A Symposium for portable duos
An academic and artistic platform dedicated to the exploration of the duo format in chamber music. This gathering brings together portable duos from diverse backgrounds to share the richness of their instrumentation, interpretative approaches, and repertoire. It is a space for exchange, reflection, and the celebration of the sonic diversity that emerges from the dialogue between two instruments.
San José Costa Rica 2026
The International Duo Symposium will take place in San José, Costa Rica, from March 25 to 27th
The main venue will be the Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, in San Pedro de Montes de Oca
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To reach our Symposium, you will need to travel to Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO).
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The recommended method of ground transportation is Uber.
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Car rental is not recommended. Costa Rica can be complicated for drivers, as there is little street signage, and parking at the Symposium venue would not be possible.
Places of interest
We've compiled this map with important points to look out for during your visit.
Here you can find the address for the Symposium main venue, as well as recommendations for accommodations and food.
Featured Artists
Post-Haste Reed Duo
There aren’t many saxophone and bassoon duos. We first met as students at Louisiana State University. After graduating and losing touch for a few years, the magic of social media and LSU sports brought us together first as friends, then as musical colleagues. When we remembered watching our teachers perform together on one particular concert, we were inspired by our non-traditional combination of instruments to perform together. Frustrated by the lack of existing works for our ensemble, we began to arrange existing pieces, and also turned to our composer friends and colleagues and challenged them to write new works for the newly formed Post-Haste Reed Duo.
Our mission is two-fold: to increase the amount of quality chamber music literature for saxophone and bassoon duo and to encourage musicians to experiment performing in non-traditional chamber ensembles. We do this when we collaborate with composers towards new works for us that highlight the capabilities of our two instruments individually and together.
We strive to commission composers from a wide range of musical styles and diverse backgrounds to build a new repertoire, which in turn will introduce a growing audience to the endless possibilities of new music.
Hosts
Lab Duo
Fernando Zúñiga-Chanto and Orquídea Guandique-Araniva joined forces in 2007 to embark on an extraordinary musical journey.
Fernando, bassoonist and pianist, together with Orquídea, violinist and violist, formed the Lab Duo, an ensemble that has captivated audiences with their unique blend of instruments and innovative performances.
With a shared vision and unwavering dedication, Fernando and Orquídea aimed to promote chamber music performed by unusual instrument combinations.
Their mission was to shed light on instruments that have historically received less attention compared to their counterparts. By championing these neglected voices, they sought to inspire other musicians and broaden the horizons of chamber music enthusiasts worldwide. They have performed as a duet in many recital halls in Costa Rica, United States and Europe.
