Award-winning musician/composer, Duncan Gardiner, began study of the classical guitar at the age of 9. Duncan's formal music qualifications include an Advanced Diploma and a Bachelor of Performing Arts Degree from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. In 2006 he was awarded First Class Honours after the completion of the honours degree. In addition to this he was the recipient of the Helen Court Scholarship awarded to the most outstanding final year classical music student and was the winner of the Faculty Medal - an award given for outstanding scholarship within the Faculty of Education and Arts at Edith Cowan University. In 2004 Duncan received the Licentiate of Music Diploma with distinction from the AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) winning the J.B. Vincent memorial prize for being the most outstanding candidate.

Duncan appears often as a guest soloist at several prestigious venues and with many established music organisations around Perth in addition to concert activities in rural and country settings. In August of 2004 Duncan was invited to perform in a special concert for Australia's greatest living composer: Peter Sculthorpe.  Together with violinist, Dora Piekart, in 2007 the duo embarked on a successful 11-concert tour of Western Australia. Collectively known as Duo Diavolo, the pair remains dedicated to the exploration of new and neglected repertoire for guitar and violin. With an equal interest in composition his works are rapidly earning critical acclaim and warm reception from fellow-performers and audiences alike.

In much demand as a concerto soloist, Duncan took part in a four-concert tour with the Hills Symphony Orchestra performing Rodrigo's much loved Concierto de Aranjuez and favourite movie themes which he arranged for guitar and orchestra himself. Other concerto highlights include numerous Perth-premiere performances of concerti with the Allegri Chamber Orchestra, Fremantle Symphony Orchestra, WAYO Collegium string orchestra, Guitarstrophe! and the W.A. Mandolin Orchestra.

Recently exploring the world of contemporary music, in mid-2007 the group August Third was formed with fellow musicians Hayley Wiegmink and Ben Kossenberg. August Third boasts a fresh acoustic sound and unique blend of classical guitar, African percussion, keyboards, vocals, violin and flute. While they each contribute a unique style of composition creating a varied and diverse repertoire, their performances bring original music with sounds derived from Latin, Jazz, Classical, African and World Music. Active as a music teacher in Perth, Duncan teaches in the private school education sector, runs a private music studio from home, and provides teaching relief for the School Of Instrumental Music. 

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