That’s Just the Way it Goes

Cape Town–based ensemble Novo Duo presents a compelling 60-minute concert celebrating the richness, colour, and versatility of the saxophone–piano repertoire. Featuring Josie McClure (saxophone) and Seung-Ree Lee (piano), the duo offers a vibrant and thoughtfully curated programme that explores the musical possibilities found in saxophone-piano repertoire.

Spanning early twentieth-century French works to contemporary Japanese and South African compositions, the concert highlights both lyricism and virtuosity. The programme features Fernande Decruck’s Sonata in C-sharp minor, alongside Darius Milhaud’s lively Scaramouche and François Borne’s dazzling Fantaisie Brillante. Takashi Yoshimatsu’s energetic Fuzzy Bird Sonata provides modern contrast, while Matitia’s The Devil’s Rag offers a light, jazz-influenced close. A newly composed work by South African composer Conrad Asman, Variations on Cantaloupe Island, further expands the programme’s contemporary voice.

Several of these works hold special significance for Novo Duo, having featured in the ensemble’s debut performance. With this programme, the duo aims to bring rarely performed saxophone repertoire to South African stages, offering audiences a concert experience that is both accessible and artistically compelling. That’s Just the Way it Goes…