Duane Large is active as a performer in nearly every style of music on guitar, mandolin, lute, bass, piano, drums and cavoquinho in both the United States and Europe. He is also an educator and a scholar. He has appeared with such groups as The Philadelphia Orchestra, Temple Orchestra, The Royal Ballet and The Pennsylvania Ballet for which he was the mandolin soloist for Stravinsky’s Agon in 2004. Duane has performed in several cities in the US including, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, New Haven, Boston, Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, and New Orleans. He has also worked closely with local Philadelphia groups including, Orchestra 2001 in 2005 for Tan Dun’s Circle of Trios; Germantown Friends Choir in 2008 for a tour of southern American cities; and playing lute with Quidditas in 2008 with curator of the Fleisher collection, Kile Smith.

Duane is also involved with new music in Philadelphia. In 2006, he performed guitar along with Swedish guitarist, Patrik Karlsson, in Duo con Forza for the group Chamber Music Now, performing works by such composers as Jan Krzywicki (Network for New Music) and Jay Riese (Penn). He has also performed works by Alexander deVaron, Heide Jacobs and Brian Ciach. Duane himself is a composer and has had his works performed at composers’ recitals at Temple University and local salons. Duane is also the co-founder of a new group based in Philadelphia and Baltimore called Philmore Ensemble. This group had its premier concert on January 9th, 2010 at Philadelphia’s Ethical Society. While Philmore Ensemble places a special emphasis on nineteenth-century performance practice, it is also an advocate for new music in the Philadelphia area.

Duane is not just involved with contemporary and classical music. He plays in several projects of varying styles. He has worked for several years with The Cat’s Pajamas playing electric guitar, mandolin, bass and drums. He is also involved with the Jewish group, David’s Harp (guitar, mandolin, and bass), singer/songwriter, Christine Havrilla (drums), and The Brazil Project, with percussionist, Jim Hamilton and singer/songwriter, Anne Simoni, featuring the music of Hermeto Pascoal (cavoquinho, guitar and percussion). Duane is also a songwriter and recently released a self-published CD entitled Stories in the Last Year(BMI, 2008).

Duane received his Bachelor’s degree in guitar performance (Summa cum laude) under the tutelage of Allen Krantz as well as two Master’s degrees in both guitar performance and musicology from Temple University. Duane has continued his studies abroad, studying nineteenth-century performance practice in France with Accadamia l’Ottocento under the direction of Carlo Barone, as well as studying with master classes in Germany with Dale Kavanagh and Daniel Cumming. Duane is currently on the music staff at Germantown Friends School as a music history and music theory professor, piano accompanist and private instructor. Duane also has a thriving private practice.