Lunchtime Recital - Duo Giuliano-Mikeleiz (cello and accordion)

Spanish accordionist Iñigo Mikeleiz and Canadian cellist Daryl Giuliano, recent Masters Graduates of the Royal Academy of Music, started collaborating as a duo in 2017. The unique sound world created by the combination of accordion and cello, bellows and bow, is not a very usual duo. But they have more similarities than one might think, since both instruments are able to maintain sound for long periods of time and vary their colours and intensity within the same note. For string players, who often collaborate with pianists, this possibility and interaction can be rewarding to explore. Even the great cello player Mstislav Rostropovich said that "If cellists want to discover the possibilities of the cello, they should play with accordion and not piano". Duo Giuliano-Mikeleiz utilizes both these similarities and their differences inherent to the playing of each instrument to create a striking combination. The duo embraces the audience in a rich and varied experience, approaching repertoire from baroque to contemporary, including such different styles as classical, new tango and even rock. They perform both original pieces and transcriptions that show the versatility of these two instruments.