Rio Clemente & Regan Ryzuk ~ Artistry in Motion

Critically acclaimed audience favorite Bishop of Jazz, Rio Clemente, will appear at the Watchung Arts Center with his special guest Master Pianist-Composer, Regan Ryzuk, in a Four Hand Piano Duo on March 14th at 8PM. The show will be followed by a dessert reception with the opportunity to meet the performers.

Rio Clemente’s career began with a BMI scholarship for musical theatre and subsequent studies at Juilliard School of Music. A grant from Broadway Tomorrow for new composers followed. Along with his classical training, Rio developed a style embracing a diversity of music that makes him one of the most expressive and versatile pianists anywhere. After several television appearances, Rio advanced professionally to playing at several distinguished concert halls and festivals, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, Manhattan’s famous Birdland and the Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, as well as the Newport and JVC Jazz Festivals. Rio also performed at the White House representing the United States Coast Guard and all Auxiliaries. He regularly appears with groups such as The Morris Choral Society and Orchestra and at jazz venues from Manhattan to Cape Code and from Florida to California.

Rio has recorded for well-known labels and has published twenty CDs under his own label, Etnemelc Music Productions. Rio in collaboration with Carmine Lombardo has written a number of selections ranging from gospel to Latin, including orchestral arrangements. A children song was nominated for a Grammy and this past October his original musical “VIZHON” had its world premiere performance in Florida. As a music educator, and teacher, he has served as music director for the Generations of Jazz program of the New Jersey Jazz Society, and has presented customized programs in schools, including Viva La Musica Latina with the late percussionist Russ Moy.

Regan Ryzuk, a graduate from Montville Township High School in Montville, New Jersey studied with Robert Helps at Manhattan School of Music as well as attended The Juilliard School. Ryzuk's classical music studies then led into jazz studies with Jaki Byard and Sir Roland Hanna. At Juilliard, he studied music theory and composition.

Ryzuk began touring with various ballet companies – traveling through Europe and Latin America. The playing of ballet classes, improved his improvisational techniques and laid the groundwork for one of his greatest compositional works – "48 Preludes and Fugues" – in the style of Johann Sebastian Bach. This work was composed over the course of a year when he was living in Switzerland. After moving back to the United States, Ryzuk lived in New York and continued his composition work. He also developed a base of students, including Fountains of Wayne co-founder, Adam Schlesinger. Ryzuk was a founding partner in TV/film music production company, respectively known as SOUNDGUILD. Regan’s work can be heard on numerous television and movie projects through his work with Zomba Music. Additionally, he has provided music for Extreme Music Library, LTD.