'witch hunt' turned 20
! Unbelievable how time goes by. In October 2000 witch hunt was a runner-up in the Sibelius Music Competition. Saxophonist Gerard McChrystal brought the work to the attention of Nigel Wood, who was so impressed by the work, he asked Ulrich if he would be interested in having it published. The rest is history!
At that time it was not clear what the consequences would be. Read what happened.
+++ watch the 20th anniversaryvideo with more than 40 international saxophonists.
the runner_up
The 'witch hunt' soundtrack was awarded the runner up prize in the 2000
international Sibelius Music™ Composing & Arranging Competition from
more than 1,500 entries. The jury included the film composer Michael Kamen (X-men), the guitarist of 'The Police' Andy Summers and the composer Michael Torke. Andy Summers: "Strong in a smooth jazz
way" Michael Torke: "Confident and effective handling of the
style"
from a film_music_sheet to an exam_piece
'witch hunt' was an episode from a film music project written in 2000. After the publication by Saxtet Publications, based in Birmingham, UK, 'witch hunt' very quickly became popular with young saxophonists. Teachers quickly saw the piece's potential. 'witch hunt' became an ABRSM exam piece and a competition piece. The Royal Schools of Music were also important promotors. In addition, the film score was a template in the Sibelius notation software for a number of years, which increased its popularity. Ulrich received numerous offers for new arrangements.
"I still remember the way that Witch Hunt brought the house down at the end of the 2013 Royal College of Music Saxophone Ensemble concert... brilliant!" And congratulations again for your music, I have enjoyed working with it - best wishes.
Kyle Horch, professor at Royal College of Music London
There have been quite a lot performances and highlights since 2000 - here are some of them:
highlights | venues
2000 'born' as a film music trailer 2000 Internet Sibelius Music Composition & Arrangement Competition 2001 published by Saxtet Publications (Birmingham) 2001 new editions published 2001 first ensemble performance at Trinity College of Music, London 2001 National Youth Wind Orchestra 2001 first Duo performance at Aberystwyth (Wales) 2001 Belfast International Festival (BBC Recording) 2003 Minneapolis, World Saxophone Congress, Tribune Octet 2003 Birmingham ArtsFest - National Saxophone Choir 2004 Royal College of Music 2004 witch hunt (film score) template @ Sibelius 4 - 6 2004 Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama 2004 Araraquara (Brazil) 2005 Aberystwyth (Wales) 2006 ABRSM Exam Piece Grade 7 2007 Hong Kong 2011 San José (Costa Rica) 2014 ABRSM Exam Piece Grade 7 2015 Hong Kong 2017 Trinity College exam piece classical saxophone 2017-2020 2018 World Saxophone Congress 2018 Zagreb (Croatia) 2018 Kuwait City 2019 State Ensemble Contest, Central Washington University 2019 Royal Albert Hall, Music for Youth Proms
2020Happy Birthday! 2021 Cardiff 20th anniversary premiere in 'The Dora' concert hall 2022 new arrangement for alto sax plus winds & strings in concert in Finland 2023 Trinity College London Syllabus Grade 7 2024 Crane School of Music to be continued
Always good for Halloween!
Witch hunt - special 20th anniversary video with more than 40 international saxophonists. Have fun!
"What a cool piece! It gripped me as soon as I heard it"
Gerard McChrystal, saxophonist and professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London
The following arrangements are currently available:
arrangements for duo (sax & piano) sax quartet sax octet saxophone ensemble (plus percussion) saxophone choir sax plus winds & strings brass orchestra film orchestra @ saxtet publications and ulrich's homepage
many thanks to all performers & ensembles
a selection
Air Traffic Saxophone Quartet (Wichita) - Alboaidan, Ali & Jeffcott, Emily (pf) - Ames, Clair - Anglo Sax Quartet - Ardey Sax Quartet - Ashley, Jen - Atkinson, Steph - Austin, Dick - Austria Brass Quintet - Ava Saxophonquartett - Babichev,Richard & Peszynski, Wladyslaw (pf) - Brassband Aschendorf - Benjamin, Fiona - Benjamin, Victoria - Berg, Richard - Brennan, Karoline - Bryan, Carolyn - Bromley Youth Music Trust Saxophone Quartet - Brown, Anna - Bruton, Tom - Canterbury Christ Church University Sax Choir - Chavvaria, Baltazar - Churcher, Ann - Cobb, Nathaniel - Corbel, Andrew - Danubia Saxophon Quartet Vienna - Davidson, Louisa - Davies, Janet - Dragon Saxophone Ensemble - Ensamble de Saxofones Instituto Nacional de la Música, UCR Universidad de Costa Rica, Dir. Iván Arguedas Sanabria - Muenster University of Music Ensemble - Fitzwilliam Saxophone Quartet - Henry, Megan - Herrington, Herndon High School Sax Ensemble - Katie - Hogg, Lauren - Hong Kong Saxophone Ensemble, Dir. Carl Choi - Jakla Saxophone Quartet - Jarvis, Maria - Jolley, Teresa - Jones, Lindsay - Kaleido Sax Quartet - Kenny, Lydia - Kleinfeldt, Rich - Knappe, Lucas & Klaas, Rainer (pf) - Knight, Alison - Kraven, Katherine - Lawson, Dominic - Loughborough Saxophone Ensemble - Lund, Chris - MacTaggart, Sally - Manchester University (MUMS) Saxophone Ensemble - McChrystal, Gerard & Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Saxophone Ensemble - McChrystal, Gerard & Moryiama, Dan (pf) - McChrystal, Gerard & Oliver, Nicholas (pf) - McChrystal, Gerard (sax) & Tom Poster (pf) - McGavock, Jill - Meads, Ray - Mertzlufft, Abigail - Middle, Jonathan - Mieczysław Karłowicz Music School Sax Quartet (PL) - Mitchell, John Jack - National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain - National Youth Wind Orchestra of GB - Orquestra Filarmônica Experimental Uniara Araraquara (Brazil) - Passinen, Nelma (sax) & Taivalmaa, Mari (pf) - Phase Saxophone Quartet - Penman, Alastair - Plant, Emma - Preston, Emily - Price, Rosie - Ratcliff, Maureen - Rauschelbach, Kerri - RCM SaxEnsemble, Dir. Kyle Horch - Richmond Hill HS Sax Ensemble (CDN) - Rifenburg, Tyler - RNCM Saxophone Orchestra - Roundwood Park School Saxophone Quartet - Ryding, Kieran & Kraus, Polina (pf) - Sapphire Sax Quartet - Sax Pac Sextet, Liverpool - Saxophony - SaxShades Quartet - Saxyderms (USA) - Segmehl, Christian & Eggert, Moritz (pf) - Segmehl, Christian & Kibler, Ludwig (pf) - Segmehl, Christian (sax) & Paul Rivinius (pf) - Seinäjoki City Orchester SKOR (SF) - Shaw, Jonathan - Simpson, Karen - Skop, Zuzanna - Smith, Jane - Sovereign Saxophone Octet - Spiral Saxophone Quartet - Sumner HS Sax Quartet (Saxy Sounds) - Symphonic Brassorchestra Regensburg, Dir. Jörg Seggelke - Tomsett, Claire - Tordoff, Bed - Tribune Saxophone Octet - Trinity Saxes & perc. - University of Texas Rio Grand Valley Saxophone Ensemble, Dir. Cynthia Cripps - Uppingham School's Saxophone Choir - Waller, David (perc) - Wilk, Kamil - Wilk, Katarzyna - Williams, Lyenne - Winchester Saxophone Ensemble - Wisniewska, Daria - Worcestershire Saxophone Ensemble - Yorkshire Saxophone Choir - ...
CD productions
by Tribune Saxophone Octet London, Peter Nichols and Margaret
Ozanne (ABRSM), Spiral Saxophone Quartet London, Yorkshire Saxophone Choir, …
Competitions
ABRSM Sylabus (UK), Royal Colleges of Music (UK), Trinity College London (UK), WIAA/WMEA State Ensemble Contest (USA), Music for Youth (UK), Jugend musiziert (D), Crazy Blow 2022 (SF)
YouTube Videos
SaxPac (Music for Youth Proms 2019)
The National Saxophone Choir Quartet The National Saxophone Choir Octet Emma Plant performs Ensemble Version
Herna-Sax Herndon High School Sax Ensemble Saxy Sounds Kathy Clarke Dragon Saxophone Choir Saxophony RCM JD sax ensemble Ukranian Folk Instruments Orchestra Rivne Saxyderms Christian Segmehl (sax) & Paul Rivinius (pf) Air Traffic Saxo Quartet, Wichita (USA) Nelma Passinen (sax) & Mari Taivalmaa (pf) Richard Babichev (sax) & Wladyslaw Peszynski(pf) Richmond Hill HS Saxophone Ensemble Abigail Mertzlufft Quartet
Personal Life
If you want to know more about Ulrich and his music, visit the homepage [vita in german, english, italian]
