Mariana Airaudo y Preston Duncan

Piano and Saxophone Duo

Mariana Airaudo

She began her piano studies at the age of five and graduated from the Conservatorio Integral de Música in 2000, where she studied under the guidance of Mario Martínez and Victoria Schenini, earning the degree of Professor of Piano and Solfège.

Between 2014 and 2015, Mariana pursued advanced studies in Chamber Music and Accompaniment at CODARTS, University of the Arts in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, working with Roderigo Robles de Medina, Sander Sitting, and Maarten Hillenius.

In 2018, she received her degree in Piano Performance from the Escuela Universitaria de Música in Montevideo, where she studied with Ana María Heguy, Carmen Navarro, and Élida Gencarelli.

She later completed a Master’s degree in Chamber Music at the National University of Rosario, Argentina, under the supervision of Fernando Pérez and Antonio Formaro.

Since 2025, Mariana has served as a Yamaha Latin America Artist, through which she performs throughout the region, offering masterclasses and concerts in association with the prestigious brand.

Mariana has built a successful career in tango and Río de la Plata music, appearing as a soloist on renowned stages across the Americas and Europe.

Her specialization in chamber music has led her to collaborate with distinguished Uruguayan and international artists, performing in theaters across the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, England, Germany, France, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, Cuba, Argentina, Panama, and Uruguay.

Mariana is currently a faculty member (collaborative pianist for instrumental studios) at the Institute of Music of the School of Arts, University of the Republic (Uruguay), and at the School of Lyric Arts of SODRE.

Preston Duncan

He is an internationally renowned saxophonist and educator based in Minneapolis, known for his virtuosity and expressiveness. He has performed as a soloist in the United States, Latin America, and Europe, appearing with more than 65 orchestras and ensembles—including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Bowling Green State University Philharmonic—at world-renowned venues.

As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with leading orchestras and renowned artists, and is a member of the Klonos Trio, which is dedicated to commissioning and performing new music; the trio recently released the album *La Música de Marco Lombardi*.

A Fulbright Scholar in Paris, Duncan has received numerous awards and has been invited to international festivals as a distinguished performer and educator. He currently teaches saxophone at the University of Minnesota and actively participates in festivals and educational programs in Europe and the Americas. A renowned advocate of contemporary music, he has commissioned and premiered works by leading contemporary composers.