The ~Group

Take your preconceived notions of ‘noise’ and toss them out the window. Equal parts “fiendishly good and fiendishly goofy” (Chicago Tribune), ~Nois is a Chicago-based saxophone quartet dedicated to connecting with diverse audiences through the creation of new work. Since its founding in 2016, “~Nois continues to legitimize the saxophone quartet as a premiere ensemble formation for classical music” (thank you Brutal New Music) through commissioning repertoire that is thought-provoking, engaging, and honestly just really good, by some of today's most inspiring compositional voices.

Hailed as “technically superb and musically brilliant” (Cleveland Classical), and renowned for their “supremely sensitive balance and control” (Chicago Classical Review), ~Nois has presented over 130 performances spanning 24 states over the past seven years. These engagements have included invitations to perform at some of the top festivals and concert series in the nation, including Big Ears, LONG PLAY, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Princeton Sound Kitchen, and the University of Chicago Presents Series. As educators, ~Nois has held residencies at some of the nation’s top academic institutions including the University of Chicago (Don Michael Randel Ensemble in Residence 2020/21), Princeton University (Princeton Sound Kitchen Residency 2023), Michigan State University (MSUFCU Entrepreneurial Ensemble in Residence), CU Boulder (Composition Department Ensemble in Residence 2020 - 2023), and more. The ensemble has also been awarded top prizes at numerous prestigious chamber music competitions including the M-Prize International Arts Competition, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and was once deemed “Too loud for the Farmers Market” (Local Evanston, Illinois 1st Ward Constituent).  

At the core of ~Nois’ ethos is a fierce dedication to the commissioning of living composers, with a particular emphasis on developing a personal friendship with all collaborators they work with. In doing so, the ensemble aims to create new works of art that reflect and exemplify the values of human connection which are central to the quartet’s mission. With more than 100 world premieres to date, the members of ~Nois have had the privilege of working closely with some of the world’s leading voices in composition to create new works for saxophone quartet, including Nico Muhly, Augusta Read Thomas, Alex Mincek, Hans Thomalla, and Tonia Ko, among others.

As proud residents of Chicago, the ensemble members seek to serve the diverse neighborhoods of the city through an annual season of self-presented concerts and programs. Each year, ~Nois’ Curiosity Series brings together Chicago residents and artists for an evening of music exclusively featuring the work of composers and performers with strong ties to the city, with a particular focus on advocating for younger creators in Chicago. The ensemble also enjoys bringing works written by their non-Chicago collaborators to the city through other local performances, such as the world premiere of Annika Socolofsky’s song cycle “I Tell You Me” at Chicago’s Ear Taxi Festival in 2021. The piece was described as “among the most captivating compositions I heard the whole festival” by Hannah Edgar of the Chicago Tribune, and was subsequently listed as one of “Chicago’s Top 10 moments in classical music, opera, and jazz that defined 2021” (Chicago Tribune). Additionally, ~Nois serves Chicago youth through their Young Creators Fellowship, which selects two local high school-aged students each year to collaborate with the ensemble on new works for saxophone.

~Nois’ recorded output boasts a wide variety of genres and styles, spanning all the way back to 2020, when the ensemble released their debut album, “Is This ~Nois”. Heralded as “fresh and intense” (The Whole Note), the album (which was absolutely not named in honor of a record by The Strokes) exclusively featured works by composers with ties to the quartet’s hometown of Chicago and was included in the “Best of Bandcamp” list for the contemporary classical category in June of 2020. The group’s highly anticipated sophomore album, “Kinds of ~Nois”, will be releasing in March of 2024 on the label Bright Shiny Things, in collaboration with the composer collective Kinds of Kings. The ensemble will also make various appearances on other albums in the 2023/2024 season, including “I Tell You Me” by Annika Socolofsky (Carrier Records), “birthday party” by the indie-pop artist Vines (self released), and a composer portrait record featuring the music of Osnat Netzer (New Focus Recordings). Additionally, ~Nois’ recorded output has been featured on some of the country’s leading classical music radio stations, including WFMT in Chicago and WQXR’s “New Sounds” Series on New York Public Radio.

In order of the group’s Settlers of Catan leaderboard, ~Nois is János Csontos, Jordan Lulloff, and Julian Velasco.