The Ryoanji Duo

The Ryoanji Duo comprised of saxophonist Frank Bongiorno and guitarist Robert Nathanson will perform Feb. 1 at Appalachian State University. The 8 p.m. recital will be held in Broyhill Music Center’s Recital Hall. Admission is free.

The musicians, both professors in UNC Wilmington’s Department of Music, gave a debut performance as the Ryoanji Duo in 1992 at the Tenth World Saxophone Congress in Pesaro, Italy. Frequently invited to perform at saxophone, guitar and composer conferences, the duo has also toured throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

As champions of new music, The Ryoanji Duo has commissioned award-winning composers such as David Kechley, Marilyn Shrude, Jing Jing Luo, Daniel Worley, Ernesto García de León, and others to write for their unique chamber setting. They also have transcribed and published select well-known “classics” by Mozart, Handel, Villa-Lobos, Ravel, Fauré and other composers.

The duo’s Boone recital features “Barcarolle” by Michael Ruszczynski, “Descarga” by Ernesto Cordero, “Saxsounds III (Diminishing Returns)” by Steven Galante, “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5” by Heitor Villa-Lobos, arranged by Bongiorno and Nathanson, and “Driveline: A Power Walk for Guitar and Alto Saxophone” by David Kechley.