Biographies

Geoffrey Duce

Pianist Geoffrey Duce has performed throughout Europe, in Japan, Hong Kong and in the USA.  He has appeared as soloist with the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin in the Berlin Philharmonie, with numerous British orchestras, including the Scottish Sinfonia and the Edinburgh Philharmonic, and has just made his debut with the New York Sinfonietta.

Mr. Duce won the Young Artists Award from Britain's National Federation of Music Societies, and was awarded the Prix de Piano at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France.  As winner of the Masie Lewis Prize he gave his debut recital in London's Wigmore Hall.  An accomplished chamber musician and accompanist, he has recorded for BBC Radio and Hong Kong Radio. Mr. Duce became a member of the City of Edinburgh Music School at the age of nine. He then studied in Manchester with Renna Kellaway, before receiving a DAAD scholarship to study in Berlin.

He is currently pursuing a doctorate at the Manhattan School of Music, New York, where he also teaches in the theory department. Mr. Duce has recently performed in Munich, Edinburgh, Georgia/USA, New York and gave his solo debut recital in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

 

Jeni Montrose 

Jeni Montrose graduated with a Masters in Music from the Conservatory of Music Brooklyn College New York in 2004. She is also a graduate (MA Hons) of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland where she read History. She currently studies with Isabel Garcisanz in Paris.During the 2004-5 season Ms Montrose performed with Pacific Opera the roles of Pauline 'Pique Dame' (Tchaikovsky) at the Carnegie Hall, Niklaus 'Tales of Hoffmann' (Offenbach) at the Merkin Hall NYC, Hansel 'Hansel and Gretel' (Humperdinck), Olga 'Eugene Onegin' (Tchaikovsky) and Alice 'Lucia di Lammermoor' (Donizetti).

 

In 2004 she also appeared as the 2nd prisoner at the World Premier performance of 'Ecuba' (Bruno Rigacci) under the direction of Mignon Dunn of the Metropolitan Opera.Acclaimed performances of Maddalena 'Rigoletto' (Verdi) were to follow in 2005-6 in a new production directed by Hector Guedes at the Ludwig Thoma Theater in Munich as well as perfomances as Cherubino 'Marriage of Figaro' (Mozart), Dorabella 'Cosi Fan Tutte' (Mozart) and Orlofsky 'Die Fledermaus' (J Strauss). Additional repertoire performed at the Conservatory of Music include 2nd Lady 'Magic Flute' (Mozart), Dryade 'Ariadne auf Naxos' (R Strauss), Meg 'Falstaff' (Verdi) and scenes from 'Carmen' as Carmen (Bizet) and Octavian 'Der Rosenkavalier' (R Strauss).

 

Ms Montrose is also an active and keen recitalist. She has made concert appearances in Germany at the Meistersingerhalle in Nurnberg, Liederhalle in Stuttgart, Gasteig Philharmonie, British Consulate, Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft, Heilige Kirche and Movimento in Munich and in the UK at the Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh Society of Musicians, Kirkcudbright Arts Festival and Selwyn College Cambridge. Appearances also in New York for the Saltire Society and International House NYC as well as numerous other engagements that have taken her to Stockholm, Lapland, Vienna, London and France.

 

As part of her commitment to help others she recently gave concerts sponsored by Audi, Hammonds and Eurojet to raise funds for the charity Handicap International to help children worldwide who have been disabled by landmines. In 2007 projected plans include helping to raise money for Cancer Research.She is the recipient of awards from the Conservatory of Music, President George Bush, Scottish Arts Council, St Andrews Society Washington DC, Worshipful Company of Musicians, Hope Scott Trust, McGlashan Trust, Oppenheim Trust and International House NYC. Ms Montrose has also recorded a CD of Scottish Songs.

 
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