Australian pianist Duncan Gifford has firmly established himself as a major artist of his generation with international successes of 1st Prize in the Maria Callas Grand Prix de Piano in Athens, Greece (2000), 1st Prize in the Concours Prix Mozart in Lausanne, Switzerland (1999) and 1st Prize (as well as the Beethoven and Chopin Prizes) in the prestigious Jose Iturbi International Piano Competition in Spain (1998).

Gifford has previously achieved 3rd Prize in the Sydney International Piano Competition (1992), 3rd Prize in the Montreal International Piano Competition (1996), and 4th Prize in the Dublin International Piano Competition (1994).

Duncan Gifford began piano studies at the age of seven with Alison Salkeld and for several years was a student of Margaret Hair at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
In 1991 he commenced study at the Moscow State Conservatory in the class of Professor Lev Vlassenko, graduating with a Masters Degree in Piano Performance. Gifford later completed his postgraduate studies with Professor Joaquin Soriano in Madrid, where he currently resides.

Gifford has performed in recital throughout Europe, Russia, Japan and Australasia. As soloist he has appeared with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de la Camerata Mozart of Rome, National Orchestra of Ireland, Metropolitan Orchestra of Montreal, Radio Orchestra of Rumania, Russian State Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of Valencia and the Orchestra of Malaga. He performed with the internationally acclaimed Australian Youth Orchestra on its 1993 New Zealand tour and 1994 European tour.

In 1999 Gifford made his US debut, performing in Carnegie Hall in New York and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles. In February 2003 he made his Viennese debut, performing with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in the Vienna Konzerthaus.

In 1993 Gifford released his first commercial CD recording (on ABC Classics), featuring music of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. His 1995 CD recording of the complete Debussy Preludes (on the Walsingham label) received great critical acclaim in Australia and the United States and was a nomination for ŒAustralian Classical Record of the Year‚. Duncan Gifford has just recorded his third CD, of works for piano and orchestra by Saint-Saens, Franck and D‚Indy, together with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to Gifford's performing activities, he is professor of piano at the Spanish National Academy of Contemporary Music in Madrid.