Japanese born Ryo Noda (b. 1948) has been hailed for his forward-looking, avant-garde compositions and innovative playing techniques. Phoenix is no exception.

Noda's compositional achievements were significantly recognised in 1973 when he was awarded the SACEM Composition Prize. Phoenix was published soon after, at the height of his career. Exploiting extended techniques on the Saxophone to their full potential, Noda provides a detailed score with instruction. However, a significant amount of interpretation with regards to tempo, pauses and pitch bends is left to the performer. Phoenix is one of many significant works for solo Saxophone by the composer. For all saxophonists, Noda's Phoenix is an excellent, varied addition to advanced repertoires.