A native of New York, saxophonist Matthew Sintchak joined the faculty at the University of Iowa in 1997. Before coming to Iowa, Sintchak previously taught at the University of Hartford, Nazareth College and Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York, and at the Eastman School of Music. At Eastman, Sintchak was awarded a 1996-97 Teaching Prize nominated by the faculty and students. As a performer, Sintchak is an avid supporter of contemporary music through numerous commissions and premieres including a joint- commission project of Pulitzer Prize winning composer John Harbison. In addition to new music, Sintchak has given solo recitals throughout the U.S. and has performed with the Hartford Symphony, the Portland Symphony (Maine), the Rochester Philharmonic, and the Eastman Wind Ensemble on two tours of Japan sponsored by Sony and Kodak. Beyond Performing in the traditional saxophone and piano setting, Sintchak has founded alternative performing groups including the Jupiter Saxophone Quartet, the first honors/scholarship saxophone ensemble in the history of the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC). The Quartet premiered several new works including those by David Cleary through a Somerville Arts Council Grant and David Jones through a competition at NEC. More recently, Sintchak has joined the Minneapolis based group, the Ancia Saxophone Quartet. Sintchak has studied at Boston University, the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston (BM in performance), the Paris Conservatory as an auditor on a grant from the Beebe Foundation, and the Eastman School of Music (MM in performance) where he has recently completed has Doctor of Musical Arts with a Performer's Certificate Award, with the exception of his comprehensive exams. His primary teachers have been Ramon Ricker, Claude Delangle, and Kenneth Radnofsky.

Guitarist Matthew Ardizzone is on the faculty of Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. As a soloist he has won top priæs at the 1997 Stotsenberg International Guitar Competition in Malibu, CA and the 1995 Rantucci Guitar Competition in Buffalo, NY. Ardizzone has performed throughout the Northeast and Midwest United States, with recent solo concerts at Bowling Green State University, Ithaca College's Winter Guitar Festival, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and in Worcester and Shrewsbury MA through a concert grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. In addition to Duo Nouveau, Ardizzone performs frequently with flutist Wendy Mehne with recent concerts at Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State, and the 1997 National Flute Convention in Chicago. Ardizzone has studied with Nicholas Goluses, Edward Flower, and Eliot Fisk through a fellowship at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. He has given master classes this year at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Eastern Michigan University, and frequently augments his teaching at Nazareth with high school clinics. With Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Ithaca College, Ardizzone became the first guitarist to receive the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music in May of 1997.

Matthew Sintchak and Yoshihisa Hirano met at Eastman; the result was the commission of Far, Autumn... and Y Through the Air for Duo Nouveau.