The Group
OUR MISSION IS TO CHAMPION NEW MUSIC FOR SAXOPHONE AND BUILD INNOVATIVE, INCLUSIVE, AND EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL EXPERIENCES.
Ten years ago, ~Nois was formed and ~tildes~ were changed forever. Since its formation the ensemble has had an unwavering commitment to championing new music for saxophone, described as legitimizing “the saxophone quartet as a premiere ensemble formation for classical music” (Brutal New Music). With more than 120 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. ~Nois has presented over 200 concerts in 28 states, with guest artist appearances at over 50 academic institutions. Across the nearly ten years of its existence, the ensemble has reached 20,000+ audience members, 15,000+ students, and 1,000,000+ digital listeners worldwide.
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Julian Velasco
SOPRANO SAXOPHONE
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Natalia Warthen
ALTO SAXOPHONE
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Jordan Lulloff
TENOR SAXOPHONE
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János Csontos
BARITONE SAXOPHONE
READ MORE ABOUT ~NOIS
Take your preconceptions of ‘noise’ and toss them out the window. Equal parts “fiendishly good and fiendishly goofy” (Chicago Tribune), ~Nois Quartet is a “prolific, charismatic young ensemble that is swiftly becoming the American saxophone quartet du jour” (Musical America). Founded in 2016, the Chicago-based ensemble is dedicated to championing new music for saxophone and building community through innovative, inclusive, and exceptional musical experiences. The group has premiered over 150 new works that are thought-provoking, engaging, and honestly just really good, by some of today's most inspiring compositional voices.
Hailed as a “genre-pushing saxophone quartet that takes what is understood about classical music to whole new levels” (The Deli), and renowned for their “supremely sensitive balance and control” (Chicago Classical Review), ~Nois Quartet has presented over 200 performances spanning 31 states over the past 10 years. As they “continue to legitimize the saxophone quartet as a premier ensemble formation for classical music” (thank you Brutal New Music), the ensemble has received 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 Quartet 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 2022 and 2027), CU Boulder (Composition Department Ensemble in Residence 2020 - 2027), 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, the 2026 CAG Louis and Susan Meisel Prize, and was once deemed “too loud for the Farmer’s Market” (Local Evanston, Illinois 1st Ward Constituent).
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 Quartet’s 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. In the past nine seasons alone, ~Nois Quartet has presented over 60 world premieres by Chicago composers. The ensemble is a regular in the Chicago music community, having been featured on some of the city's most prestigious series including the Dame Myra Hess Series, Ear Taxi Festival, Frequency Series, Frequency Festival, U Chicago Presents, Rendezvous Arts, Nova Linea Musica, and more. Additionally, the organization serves Chicago youth through their Young Creators Fellowship, which selects local high school-aged students each year to collaborate with the ensemble on new works for saxophone. Through this program, the group aims to encourage young Chicago-based artists to create new work, provide a platform for young artists to have their work performed for a larger audience, and to offer real-world collaborative experience to prepare them for a future career in music.
At the core of ~Nois Quartet’s ethos is a fierce dedication to the commissioning of living composers (bonus points if the piece needs an instruction manual to perform). With more than 150 world premieres to date, the members of the group 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 Clarice Assad, Chris Cerrone, Viet Cuong, Alex Mincek, Jessie Montgomery, Nico Muhly, Shawn Okpebholo, Jeff Scott, Hans Thomalla, Augusta Read Thomas, Darian Donovan Thomas, and Kari Watson.
Across their 10 years of music making, ~Nois Quartet has had the honor of sharing the stage with some of today’s most prolific performers and ensembles including Third Coast Percussion, Sō Percussion, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, My Brightest Diamond, Darian Donovan Thomas, Jessie Montgomery, the United States Navy Band, the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and the Michigan State University Wind Symphony.
~Nois Quartet’s recorded output boasts a wide variety of genres and styles across more than a dozen albums. Most recently, the group released their genre-bending third album “What is ~Nois” on New Amsterdam Records. The album released to critical acclaim, being heralded as “utterly gorgeous and gripping” (Cast The Dice) and rated “four stars” (BBC Music Magazine), as well as being featured on NPR’s “Best Albums out April 10th, 2026.” Created in collaboration with the Kinds of Kings composer collective, their sophomore album Kinds of ~Nois released on Bright Shiny Things, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart. The group’s 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. Their music can be heard on New Amsterdam Records, Cedille, New Focus, Carrier Records, Bright Shiny Things, Sawyer Editions, Better Company Records, and Records to Burn labels.
~Nois Quartet is János Csontos (he/him), Jordan Lulloff (he/him), Julian Velasco (he/him), and Natalia Warthen (she/her). The four members are Yamaha Performing Artists and perform exclusively on Yamaha saxophones. For more information, please visit www.noisquartet.org
~Nois operates as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.