To honor what would have been Neva Fickling’s 80th birthday, two renowned performers are coming together for a free concert.

Czech baritone Vratislav Kriz will join with Edward Eikner, pianist and Wesleyan College professor of music, for a rare concert Friday at Mercer University’s Fickling Hall.

Fickling is the namesake of the concert hall, and the performance is free thanks to a generous gift from the Fickling Family Foundation and friends of Neva Langley Fickling.

“It is a pleasure to perform this program in her honor,” Eikner said in a news release. “She was a great friend, a wonderful lady and a great musician.”

Fickling, a former Miss Georgia and Miss America and avid arts supporter, passed away in December. She and husband, Bill, heard this duo perform in both America and Prague.

The program features works by Czech composers Janacek and Dvorák, with both collaborative pieces and piano solos.

“Not everyone is comfortable performing in Czech,” Eikner said. “It is wonderful to hear it performed by a Czech native.”

Eikner and Kriz have performed together several times during the past 15 years. An avid fan of opera, Eikner said he enjoys collaborating in concerts with performers such as Kriz.

“You feed off of one another’s energy, which is exciting. And I just love trying to be the entire orchestra, as it were, while they’re singing,” he said.

Vratislav Kriz and Edward Eikner

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Fickling Hall, Mercer University

Cost: Free

Information: 301-5470