Interview: Joan Tower and Steven Banks
from KGNU Music Hosted by KGNU Music
In this KGNU interview, Sanford Baran speaks with acclaimed composer Joan Tower and saxophonist Steven Banks about their collaboration on Love Returns, a new saxophone concerto premiering at the 2025 Colorado Music Festival. Inspired by the loss of Tower’s husband, the piece evolved from her earlier work Love Letter and marks a more emotionally open chapter in her music. Tower and Banks discuss their close working relationship, made possible by conductor Peter Oundjian, and how their shared experience as performers shaped the concerto’s development. Banks hopes the work will expand opportunities for classical saxophonists, while Tower emphasizes the importance of flexibility and collaboration in bringing new music to life. The premiere promises to be a powerful highlight of this year’s festival.
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