about Tantrum
With Belgian and Portuguese roots, Tantrum Saxophone Quartet was founded in 2020 by Artur Lopes (soprano saxophone), Dauphine Van der Velpen (alto saxophone), João Faustino (tenor saxophone) and Ruben Almeida (baritone saxophone) in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The four saxophonists studied together at Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts in Tilburg, with Ties Mellema and Andreas Van Zoelen. The saxophonists of Tantrum soon felt a shared enthusiasm for chamber music. The saxophone quartet is a dynamic and unic ensemble because of the different styles and personalities that support and complement each other, whilst making music as well as next to it.
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The Portuguese saxophonists Artur and Faustino started their musical carreer at the conservatory of Aveiro. The two of them found their way to Tilburg where they, next to their fantastic saxophone playing, brought traditional Portuguese music into the quartet. Dauphine is a Belgian saxophone player and started her studies at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent. She soon felt the urge to expand her surroundings, which brought her to Tilburg for the Master of Music. The newest member of the quartet is Ruben Almeida, who started his saxophone carreer directly in The Netherlands, coming from Portugal.
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Tantrum was founded in mid-covid-19 times, which means that rehearsals, concerts and taking lessons were not always easy to organise. Still, these musicians were persistent to give the quartet a proper start: with no more than six months of rehearsing and playing, the quartet got selected to audition for the Willem-Twee Toonzaal Chamber Music Contest and won the first prize at the final round in April 2021. This event and the Final Master Recitals of Artur and Dauphine gave the quartet's autumn program of 2021 a great start. Tantrum was asked to play in Muziekgebouw Eindhoven and Willem-Twee Toonzaal, amongst other locations.
In 2023, the quartet received the 'Grand Prize' for the chamber music master category at the New York Classical Music Competition. Also in this year, Tantrum realised it's first international concert series in Portugal.
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The quartet is very approachable for various events because it focusses on minimal music, modern music, and fado music. In this way the different characters and styles of the Tantrum Saxophonists are formed into a fascinating combination suiting the occasion.
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"Tantrum Saxophone Quartet is one of the most promising young ensembles in the Netherlands. Their affinity with contemporary music comes from a genuine drive to give the music of today a personal voice. They have the ability to transcend technique and style, lifting the music they perform to a higher plane."
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Anthony Fiumara
