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Meet Andreas van Zoelen (Keeper of Saxophone Secrets, Collector of Stories) and discover his fantasy cultural year.
If saxophones could talk, Andreas van Zoelen’s collection would be a cacophony of tales, some whispering of bygone jazz bars, others bellowing about concert halls long turned to dust. But since they can’t, he does the talking for them.
A saxophonist, conductor, professor, and accidental museum curator, van Zoelen is a man whose curiosity has taken him deep into the labyrinthine history of the instrument.
A professor of classical saxophone at Fontys Academy of the Arts in Tilburg, Netherlands, Andreas spends his days shaping the next generation of saxophonists and his nights poring over the peculiarities of historical saxophones.
His collection - more than 130 instruments strong - isn’t just an assemblage of shiny curiosities; it’s a timeline in brass, a testament to the quirks and craftsmanship of saxophonists past.
The Accidental Collector
It all started with a bit of happenstance. In the 1990s, as a young music student sitting in on lessons, he found himself drawn to an old baritone saxophone perched in his teacher’s room, soaking up the light from the window.
Alongside it was a Conn straight-neck C melody sax, another oddity that piqued his interest. Then, one day, the teacher left, and with a nod to fate (and perhaps some relief at offloading them), he sold both instruments to Andreas for a nominal sum.
That small moment of acquisition turned into an obsession. Soon came along an alto sax from Belgium with two octave keys (who knew?), a high-pitched tenor, and an insatiable desire to learn more.
“I tried playing them, tried understanding their historical context, asked myself all kinds of questions about them,” he recalls. And so began a lifelong pursuit of saxophonic secrets.
Scholar, Performer, and Keeper of the Saxophone Flame
Andreas van Zoelen isn’t just about collecting. He’s a performer of global renown, having played with orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle, the SWR Symphonieorchester, and philharmonie zuidnederland. He’s rubbed shoulders with rock royalty like Stewart Copeland (The Police) and contemporary music icons such as Arvo Pärt and Fazıl Say.
Since 2014, he has been the tenor saxophonist of the legendary Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, stepping into the role once held by founding member Bruce Weinberger. With this acclaimed group, he tours the world, performing and teaching masterclasses, spreading the legacy of Sigurd Raschèr and keeping the unique saxophone tradition alive.
A dedicated researcher, Andreas earned his Ph.D. from Vrije Universiteit Brussels in 2021, defending a thesis that linked the Raschèr tradition to the legacy of Adolphe Sax. His deep dive into history even caught the attention of royalty. He received a personal message from King Albert II of Belgium congratulating him on his academic achievements.
The Online Museum: A Digital Home for Brass Relics
Realising that saxophone history was too rich to keep to himself, Andreas founded saxophonemuseum.online, an online repository where enthusiasts can explore the winding road of saxophone evolution. More than a showcase, it’s a meeting place for players, repairers, and fellow collectors, because what’s the point of hoarding knowledge if you can’t share it?
“I never thought, when I found my first ‘old’ saxophone, that it would once become a collection like the one you are looking at now,” he says. “But if you’re truly enthusiastic about something, follow your own nose!”
Champion of New Music
Andreas doesn’t just look to the past; he’s a force in shaping the saxophone’s future. More than 140 works have been composed especially for him, a number that continues to grow as he commissions and premieres new pieces.
His 2021 album For Now and Forever cemented his reputation as a champion of contemporary saxophone repertoire, presenting fresh compositions for the instrument in innovative settings.
A Living Legacy
From teaching at Fontys to performing on the world’s grandest stages, from uncovering the secrets of antique saxophones to commissioning new works, Andreas van Zoelen is a man who has turned a lifelong fascination into a multi-faceted career. He’s part scholar, part performer, part historian, and ... most of all, an insatiable explorer of the saxophone’s many voices.
Andreas van Zoelen's fantasy cultural year
Guided by founder of the Arts and Culture Network, Mark Walmsley, Andreas embarked on an imaginative exploration of his passions for music, saxophones and facts.
A Global Study in the history of the saxophone
Mark proposed an ambitious, fictitious foundation-funded journey for Andreas: a worldwide study exploring the history of the saxophone.
This project would lead to a TED Talk, a book deal, a TV series, and a university lecture tour of North America, Europe, Scandinavia, and Asia. Andreas proposed to start research in Dinant, which is the birthplace of Adolphe Sax (Andreas's favourite author and inspiration).
As part of this journey, he accepted an experimental challenge, to immerse himself exclusively in one music genre for his years travel, surprisingly he chose no music at all!
Cultural Exploration & Time Travel Adventures
Their conversation turned playful as they continued to design Andrea’s "fantasy cultural year," with Mark wielding a magic wand and time machine.
He would then attend a dance performance, which could be any style he desired - ballet, the premiere of the Sacco du Pantan. The purpose of this project was to inspire a book that would start with research and gradually transform into a story.
In France, Mark and Andreas planned a week of cultural indulgence: Escargot. snails in Paris and white wine. They watched a cricket game and visited Adolphe Sax's imaginary digitally enhanced art gallery.
Music recollections
Mark and Andreas reminisced about their favourite concerts and artists. Andreas decided to go back in time and see a young Freddie Mercury in action in the more intimate surroundings of a club.
Favourite Movies, Musicals, and Future Plans
They both whisked themselves to The Globe Theatre to watch some Shakespeare - Henry V.
They also planned a future outing, with Mark booking a table at a restaurant in Dinold overlooking the river there, and invited Andreas to choose a lunch partner. Not surprisingly perhaps he chose Adolphe Sax.
Through this imaginative exercise, Andrea's fantasy cultural year emerged as a deeply personal, intellectually stimulating, and adventure-filled journey, bridging saxophones, music, and history.
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Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM
Chief Culture Vulture
Arts & Culture Network
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