“Vicente Prieto and Naira Perdu were impeccable, both knowing how to nuance the chromaticisms and vertiginous arpeggios of the great Russian musician, and at the same time enhance the beauty and sensitivity of his themes”.

– Pedro Olivares. La Verdad Murcia, 17.06.21

Acclaimed for their strength, sensitivity and creative ways of connecting with the public, Ikigai Duo was formed in Spain in 2011. Since then it has performed in different countries and has been invited to International Festivals in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Serbia and Israel.

Ikigai has performed with the Murcia Symphony Orchestra and the Elche Symphony Orchestra different concertos for two pianos by Bach, Mozart and Saint Saëns.

The members of the duo, Vicente Prieto and Naira Perdu, are pianists graduated at the Conservatory in Murcia and the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel with an outstanding career awarded with numerous international prizes in Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Italy and Russia.

As a duo, they have received lessons from Maestro Aquiles Delle Vigne, Boyan Vodenitcharov, Viviane Spanoghe and Pilar Valero, among others.

In 2016 they were selected to participate in the Tel Hai International Piano Festival (Israel), where they received guidance from the renowned duo Kanazawa-Admony and in 2017 they participated in the “world premiere” of a choreography by Ivan Vassiliev, with the prima ballerinas of the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow in the Víctor Villegas Auditorium in Murcia.

Their recent project ” The Colour of Music” (2022) in homage to the composer Alexander Scriabin has been very well received, with a tour that includes concerts in Murcia, Alicante, Melilla, Sardoal, Paris, Subotica, among others.

The term ikigai (生き甲斐) refers to the purpose of life, that which gives meaning to our existence, that which is worth living for and makes us fully satisfied and happy with the direction we take in our lifetime. 

Vicente Prieto

“It is not often that we can simultaneously witness marvellous instrumental skills, musical sensitivity and honesty, and a warm and generous personality.”  

 – Boyan Vodenitcharov (Brussels, 2018).

Awarded 1st Prize at the “III International Clamo Music Competition” (Murcia), 1st Prize at the “XV Villa de Cox Musical Performance Competition” (Alicante), “XVI Maria Giubilei International Piano Competition” (Florence), 2nd Prize at the “III Kasteel d’Ursel International Piano Competition” (Brussels) and Jury Prize at the “Coimbra World Piano Meeting”; Vicente Prieto has an extensive career as a solo pianist on the international scene.

His concerts have taken place in Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Austria and Israel and he has performed with different orchestras such as the Orquesta Hims Mola, Orquesta de Jóvenes de la Región de Murcia, Orquesta Sinfónica Ciudad de Elche or the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Región de Murcia; playing concertos such as Chopin’s n.2 Op.21 by Chopin, n.2 Op.18 by Rachmaninov, n.23 K.448 by Mozart or the Concerto for Double Orchestra, Piano and Timpani H.271 by Martinu.

In 2018 he completed the Master of Solo Performance in Brussels with the great Bulgarian pianist Boyan Vodenitcharov at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, obtaining “Great Distinction” in his final recital (2018). In addition to his activity as a soloist, Vicente has collaborated since 2011 with the “Orquesta Sinfónica de la Región de Murcia”, broadening his vision of music and receiving advice from great conductors. Since 2020 he has also been collaborating with the “Orquesta ADDA Sinfónica” in Alicante.

Naira Perdu

Naira Perdu was born in a family that combines Spanish, English and Persian roots. During the last years she has been awarded with the 1st Prize and Absolute Prize at the Sardoal International Talent Award, Portugal, 1st Prize at the international competition “La Camenae d’Oro” in Italy  and 2nd Prize at the Ruza International Classical Music Competition in Moscow.

She studied Piano Bachelor Degree at the Royal Conservatory of Murcia, Spain obtaining “High Distinction” for her final recital, in the class of Prof. Pilar Valero, who will always be for her an important mentor and guide. Later on, she studied Master of Solo Performance at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in the class of Prof. Boyan Vodenitcharov, who had a strong influence on her musical perception, obtaining “High Distinction” for her Master degree.

Naira has played in Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Israel, Portugal, Austria and Russia and has collaborated on several occasions with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra and Murcia Symphony Orchestra, also as a soloist.

In 2019 she was selected to play at the prestigious “Wienner Saal” in Salzburg and invited to play at the “Clara Schumann Weekend” festival in Moscow. She has also been invited to be a member of the jury of the International Piano Competition of Sardoal (Portugal) in November 2020 and of the Villa de Molina Competition in April 2021.

Naira has recently launched the lieder recital “Reamar” with the tenor Juan de Dios Mateos at the “Essentia” International Festival in Murcia, Spain (May 2022) and she is touring with the recital “The Color of Music” with the pianist Vicente Prieto with concerts in Spain, France, Portual and Serbia.