-frasquier-graba-en-bulgaria-una-obra-de-albena-petrovic-vratchanska/
2019-04-24. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Performance of “Concierto” by Albena Petrovic in Sofia (Bulgaria): http://www.revistamusical.cat/el-saxofonista-joan-marti-frasquier-grava-a-bulgaria-una-obra-dalbena-petrovic-vratchanska/
2019-04-13. EPICENTER (BLG) > Performance of “Concierto” by Albena Petrovic in Sofia (Bulgaria): http://epicenter.bg/article/Istinata-e-zad-notite/180117/6/0
2019-03-19. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Notification of OFF Liceu (Barcelona): https://www.melomanodigital.com/grandes-apuestas-del-barcelona-modern-ensemble-para-el-off-liceu/
2019-03-18. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Interview: https://www.melomanodigital.com/entrevista-al-saxofonista-joan-marti-frasquier-con-motivo-de-su-participacion-en-el-off-liceu-del-gran-teatre-del-liceu/
2019-03-18. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Notification of OFF Liceu (Barcelona): http://www.revistamusical.cat/xavier-pages-corella-estrena-dillie-a-loff-liceu/
2019-01-23. MELÓMANO DIGITAL (ESP) > Review of the album “Made in BCN”: https://www.melomanodigital.com/resena-made-in-bcn/
2018-11-14. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Announcement of the International Course of Composition and Festival Barcelona Modern: http://www.revistamusical.cat/comenca-el-curs-de-composicio-i-el-festival-barcelona-modern/
2018-11-14. NÚVOL (CAT) > Announcement of the International Course of Composition and Festival Barcelona Modern: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/torna-barcelona-modern/
2018-07-23. BARCELONA CLÀSSICA (ESP) > Interview: http://barcelonaclasica.info/news/es/2018/07/23/0002/joan-marti-frasquier-quotquiero-transformar-el-mundo-de-la-clasica-a-traves-del-saxo-baritonoquot
2018-06-21. THE NEW BARCELONA POST (ESP) > Festival Mixtur. The art of experimentation: https://www.thenewbarcelonapost.com/es/mixtur-el-arte-de-la-experimentacion/
2017-08-21. SURT DE CASA (CAT) > Interview: https://surtdecasa.cat/ebre/activat/entrevista-joan-marti-frasquier
2016-08-07. SAXRULES.COM (ESP) > Interview: https://saxrules.com/2016/08/07/entrevista-a-joan-marti-frasquier/
2015-09-05. NÚVOL (CAT) > Report at Eufònic Festival 2015: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/joan-marti-frasquier-a-leufonic/
2015-08-31. NÚVOL (CAT) > Presentation of Eufònic Festival 2015: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/un-eufonic-prometedor/
2014-07-25. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Report of Sirga Festival: “21st Century Music for Baritone Saxophone” and “Colours”: http://www.revistamusical.cat/el-sirga-festival-captiva-lebre/
2014-07-24. NÚVOL (CAT) > Report of Sirga Festival: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/festival-sirga-final-de-festa-amb-balanc-positiu/
2014-07-23. NÚVOL (CAT) > Review of Sirga Festival: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/lexit-del-festival-sirga-1/
2014-05-31. NÚVOL (CAT) > Announcement of Sirga Festival: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/sirga-noves-musiques-a-les-terres-de-lebre/
2014-05-13. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Announcement of Sirga Festival: http://www.revistamusical.cat/el-sirga-festival-fomenta-el-dialeg-entre-patrimoni-historic-paisatge-i-creacio/
2013-12-20. NÚVOL (CAT) > Report of Eufònic Urbà Festival: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/un-eufonic-prometedor/
2013-12-17. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Report of Eufònic Urbà Festival: http://www.revistamusical.cat/critica/la-versio-urbana-deufonic-aterra-amb-exit-al-santa-monica/
2012-06-12. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Announcement of “Diàlegs”: http://www.revistamusical.cat/concert-i-encontre-internacional-de-musica-contemporania-a-reus-i-taula-rodona-a-barcelona/
2012-05-17. REVISTA MUSICAL CATALANA (CAT) > Report of Contemporànica Festival: http://www.revistamusical.cat/concert-i-encontre-internacional-de-musica-contemporania-a-reus-i-taula-rodona-a-barcelona/
2012-05-11. NÚVOL (CAT) > Presentation of Contemporànica Festival 2012: https://www.nuvol.com/noticies/alex-sansofestival-contemporanicareusmiquel-ripeu/
**Review of the album “Made in BCN” at Revista Musical Catalana, by Miquel Gené (PDF)
**Participation at the post about at Revista Musical Catalana, by Miquel Gené (PDF)
**Review of the album “Believer” at Revista Musical Catalana, by Miquel Gené (PDF)
**Review of the concert at series “Nous Repertoris” (Barcelona) at Revista Musical Catalana, por (PDF)