Ryō Noda

Ryō Noda (野田 燎) is a Japanese composer and musician. He has written several classical works for saxophone.

History
Noda was born in Amagasaki, Japan, in 1948.

He graduated from the Osaka College of Music as a saxophonist. and pursued advanced music studies at Northwestern University in Illinois, US, under Fred L. Hemke and at the Bordeaux Conservatory (France) under Jean-Marie Londeix.

Noda is noted in the West for his control, avant-garde improvisations and playing techniques. While he is a leading exponent of new Japanese music for the saxophone, his repertoire also includes Western music of the baroque, classical, and romantic periods.

He was twice awarded the Osaka City Art Festival Prize, and in 1986 he won the Osaka Prefecture Gold Award. He received the Grand Prix of the Yamaha Electone Festival in 1989. His work as a composer was recognized in 1973 when he was awarded the SACEM Composition Prize.

Famous works
Noda is noted for saxophone compositions which include:
 * Improvisation I, II, & III (based on shakuhachi playing)
 * Mai, Paris 1975 for solo saxophone
 * Phoenix
 * Gen
 * Requiem (Shin Én) for solo saxophone
 * Murasaki No Fuchi for saxophone duet (AA or ST)