With her impressive musical expressiveness and technical perfection, María Dueñas, at just 18, quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after artists of her generation. The Spanish-born violinist has been in demand worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician since winning the 2021 Menuhin Competition, including the audience award.The BBC named her as its New Generation Artist 2021-2023.
In 2021-2022 season, Dueñas performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin, Dresden Philharmonic, Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, NHK Symphony Orchestra and at the Grafenegg Festival, Wiener Konzerthaus and Zankel Hall (Carnegie Hall, New York). She toured Spain with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.
Another highlight will be the premiere of a new violin concerto by Gabriela Ortíz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, as part of the orchestra’s Pan-American Music Initiative.
In addition, she has performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Deutsche Radiophilharmonie, Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, Orchester Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Spanish National Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE, National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under conductors Marek Janowski, Manfred Honeck, Vladimir Spivakov, Vassily Sinaisky, Pietari Inkinen, Gustavo Gimeno, Michael Sanderling, Jaime Martín and Dima Slobodeniouk.
Dueñas is also a passionate chamber musician, working with Pablo Ferrández, Matthias Goerne, Itamar Golan and Robert Kulek at the Rheingau Music Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schubertiade in Vilabertran, Colmar International Festival, Arts Square Festival St. Petersburg and Verbier Festival. Jordi Cervelló dedicated several solo works to her, which Dueñas premiered in Barcelona.
Born in Granada, Spain, Dueñas began her musical education at age 5 and initially studied at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden. She then studied with renowned pedagogue Boris Kuschnir at the Music and Arts Private University in Vienna and at the University of Art in Graz.
Dueñas plays on instruments by Nicolò Gagliano from 1774 and Guarneri del Gesù “Muntz” from 1736. Both violins are on loan from the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben and the Nippon Music Foundation. In addition, Jonathan Molds has lent her a Stradivarius from his private collection after she won the 2021 Menuhin Competition.
