Colin Crake is an award-winning classical saxophonist. Courtesy photo

In the early 1840s, Belgian instrument maker and musician Adolphe Sax set out to create a new sound for orchestras and military bands that could bridge the gap between the bold power of brass and the subtle expressiveness of woodwinds.

Long before it became synonymous with jazz, the saxophone was embraced as a classical instrument, appearing in works by French composers such as Georges Bizet and later by 20th-century masters. Claude Debussy featured it in his “Rapsodie pour saxophone,” while Maurice Ravel gave it a memorable solo role in “Boléro.”

“Sax envisioned it in every major symphony orchestra and military band,” explained Colin Crake, an award-winning classical saxophonist. “It was all before jazz was even conceived in America. Then, due to socio-economic, cultural, political reasons happening in Europe, the saxophone fell into obscurity, and that’s when jazz started to become popular.”

Reflecting his passion for promoting the saxophone as an instrument worth serious consideration in the classical world, Crake will perform at a free recital at the Iao United Church of Christ in Wailuku on Saturday, presented by the Maui-based Hana Hou Music Program. “I do my best to represent the saxophone in classical music,” said Crake.

His public performances typically surprise audiences.

“Afterwards people are like, ‘Wow, I had no clue the saxophone could work so well in classical music,’ he said. “It’s more than just playing classical repertoire on saxophone; the sound is very different. It’s a lot warmer. We just don’t have an audience with concert halls around the world selling out for classical saxophone recitals. With Hana Hou, we’re trying to make classical saxophone more accessible.”

Crake will play with pianist Tyler Ramos, performing works by Gershwin, Piazzolla, Beach, Bach, Schumann and Queen Lili’uokalani.

“I’m joined by an old friend, Tyler Ramos, a professor at UH Manoa,” he said. “We’re going to be doing a mix of mostly transcriptions or arrangements. So it’s going to be all over the map. Amy Beach’s ‘Romance,’ a romantic violin-piano piece, and he’s going to do a solo Schumann work. I’m doing some solo Bach and a Paganini ‘Caprice,’ and we’re going to play some music of Queen Lili’uokalani. We’re also going to do Piazzolla’s ‘Histoire du Tango.'”

While on Maui, Crake has been offering free classical saxophone clinics in schools across the island as part of the Hana Hou Music Program’s inaugural Visiting Artist Week.

Crake took up the saxophone in high school. He was always kind of interested in jazz, but the jazz band program at his school was not strong, and his high school band teacher encouraged him to take sax. “He was like a straight-ahead classical guy, and we played classical band repertoire,” Crake recalled.

By 2024, he had progressed to earning a doctor of musical arts degree in saxophone performance and literature from the Eastman School of Music. “Basically, I studied saxophone at a high level for 10 years,” he noted.

Crake used to perform with the Eastman Saxophone Project. Since its founding in 2010, the project has become one of the most recognized saxophone ensembles in the world.

“We’re very famous for playing from memory and with choreography,” he said. “We’ve done big works, stuff you wouldn’t think it could be possible on saxophone. A handful of saxophones walking on stage with no music, no one to lead them, and they play the big orchestral masterworks.”

Crake’s most notable accolades include winning first prize from the North American Saxophone Alliance Collegiate Solo Competition, third prize from the Andorra SaxFest International Saxophone Competition, and first prize from the Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition.

The Hana Hou Music Program will present a free concert at the Iao United Church of Christ at 4 p.m. Saturday. Donations will be accepted.