Saxophonist named Elvis beats musical marathon record with 33 hour-long performance

If you were to wander into the halls of the Museum of Modern Art of Madeira (MAMMA) in late September last year, hoping to see colourful canvases and striking sculptures, you’d be in luck – yet on one side of the building, a different kind of art was being made by Portuguese saxophonist Elvis Nunes Sousa. 

For over one day straight, with only a handful of short breaks, the classically-trained musician performed on his sax for the people of the Portuguese island, hoping to inspire musicians worldwide and honour the cultural heritage of Madeira with his musical marathon.

Repeating a repertoire of 73 songs, and playing pieces from French composers to the “Pink Panther” theme song, Louis Armstrong, and Barbra Streisand, Elvis captured the attention of his audience for 33 hours in a row – an exhausting yet rewarding feat that earned him a Guinness World Records title for the longest marathon playing saxophone.

He took the record from Mysore Sainatha Subbalaxmi (India), who played for 26 hours and 23 minutes straight in February 2023.

Speaking to the Jornal da Madeira, Elvis said “the feeling is one of immense satisfaction, a duty fulfilled”, while also commenting to the Diário de Notícias da Madeira that “I'm really exhausted, I can barely say anything. The fatigue was, without a doubt, the biggest challenge.”

No stranger to achievement, Elvis already has a list of accomplishments under his belt, including first-place prizes at competitions in Europe and South America.

However, this is the first record attempt from the musician, who told GWR that he wanted to “inspire musicians around the world to demonstrate the artistic and physical endurance required by the saxophone and to honour the cultural heritage of Madeira Island.”

It took him months to plan, practise, and assemble a proper playlist, as well as recruit a team of witnesses and timekeepers, but finally he felt prepared to tackle the challenge in Funchal during 22 - 23 September.

Read more about record-breaking musicians in our Arts and Entertainment section!

Taking to the stage at the performing arts section of the museum, Elvis introduced himself to his audience of loved ones, news outlets, and art-lovers early on that Monday, before delving into a rendition of Lennart Clerwall’s “Mexican Bodega”.

For every hour of playing, he was allotted a break of five minutes – and the musician averaged four-hour sets to accumulate his rest time into 20-minute blocks.

During his breaks, he’d slip outside to intake the fresh air, or accept snacks and massages from his supporters. 

He also tried to refrain from speaking as much as he could, unless it was to discuss his performance with his team, because of the saxophone’s strain on his breathing and posture.

And even though Elvis grew more and more exhausted as the show wore on, his audience remained enraptured by his sheer talent and determination. 

As the crowd filtered in and out, and the giant clock on the wall ceaselessly counted, the saxophonist played on – through classics and pop hits, rock songs and ballads, until finally a burst of confetti exploded over his head and rained down over the stage to signal that his 33-hour goal was complete.

Surrounded by his loved ones, and the microphones and cameras of the press, Elvis celebrated his achievement onstage with a vigorous round of applause from the audience. 

And after interviews were over, and all the photos were captured, the musician finally was able to snap his saxophone shut into its case, and escape back home to enjoy his new success (and hopefully have a few hours of silence and rest).

So congratulations on this incredible achievement, Elvis – you are Officially Amazing!