Roberto Maqueda: AIR [Showcase as part of Classical Next 2025] AIR is Roberto Maqueda’s first solo project, inspired by the multi-layering concept inherent to percussion. This project combines amplified instruments with solenoid valve modules, creating analog drum machines. AIR serves as a clear manifesto of Maqueda’s aesthetics and approach to music and art, merging electronic elements with his background as a percussionist. He explains, “I’ve long struggled with the disconnect between what I want to present on stage and the expectations placed on me as a percussionist. AIR has finally allowed me to break free, using percussion instruments not through direct hand contact, but via electrovalves and air—an approach that feels authentically true to who I am.“ The piece utilises the language of percussion instruments from both academic and popular cultures, treating them like electronic drum machines but with a distinct approach.