DUO AYA
Duo 彩 AYA (彩 AYA meaning “bright colors” and “vibrancy”) is an electrifying ensemble featuring flutist Rachel Woolf and marimbist Makana Jimbu. Their debut album Cycles, released on Neuma Records in Spring 2025, weaves together newly commissioned works by Evan Williams, Miriama Young, Fumihiro Ono, and Paul Millette, alongside classic repertoire by Ney Rosauro, Gareth Farr, and Makoto Shinohara. “Global and virtuosic,” (Am:plified Mag), Cycles is a mosaic of delicate phrasing, extended techniques, stylistic variety, intricate rhythms, and kaleidoscopic textures, that explores our shared ecological, culture, and creative landscapes. “An outstanding release…take a deep dive into Cycles so you can experience all it has to offer,” praises RAG Magazine. Pan M 360 emphasizes the duo’s “excellent technical and sensory performances,” and their power to immerse listeners in “accessible, colourful universes evocative of attractive panoramas, anchored in luminous tones.” The marriage of lyricism and rhythm, they write, creates “a duo with a great potential for evocative versatility.”
2025 Gold Medal winners of the Global Music Awards for Duo and Instrumentalist, Duo 彩 AYA has performed across the world including the United States and Japan, with appearances and masterclasses at The University of Texas at San Antonio, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of North Texas, Texas Christian University, and the University of North Carolina system (Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Wilmington, and Pembroke). Their artistry has also been featured in chamber music series in San Diego and on radio programs across the United States.
Rachel and Makana met as students at the University of North Texas, where they discovered their shared passion for collaborative performance. Through their innovative programming and commitment to global artistic dialogue, Duo 彩 AYA continues to redefine the possibilities of chamber music and inspire audiences worldwide.
