Artvark is a band with four saxophones without boundaries. The idea came in 2005 from alto saxophonist Rolf Delfos: four completely different characters, both in music and life. Tenor saxophonist Mete Erker says: “Rolf knew all three of us, but the three of us didn’t know each other. It clicked immediately, and after 17 years, we still can’t stop talking and playing. We’re still reinventing ourselves and our music.”The latest album (released in September 2021) by Artvark is called Mother of Thousand and can be seen as the peak of life during the pandemic. Mete says: “The pandemic gave us time and focus. We started working on a new album. Bart Wirtz, our alto player, built a new, fully equipped studio. This allowed us to use a way of writing that was completely new to us: capturing small ideas, recording them in layers, and processing them.” Mete mentions influences like Arvo Pärt, Aphex Twin, and the music of Philip Glass, with whom Artvark had the honor of performing in 2019.In 2022, Artvark performed with singer-songwriter Pitou and world champion breakdancer Menno van Gorp. It’s been quite a journey, from the first chamber music setting, playing music by other saxophone quartets, to ditching the music stands, writing their own music, and discovering an original sound, inspired by all forms of music and other art forms. “We love playing as a quartet and collaborating. Check our website for an impression of the wide range of projects we’re involved in.”Mete Erker – tenor saxophone Bart Wirtz – saxophone Rolf Delfos – saxophone Peter Broekhuizen – saxophone