SaxAndViolin is a Canadian instrumental pop duo consisting of husband-and-wife

Eli Bennett Eli Bennett (born March 9, 1989) is a Canadian Juno Award-nominated jazz saxophonist and Leo Award-winning film composer. He has composed more than twenty film scores and in 2018 received his first Leo Award for Best Musical Score in a Feature ...

and

Rosemary Siemens Rosemary Joy Siemens is a Canadian violinist and vocalist originally from Plum Coulee, Manitoba. She has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, four times at St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, four times at Carnegie Hall, for two U.S. presidents an ...

. The duo has performed private events and concerts around the world including events for Rolls-Royce, Microsoft, Lamborghini, Dell, and a private event at the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...

. Their debut album '' Can't Help Falling In Love (Instrumental Love Songs), Vol. 1'' released on Valentine's Day, 2020, debuted as the #3 Pop Album in Canada on the Canadian iTunes charts.

Background

In 2012, the duo met in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, in the recording studio when Bennett's father

Daryl Bennett Daryl Bennett (born May 27, 1948) is a retired Canadian politician in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. He was twice-elected as the mayor of Peterborough, Ontario, Peterborough, having won the position in 20 ...

was producing an album for Siemens. Shortly after, the pair began performing private events together under their own names until they formally branded as SaxAndViolin in March, 2016. After a viral wedding proposal, they married in 2017, in a public wedding ceremony in Siemens' home town of

Plum Coulee Plum Coulee is an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Rhineland within the Canadian province of Manitoba that held town status prior to January 1, 2015. It is west of Altona, one hour southwest of Winnipeg and 22 kilometres fr ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

Career

SaxAndViolin was formed in 2016 by saxophonist

and violinist

, as a duo for private events and concerts. The unique pairing of instruments featuring a smooth, unprovocative and

easy-listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit ...

pop sound was an immediate hit with fans and the duo performed around the world, including events for Rolls-Royce, Microsoft, Lamborghini, Dell, as well as a private event at the

. In February, 2018, the duo began recording and releasing cover songs on their YouTube Channel and Facebook page, beginning with their instrumental version of

Enya Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (born 17 May 1961; anglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan) known mononymously as Enya, is an Irish singer and composer. With an estimated equivalent of over 80 million albums sold worldwide, Enya is the best-selli ...

's hit song "Only Time", filmed in one of the most expensive custom built homes in Port Moody, British Columbia. Shortly after, they were featured in Vancouver Boulevard Magazine highlighting their love story and unique sound. Later in 2018, the duo performed at the 53rd Canadian National Prayer Breakfast in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, for an audience of Canadian leaders that included

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau (born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada, prime minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025. He led the Liberal Party of Canada, Liberal Party from 2013 until his re ...

and Conservative Party Leader

Andrew Scheer Andrew James Scheer (born May 20, 1979) is a Canadian politician who is the Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada), leader of the Opposition since 2025 and previously from 2017 to 2020 as Leader of the Conservative Party (Canada), leader of ...

. They also performed at the Conservative Party of Canada convention in Vancouver, BC, for outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2016, and the Conservative Leadership Convention in Toronto, in 2017. In 2019, they continued releasing music videos on YouTube and Facebook with their versions of

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

’s song “

Shallow Shallow may refer to: Places * Shallow (underwater relief), where the depth of the water is low compared to its surroundings * Shallow Bay (disambiguation), various places * Shallow Brook, New Jersey, United States * Shallow Inlet, Victoria ...

” from A Star is Born, and

Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...

’s song “

Perfect Perfect commonly refers to: * Perfection; completeness, and excellence * Perfect (grammar), a grammatical category in some languages Perfect may also refer to: Film and television * ''Perfect'' (1985 film), a romantic drama * ''Perfect'' (20 ...

”, and, as of March 2019, have garnered over six million views on these videos. On Valentine's Day, 2020, SaxAndViolin released their debut album entitled '' Can't Help Falling In Love (Instrumental Love Songs), Vol. 1,'' featuring instrumental love songs that inspired their love story. Released on their own record label, SaxAndViolin Records, the album included classic love songs by

Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's sexuall ...

Can't Help Falling In Love "Can't Help Falling in Love" is a song written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and published by Gladys Music, Inc. The melody is based on " Plaisir d'amour", a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-� ...

", " Love Me Tender", and current songs " A Thousand Years", by

Christina Perri Christina Judith Perri (born August 19, 1986) is an American singer and songwriter. After her debut single "Jar of Hearts" was featured on the television series ''So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series), So You Think You Can Dance'' in 2010, ...

, "

" by

, and

's "

". Their cover of

Lauren Daigle Lauren Ashley Daigle ( ; born September 9, 1991) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. After being signed to the label Centricity Music, she released her debut album, ''How Can It Be (album), How Can It Be,'' in 2015 ...

's song "

You Say "You Say" is a song by American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle. It is the lead single from her third studio album, ''Look Up Child''. Written by Daigle alongside producers Paul Mabury and Jason Ingram, it was re ...

" won Instrumental Song of the Year at the 2020

Covenant Awards The Covenant Awards are awarded to the Canadian gospel music industry by GMA Canada, the Gospel Music Association of Canada. The association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music in Ca ...

. In February, 2020, the duo released a music video for their version of

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

's iconic song "

I Will Always Love You "I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career ...

" filmed during a snowstorm in the backyard of one of Point Grey's biggest mansions in Vancouver, BC. Bennett and Siemens were both awarded the

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal () or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. There are four versions of the medal: one iss ...

for their contribution to the arts in

Members

was born and raised in

, BC, Canada, as the firstborn son of Canadian composer, producer, cellist, and drummer

. Bennett grew up listening to his father's film scores in his studio and was introduced to the saxophone through his father at age 11. In addition to being one of Canada's most recognized saxophonists, Bennett has performed twice at the

GRAMMY Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, shared the stage with the likes of

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. As a virtuoso who is considered to be one of the greatest Jazz piano, jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordin ...

and the

Neville Brothers The Neville Brothers were an American R&B/soul/funk group, formed in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. History The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art (1937–2019), Charles (1938–2018), Aaron (b. 19 ...

, opened for the legendary pianist

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

, and had one of the top jazz albums in Canada with his WCMA nominated “Jazz Album of the Year” debut, ''Breakthrough''. Rosemary Siemens was born and raised in Plum Coulee, Manitoba, Canada, and took up the violin and piano at three-years-old through playing hymns with her mom, Mary Siemens. Siemens has performed four times at New York's

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

and was the first violinist to ever perform at the

Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel ( ; ; ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and ...

at the

since its inception in 1483. Rosemary has performed in over 25 countries, 40 U.S. States, for two U.S. Presidents and Canadian Prime Ministers, and recently won “Country/Gospel Album of the Year“ at Canada's

Gospel Music Awards A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee excep ...

. Her album "Plum Coulee, My Home" won Best Bluegrass/Country Album at the Global Music Awards in 2016.

Personal life

In March, 2017, Siemens was on her "Have a Little Faith" Canadian tour and was performing at Buhler Hall in Gretna, Manitoba, when her boyfriend, saxophonist

, who was also on his own Canadian tour, entered through the back of hall playing

's "Can't Help Falling In Love" on his saxophone. Once on stage, Bennett got down on one knee, pulled a ring out of the bell of his saxophone and proposed to Siemens in front of the entire audience. She said yes, and the couple were wed later that year on August 20, 2017, in a public wedding ceremony in

, Manitoba. The ceremony was attended by 1,500 and live streamed by over 50,000 people via

Facebook live Facebook is a social-network service website launched on February 4, 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg. The following is a list of software and technology features that can be found on the Facebook website and mobile app and are available to users of ...

. In September 2018, after performing 175 concerts in 100 cities in the nine months of their secret pregnancy, the couple welcomed their first son, Theodore Parker Bennett into the world. They announced the birth through a YouTube music video featuring a song Siemens wrote and Bennett produced entitled "You and Me". In 2020, Siemens won a

Covenant Award The Covenant Awards are awarded to the Canadian gospel music industry by GMA Canada, the Gospel Music Association of Canada. The association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music in Ca ...

for Children's Song of the Year for that same song, which is also featured on their debut album '' Can't Help Falling In Love (Instrumental Love Songs), Vol. 1.''

Awards and nominations

* 2020

for Instrumental Song of the Year (''You Say'', winner) * 2020

for Children's Song of the Year (Rosemary Siemens feat. SaxAndViolin, ''You and Me'', winner)

Discography

Albums

* 2020: '' Can't Help Falling In Love (Instrumental Love Songs), Vol. 1''

Singles

* 2018: You And Me (Rosemary Siemens feat. SaxAndViolin) * 2019: Only Time * 2019: Shallow * 2019: Perfect * 2019: You Say * 2019: I'll Never Love Again * 2019: Chips N Guacamole * 2019: Old Town Road * 2019: Señorita * 2019: Can You Feel The Love Tonight * 2019: Can't Help Falling In Love * 2019: A Thousand Years

References

External links

Official websiteSaxAndViolin's channel
on

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

SaxAndViolin discography
at

Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...

{{Authority control Canadian pop music groups Canadian instrumental musical groups Pop music duos Male–female musical duos Married couples Canadian musical duos Musical groups established in 2016 2016 establishments in Canada