Breath of Fresh Air: Music for Wind Trio
Week of August 9, 2025
Elena Durán (flute), Miguel Salazar (oboe), Eleanor Weingarten (clarinet)
Elena Durán grew up in Oakland, California and has enjoyed an international career, appearing as soloist with more than 50 orchestras all over the world, playing on a number of occasions for the Queen of England, HM King Charles as well as the President of Mexico. She has recorded a hit single with Paul McCartney and has made two albums with jazz great Stephane Grappelli. At various stages of her career, she has taught at University and Conservatory level including at Stanford University, the London College of Music, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Hartt School of Music. She has given masterclasses and courses all over the world and was the director of the Stratford International Flute Festival for twenty years and the Mexican Flute Festival at UNAM for five years in the nineties. She was named Mexico City’s Ambassador of Culture and Tourism, and with her personal outreach program FLAUTA SIN FRONTERAS, she has taken music to those who can’t attend concerts, especially those in prison and those who live along the US/Mexico Border. Elena is a passionate supporter of the Ranch’s Fundación La Puerta, bringing her programs to the local community.
Miguel Salazar is principal oboe of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Veracruz since 2022. He was adjunct principal oboe of Mexico’s National Symphony (OSN) from 1990-2009 and principal oboe of the Filarmónica de Querétaro from 2009-2022. Salazar is a member of the wind octet, Sinfonietta Ventus and was a member of Eduardo Mata’s Solistas de Mexico. As soloist, chamber musician and orchestral oboist, Salazar has performed in Europe, Latin America and the United States. He has recorded for Sony, Dorian and Urtext Digital Classics. His most recent recording includes Rosetti’s oboe concerto in C as well as Argentinian composer’s 2012 Double Concerto for oboe, clarinet and orchestra.
Eleanor Weingartner has been principal clarinet of Mexico’s National Symphony Orchestra (OSN) since 1990. As soloist she has performed and recorded both classical works as well as new works for clarinet and also for oboe, clarinet and orchestra. As chamber musician, she has collaborated with the Arianna String Quartet, soprano, Jessica Rivera and pianist, Mark Carver as well as pianist Alfredo Aguilar in three recordings for Urtext Digital Classics. She is also a founding member of the wind octet, Sinfonietta Ventus.