Biographies

"...an obviously elegant sound that reaches out to a global audience." Nancy Wilson, CBC/Newsworld Television.

"Great playing! The performance excites me. Wonderful sound! The sound and production pleases me." Peter Keigh, Host/Producer, Morningmusik, CJRT 91.1 fm.

"Their taste in music is as impeccable as their playing." Bill Gladstone, CJN.

Since DUO’s partnership began in 1996, Margot Rydall, flute, and Ivan Zilman, guitar, have developed an original signature style, both in their passionate intuitive playing,and in their eclectic musical choices.They bring to their collaboration a lifetime of experience in Classical, Jazz, Rock and World music; and are constantly searching for great music from every genre to arrange for their unique performance approach. DUO’s signature style mixes serious classical works with the best of classic jazz ballads.

DUO has performed throughout Ontario, and British Columbia, Canada; their 1999 tour of Taiwan R.O.C. found them in Taipei during Taiwan’s “Earthquake of the Century”. DUO was proud to add a benefit concert for Earthquake Relief to their scheduled performances. DUO has been featured live in performances and interviews on CBC and Newsworld television and CBC radio.

DUO’s first two CDs, DUO and Collabyrinth have received enthusiastic reviews and regular radio airplay across Canada. Their newly released third recording Reflective, features music from Renaissance to Romantic, Bach to Chick Corea, arranged in concert format with each selection leading deliberately (if at times surprisingly!) to the next.

A Toronto native, Margot Rydall attended the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto, with further studies in London, England.Her teachers included international artists William Bennett, Peter Lloyd and Robert Aitken.

As a soloist and chamber musician, Ms. Rydall has performed in Canada, the U.S. and Britain. She now works exclusively with guitarist Ivan Zilman. She is a teacher, adjudicator and examiner at the Royal Conservatory of Music where she is currently Chairman of the Wind Department, and has taught at the University of Toronto.She is a notedmusic festival adjudicator at both local and provincial levels. Ms. Rydall has been Music Director of CAMMAC's Cedar Glen Summer Music Centre and has taught and performed at the Algonquin International Music Institute.

Ivan Zilman received his Diplome d'Etudes Collegiales-Arts Musique from Vanier College and graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts-Music where he was awarded Cum Laude Honours as well as the Loyola Foundation Scholarship.Included among his teachers was the legendary Jazz guitarist Joe Pass.

Originally from Montreal, Ivan has worked internationally as a studio musician in classical and popular styles; and is also a composer, arranger, record producer and music festival adjudicator.Formerly a teacher at Concordia University, he currently teaches privately in the Beaches area of Toronto.He now performs exclusively with Margot Rydall in their ensemble DUO.