Join composer John Muniz for an afternoon of solo and chamber works exploring moments of crossing, where familiar ways of hearing and being give way to something new.
Blender for solo tenor saxophone drives through five distinct kinetic states, from quiet agitation to raw, physical texture. The Sonata for Violin and Piano moves from the simple joy of morning to night’s stark, luminous clarity. The recital concludes with Swagger Variations for solo piano, which subjects a hip-hop breakbeat to relentless acceleration and fragmentation until its confidence breaks open.This collaborative performance features School of Music faculty members Edward Goodman (saxophone) and Rie Tanaka (piano), with Emily Chao (violin) and the composer (piano).
John Muniz is a composer, music theorist, speaker, and pianist, and serves as Associate Professor of Music Theory at the University of Arizona. He frequently collaborates with members of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, University of Arizona music faculty, and pianist Anna Kijanowska on new works for voice, chamber ensemble, and piano. His music has been commissioned by Chamberhood, an affiliated ensemble of Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, and has been recorded by Anna Kijanowska for the DUX label.
An artist and scholar, Muniz regularly gives public talks on music. He has published research in leading journals including Music Theory Spectrum and Music Analysis. His work is united by a common thread: the instability of categories musicians often take for granted, from enharmonic pitch identity and extended chromatic tonality to the perception of rhythm, the theory of metal music, and the philosophical foundations of music theory itself.
He holds a PhD in Music Theory from Yale University, an MM in Composition from Boston University, and a BA in Music (Composition) from the College of William & Mary. His principal teachers include Paul Zeigler, Sophia Serghi, Joshua Fineberg, and Martin Amlin. Current projects include a song cycle on Rilke’s Sonnets to Orpheus for baritone Andrew Stuckey, a musical setting of a children’s book by Tucson author Enrique Aldana, and new works created in collaboration with violinist and violist Emily Chao.
Visit his website at johnmuniz.com.
Edward Goodman has been described as “extraordinary…musical, expressive” (Larry Rachleff), distinguished by “the soul and passion he pours into the horn that draws the listener in close” (Dave Koz). Winner of the North American Saxophone Alliance Solo Competition and concerto competitions at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, Goodman’s 2020 debut album, Liminal, was considered “diabolically brilliant” (Fanfare Magazine) and featured interpretations that are projected “to become standard” (The Saxophonist Magazine) for this repertoire. Co-founder of the 12th Osaka International Chamber Music Festa (2026) and the M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition (2018) winning saxophone sextet, The Moanin’ Frogs, Goodman’s additional performance credits include the renowned PRISM and Donald Sinta quartets, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, and the Music Academy of the West. He has been invited as a guest artist and clinician at universities and conservatories throughout the United States and internationally, including engagements in France and Spain. Goodman is the Associate Professor of Saxophone at The University of Arizona School of Music.
FB: @eddiegoodman
Instagram: eddiegoodmansax
A native of Osaka, Japan, Dr. Rie Tanaka has been praised for her “brilliant performance” (Central Japan Newspaper) and “lovely sensitivity” (Pioneer Press). A prizewinner in the MTNA Young Artist Competition, Schubert Club Competition, Chautauqua Piano Competition, and Rosenstock International Piano Competition, she has been featured on Minnesota and Wisconsin Public Radio, as well as Fox9 Minneapolis. The Star Tribune has repeatedly named her concerts among the Twin Cities’ “Week’s Best.”
Dr. Tanaka maintains an active career as a soloist and chamber musician, performing at venues including NHK Osaka Hall, Phoenix Hall, the Ordway Center, and the Wiener Musikverein. A devoted collaborator, she performs frequently with her husband, cellist Jesse Nummelin, and co-directed over ten original ballet productions with choreographer Yuki Tokuda – projects that often spotlight underrepresented composers and new works.
Committed to promoting high-quality piano education on an international scale, Dr. Tanaka joined the Frances Clark Center’s International Initiative team in 2024. She has presented lectures at the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival, the Saint Paul Chamber Music Institute, several universities, and MTNA state conferences across the country.
Currently, Dr. Tanaka serves as Instructor of Piano at the University of Arizona, where she teaches applied piano, group piano, and chamber music. She previously served on the faculties of the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, Macalester College, the MacPhail Center for Music, and the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. She holds a DMA and an MM from the University of Minnesota, as well as a BM from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
Instagram: rietanakapianist
Emily Chao joined the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in 2017, and also performs regularly with Tucson Pops Orchestra, True Concord Voices & Orchestra, and Borderlands Ensemble. She has previously served as acting associate concertmaster for Tucson Symphony as well as guest concertmaster for Arizona Philharmonic. Emily was a 2021-2022 Artist-in-Residence for the Santa Cruz Foundation of the Performing Arts and performs chamber music regularly at the Benderly-Kendall Opera House as well as other venues throughout southern Arizona with her groups, the Sky Islands Piano Trio and Quartetto Patagonia. She also volunteers as personnel manager and secretary of the board for Tucson Repertory Orchestra. Emily received a DMA from Boston University, where she studied with Lynn Chang and completed a dissertation on Karol Szymanowski’s First Violin Concerto. She holds BM and MM degrees from New England Conservatory, where she studied with James Buswell. She currently plays a violin made by Tucson-based luthier Zoran Stilin.
Free and open to the public.
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Please note, event duration is approximate.
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