M E R A K I
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Winners of the II International Chamber Music Competition for Flute & Guitar this year in Spain, Meraki Duo have spent the past decade performing extensively in the UK with programmes which offer a distinctively diverse pairing of flute and guitar. In 2020 at London's 1901 Arts Club, Meraki Duo premièred their first major commission: À Norte, Rio Preto by fast-rising Brazilian composer Rafael Marino Arcaro. In their recitals, flautist Meera Maharaj extends the expressive range of the duo by featuring the alto flute in works such as Takemitsu’s Toward The Sea and Miroslav Tadic’s Four Macedonian Pieces, while they always incorporate arrangements by James of music spanning as widely as Messiaen’s wordless songs, Bacharach, and Brazilian folk-jazz of Hermeto Pascoal.
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Meera and James both studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, where they quickly connected through a shared passion for chamber music, jazz, Latin American styles, and contemporary works. Formed in 2013, Meraki Duo have performed year-round for recital series from Northumberland to Cornwall, at venues such as Wigmore Hall and Kings Place, and festivals including Buxton International Festival, Swaledale Festival and London Guitar Festival. Meraki Duo were selected onto International Guitar Foundation’s Young Artist Platform for 2020. In 2019, they were finalists in the Royal Over-Seas League Competition (Mixed Ensembles) in London.
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As Live Music Now artists since 2018, Meraki Duo also bring performances into the wider community across the country. They are specially trained to give interactive concerts in schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and in care homes.