14/10/2025
𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐬 & 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐬 is both happy and sad to announce the retirement of the group’s bass sackbutt player, Stephen Saunders. Happy because Steve, as co-founder, played with the group for 43 years (1982-2025) visiting more than 30 countries across 4 continents, leaving behind a raft of happy memories: sad because he is a great friend and an amazing colleague and we don’t want to let him go! You can hear his incredible sound in every one of our recordings and broadcasts. His contribution to the group has been astonishing.
Please join us in wishing Steve a long and happy retirement. Dear Steve, THANKYOU for everything. We miss you.
Here’s an 𝐀 𝐭𝐨 𝐙 featuring some of the things that Steve has enjoyed with HMSC during his 43 years with the group, playing at, for, in or with all of the following (and many more)…
𝐀mphitheatre at Pompeii , 𝗕𝗕𝗖 radio, tv & Proms, 𝐂anterbury Cathedral, 𝐃eutsche Gramophon, 𝐄dinburgh Festival, 𝐅estspielhaus Salzburg, 𝐆reece and 𝐆ranada, 𝐇ong Kong, 𝐈srael, Sir 𝐉ohn Eliot Gardiner, 𝐊ing's College Cambridge, 𝐋ufthansa Festival 𝐋ondon, 𝐌elbourne, Sir Roger 𝐍orrington, 𝐎slo, 𝐏erth (Australia & Scotland), 𝐐ueen's University of Belfast, 𝐑egensburg Tage Alte Musik, 𝐒ydney Opera House, 𝐓aipei, 𝐔niversity of California at Berkeley, 𝐕enice, 𝐖estminster Abbey & Cathedral (& Wales!), E𝐗Cathedra, 𝐘ork, 𝐙aragoza
