Bio
Born in Melbourne Australia, Michael Duke completed his Doctorate degree in Music Performance from Indiana University studying under the tutelage of renowned classical saxophonists Eugene Rousseau, Jean-Yves Fourmeau and Arno Bornkamp. He has performed with many of Australia’s premiere orchestras including the Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Orchestra Victoria, the Australian Philharmonic and Pops Orchestra, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. On the national and world stages he has been invited to perform at numerous international conferences, music institutions and festivals as both lecturer and performer in such countries as USA, UK, Denmark, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singpore, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, Malta, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, France and China. In 2016 Duke performed as soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in the World Premiere of Lyle Chan’s 'My Dear Benjamin’, Serenade for tenor, saxophone and orchestra. In 2010 Duke was a featured artist at the prestigious International Society for Contemporary Music World New Music Days conference in Sydney, Australia where he presented two concerts of new music for saxophone. He is a member of Australia’s leading saxophone quartet Nexas Quartet performing regularly throughout the country and has recorded five CD’s with his long-time collaborator David Howie in HD Duo (saxophone and piano). In the USA Duke has taught on the faculty of Simpson College in Iowa (2002-2005) and Eastern Nazarene College in Massachusetts (2007-2008). Beginning in July 2008, Duke commenced his appointment as the first ever full-time classical saxophone lecturer in Australia at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Sydney University. He is a Yamaha Australia performing artist