'The music of composer-in-residence Peter Sculthorpe radiated its own fiery glow...Saxophonist Amy Dickson, in particular, did him proud, underlining the vibrancy of this rather remarkable event.' - Presteigne Festival, August 2007
The Guardian, 2007
'The brilliant young Australian saxophonist Amy Dickson was soloist in Richard Rodney Bennett's Seven Country Dances, her flowing phrasing drawing a striking range of tones and colours.
Amy Dickson's late-night concert demonstrated again how much this gifted player is at one with her instrument...After hearing her give the premiere of the saxophone version of his Songs of Sea and Sky, with its release into sweet lyricism, Peter Sculthorpe told me how the experience has inspired him to make it the basis of a complete concerto for her.
Much rougher and visceral was Mark-Anthony Turnage's Two Elegies Framing a Shout, Dickson and pianist Catherine Milledge heroically combining in this harrowing and taxing musical experience.'
Birmingham Post, 2007
“This was the most exciting saxophone recital I've heard in England for a very long time. All performed from memory with a degree of intensity, maturity and panache to satisfy any audience…”
“The Pequena Czarda by my amigo, Pedro Iturralde…I have sent him a copy of the programme, saying that this was the most passionate performance of it I've ever heard!”
Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine, 2003
‘Ms. Dickson negotiated leaps from one end of the instrument's range to the other with aplomb. But nothing could prepare me for the rapid finger work that followed. Never have I heard someone play so many notes per second on the saxophone. And this wasn't mindless jazz doodling. It was note perfect and thrilling. Mr. Sax couldn't have asked for a better champion.'
‘An arrangement for saxophone and piano of Rachmaninoff's Vocalise followed. I have heard this haunting work played on many instruments, but none has sounded more like the human voice than did the saxophone in this performance by Ms. Dickson.'
‘For many listeners, the mention of the saxophone conjures up memories of the vulgar blatty sounds often produced by pop and jazz musicians. But Ms. Dickson's sound is a revelation. This was lyrical playing at its best, with beautiful tone color and sensitive phrasing.'
New York Concert Review, 2005
‘Standing on the stage of the Sydney Opera House in an elegant long blue dress, the alto saxophone gleaming in the light, she held many in the audience spellbound with the concerto's soulful middle movement.'
The Australian, 2004
‘Amy's performance was the most totally satisfying performance of the whole evening…she was a great performer'
Born in Sydney, Amy Dickson began saxophone lessons at the age of seven with Melinda Atkins and later with Mark Walton. Amy made her concerto debut at 16, and at 17 she became a recipient of the James Fairfax Australian Young Artist of the Year competition, which led to a recording of the Dubois Divertissement with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. One year later, she embarked upon an international career which has since led her to travel throughout the world as a soloist. In London, she has studied with Kyle Horch and Martin Robertson, and in the Amsterdam, with Arno Bornkamp.
She became the winner of many international competitions, and was the first saxophonist to win the Gold Medal at the Royal Overseas League Competition, the Prince's Prize and the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year award.
Amy now gives recitals and performs concertos throughout the world and has performed in venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Bridgewater Hall, the Purcell Room, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Beurs van Berlage. She has toured as a soloist with orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Amadeus Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria, and as a solo recitalist throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Amy was invited to perform at the 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and has also performed at St James' Palace, the Scottish Parliament and for Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. As leader of the Zephirus Saxophone Quartet, Amy has also toured throughout the United Kingdom and parts of Europe and has won first prize in the ensemble section of the Royal Overseas League Competition.
A strong advocate of new music and a fervent supporter of contemporary composers, Amy has worked with composers throughout the world and has given the first performances of numerous compositions, including those by Philip Glass, Graeme Koehne, Graham Fitkin and Huw Watkins.
Looking forward to seeing you at City Showcase in June. Hope the new piece is going well!
(just a reminder that free tickets are available via our site!)
