Bas Duo is a flute and guitar collaboration with classical guitarist, Peter Press and flutist, Elyse Knobloch. Since they began working together in 2007, Bas Duo has amassed an impressive repertoire of works from the Renaissance to the Twenty-first Century. Avid performers of contemporary music, Bas Duo programs quality new works when it is suitable.

Bas Duo has performed concerts and lecture-recitals in and around the New York City area, and has been a featured ensemble at Caramoor Center for the Arts. Bas Duo has quickly gained a reputation for interesting and creative programming and virtuosic performances.

The Bas Duo delivers diverse and well rounded programs using works by composers from Italy, France, Spain, the United States, Bulgaria, South America and more. Their repertoire includes original works and carefully selected transcriptions. Since the middle of the 20th century, there has been an explosion of new compositions for the flute and guitar, and in the forefront are the works of South American composers who have championed this genre.

Works of Latin composers are often a fusion of classical writing, using ethnic or folk sounding melodies and driving rhythms that evoke tango and dance-like essences. These culturally robust works are very accessible and have a unique appeal to both classical and non-classical listeners. Astor Piazzolla, from Argentina, has been a major contributor. His work "Histoire du Tango", for flute and guitar, is a major contribution, and has been transcribed for many other instrumental combinations. Along with "Histoire ..", the Bas Duo performs many other works of South American composers including Maximo Diego Pujol, Celso Machado, and Jose Luis Merlin.

Composers from the United States, France, and Balkan countries in the past thirty years have also made major contributions and these works are becoming more prolific and available through traditional and self publications. These works, along with Latin selections, often have a quality of intimacy that is unique to this genre.

In addition to traditional concerts, the Bas Duo may be engaged for educational lecture recitals. A sample lecture-recital program, "Folk and Indigenous Music from Near and Far" can be found on the ‘programs/events’ page.

The "Folk and Indigenous Music" program begins with an exploration of an old Peruvian song in which the flute simulates a quena. A quena is an ancient Andean instrument that is still used today, and it has a very stylistic way of being played. Other pieces in the program are by composers from Argentina, the United States, Hungary and Bulgaria that reflect a recurring theme of time and place. The concluding piece is a 21st century work that joins the others with strong ethnic colors and folk imagery. The "Folk and Indigenous Music" program can be arranged to last 45 minutes to an hour. Custom lecture-recitals are also available.

Bas Duo is available to assist in projects with other artists and may be available for individual events by request. Please email your request to info@basduo.com