Krakow Musical Salon – 5th edition
Polish Chamber Musicians’ Association would like to kindly invite you to 5th edition of a unique concert series in the National Museum – Jan Matejko’s House. You will have an opportunity to enjoy 6 concerts between 2nd and 30th of September 2021, which will include chamber masterpieces, premieres of new works and works by some of the Polish composers worth being familiar with. All concerts will be broadcast online on our YT channel. Participation in all the events is free of charge.
Registration (21.09.2021): https://app.evenea.pl/event/premierynasalonach/
Registration (all other concerts): https://bilety.mnk.pl/index/kontakt.html
Organizer: Polish Chamber Musicians’ Association
Partners: Władysław Żeleński State Secondary School of Music in Krakow, Institute of Musicology of the Jagiellonian University, National Museum in Krakow – The Jan Matejko House branch
Organizers
Partners
Programme
Performers
I Concert
Urszula Kryger (mezzo-soprano)
Urszula Kryger graduated from two faculties at the Academy of Music in Łódź: instrumental (piano) in 1988 and singing & acting in the class of Jadwiga Pietraszkiewicz in 1992. She continued her singing studies under the direction of Andrzej Orłowicz in Copenhagen. Urszula Kryger took part in many international music competitions, winning prominent prizes. Her foremost achievements include winning the 1st Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition for Young Singers in Warsaw (1992), the 6th J. Brahms International Singing Competition in Hamburg (1994) and the 43rd ARD International Music Competition in Munich (1994). Since then her career has been followed with unwavering interest by music lovers and critics alike. In 1995 she appeared in La Scala with a recital of songs by Fryderyk Chopin. One year later she appeared in a highly successful debut on the stage of the Semper Oper in Dresden, singing the role of Angelina in Rossini’s “La Cenerentola”. Audiences in Poland and around the world have had many opportunities to admire her art in sacred vocal works performed under the direction of such masters as Jan Krenz, Jerzy Semkow, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Sir Colin Davis and Armin Jordan. Kryger is especially fond of chamber music – her art of interpretation combines perfect delivery with an extraordinary naturalness This is appreciated by musicians who have performed with her, including renowned pianists Hartmut Höll, Charles Spencer, Melvyn Tan and Pascal Rogé, clarinettist Paul Meyer, the Tokyo String Quartet and the Petersen Quartet. Urszula Kryger made many recordings for radio stations in Poland, France, Germany and Switzerland. Her discography grows steadily, with albums recorded for English Decca (Poulenc’s Polish Songs) and Hyperion (Songs by Chopin), German CPO (Löwe’s Ballads), Polish DUX (Russian Duets – the album received the Fryderyk award in 2001, Songs by Moniuszko and songs by Karłowicz and Szymanowski – the album received the Fryderyk award in 2002). An album of Beethoven’s arias (BNL) was released in 2003 and in 2004 Channel Classics released an album containing the complete songs by Karol Szymanowski. The record received a Fryderyk award in 2004 for the best recording of Polish music. In 2012 a Fryderyk award was given to an album of songs by Władysław Żeleński (DUX). In 2006 Urszula Kryger received an award from the Karol Szymanowski Foundation for her distinct, artistic interpretations of the composer’s songs. Urszula Kryger is also a teacher, holding numerous master classes. She has been a lecturer at the Music Academy in Łódź for more than 10 years.
I Concert
Grzegorz Mania (piano)
Grzegorz Mania graduated with distinction from the Music Academy in Krakow, where he studied piano under Professor Stefan Wojtas. He is also a graduate (distinction) of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he was tutored by Martin Roscoe, Charles Owen and Caroline Palmer. Grzegorz is also a graduate of the Jagiellonian University, where he read law and recently obtained a PhD for a dissertation about music and copyright (awarded by the Polish Ministry of Science). He works as a soloist, with orchestra, as an accompanist and chamber musician, as well as regularly duetting with Alicja Smietana, Romana Szczepaniak, Maria Slawek, violinists and Piotr Rozanski, pianist. He is a member of the Extra Sounds Ensemble – the group has recently recorded a CD for Solo Musica, Munchen with pieces by Corelli, Vivaldi, Schnittke and Kreisler. Grzegorz played in many important halls and during many national and international festivals in Poland and abroad – UK, France, Austria, Italy, Norway, Iceland, Vietnam, Israel, USA. Performing at the International Chamber Music Workshops in Pulawy (Poland, 2003-2005), he has also been a finalist in a number of international solo and chamber competitions from 2002 to the present. He won numerous awards for an outstanding accompaniment during national and international instrumental competitions. He has played in master- classes by, among others, Jerome Rose, Victor Rosenbaum, Wolfgang Redik, Tadeusz Gadzina, Anthony Spiri, Peter S. Buck, Piotr Reichert; and has received coaching from Alexander Baillie, Ewa Bukojemska, Krzysztof Smietana, Wiesław Kwasny, Altenberg Trio, Alisdair Beatson, Carole Presland, Krzysztof Chorzelski and Jan Janski. Grzegorz is a co-founder and president of the Polish Chamber Musicians’ Association. He is an author of a book “Music and copyright law”, as well as a co-author of an innovative sight-reading handbook for pianists publishedby prestigious PWM Edition, famous from its edition.
II Concert
Julia Kociuban (piano)
Julia is considered as one of the leading polish pianists of her generation. Her debut solo album “Schumann, Chopin, Bacewicz” was praised by critics as one of the most interesting Polish piano debut of the past years, and last CD with Bacewicz and Tansman Piano Concertos was nominated for the Polish Music Industry Prize “Fryderyk”. This young artist has already been invited to perform in renowned European concert halls including the Herkulessall in Munich, the Konzerthaus of Vienna and of Berlin and the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg. She has also performed in America and Asia and at the most known international music festivals in the world including La Rouge d’Antheron, La Folle Journee, Kissinger Sommer, The Young Euro Classic Piano Festival, The Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival. Julia Kociuban performs regularly solo recitals, in chamber music and as soloist with renowned orchestras (including Wiener Symphoniker, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg). She has collaborated with such great conductors as Howard Griffiths, Hans Graf, Nemme Järvi, Kristjan Järvi, Lahav Shani, Heribert Beissel, Aziz Shokhakimov, Ken-David Masur, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Antoni Wit, Marek Pijarowski among others. She has recorded for many European radio and television stations as well as for the international labels such as Sony Classical, Gramola and Polish DUX. Julia Kociuban graduated from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg where she studied with prof. Piotr Paleczny and Prof. Pavel Gililov. In 2019 she received her doctoral degree in music, and a year later she completed postgraduate studies for cultural managers at the Warsaw School of Economics. Currently as a holder of the Royal College of Music scholarship she completes her Artist Diploma studies in the class of Prof. Dmitri Alexeev. Alongside her solo career Julia Kociuban teaches at the Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź (Poland). She is also a founder and director of BISMA Bacewicz International Summer Music Academy.
II Concert
Messages Quartet
Małgorzata Wasiucionek, Oriana Masternak – violin
Maria Shetty – viola
Beata Urbanek-Kalinowska – cello
Messages Quartet has been founded in 2014 and in just a year won the Second Prize, Silver Medal and a Special Award for interpretation of Shostakovich’s Quartet in the Second International Competition of Chamber Music in Plovdiv (Bulgaria, X 2015). The Quartet has also been recognized by the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage and in February 2016 awarded a grant under “Young Poland” Scholarship Programme, thanks to which in 2017, the debut record of the ensamble containing the recording of string quartets by Szymon Laks was released by the record company DUX. The album received excellent reviews in the French, German, British, American and Polish press. The ambition of the Messages Quartet is to promote Polish chamber music, especially the less known and the most recent. The repertoire of the Quartet includes both works by Polish composers – Laks, Panufnik, Weinberg, Szymanowski, Moniuszko, Bacewicz and other world’s greatest masterpieces of quartet repertoire. The Ensamble has already made several world premieres of polish and foreign composers. Messages Quartet members graduated from Fryderyk Chopin University in Warsaw and Academy of Music in Krakow. They completed their postgraduate soloist studies and master courses at leading European universities (Paris, Brussels, Vienna, Stuttgart). Besides concert activity, the musicians are lecturers at the Academy of Music in Katowice and Krakow. Moreover they cooperate with the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, the Beethoven Academy Orchestra and Sinfonietta Cracovia. Artists have been awarded prizes in international competitions, both in solo and chamber music, and have won scholarships granted by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and other institutions supporting artists all over the world. Messages Quartet performs in Poland and abroad (Vienna, London and Moscow). It presents a versatile and innovative repertoire in a series of chamber music concerts in NOSPR in Katowice. The Quartet makes often appearances in the cultural capital of Malopolska and in Warsaw where cooperates with the Faculty of Composition at the University of Music F. Chopin in Warsaw, resulting in further quartet premieres of native artists of the young generation. Artists collaborated with such artists as Olga Pasichnyk, Wojciech Koprowski, Robert Kwiatkowski. At the end of 2014 the Messages Quartet recorded chamber works of Philip and Xaver Scharwenka (released by Publishing House of the Academy of Music in Krakow).
III Concert
Karol Kozłowski (tenor)
Graduated from the Academy of Music in Gdańsk (MA in Singing and Drama with distinction, 2007) where he studied with dr Stanisław Daniel Kotliński. He is also a graduate of the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Participated in master classes of Ryszard Karczykowski, Rolando Panerai, Salvatore Fisichella, Sylvia Geszty, Helena Łazarska and Claudio Desderi. He was awarded the second prize at the Hariclea Darclèe International Voice Competition (Romania, 2005). Karol Kozłowski has also been a nominee for the 2013 Polityka’s Passport Award for classical music and together with pianist Jolanta Pawlik for the 2013 Fryderyk Award in the category: chamber music – the artists recorded a cycle of F. Schubert’s songs Die schöne Müllerin (DUX, 2012). In years 2007- 2009 he was a soloist of the Wrocław Opera, where he debuted as Alfred in Die Fledermaus (The Bat) by J. Strauss, and sung also the part of Tamino in The Magic Flute by W. A. Mozart, Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville by G. Rossini, Cassio in Otello by G. Verdi and Archangel in Paradise Lost by K. Penderecki. Karol Kozłowski has sung on the stages of the Théâtre Montansier in Versailles (Oebalus in W. A. Mozart’s Apollo et Hyacinthus), the Latvian National Opera in Riga (Count Almaviva in G. Rossini’s The Barber of Seville), Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich (Lindoro in G. Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri) and of the Kyiv Opera (Edrisi in K. Szymanowski’s King Roger). Since 2009 he has collaborated with the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, where he has has been featured as Vitellozzo in G. Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia, Misail in M. Musorgski’s Boris Godunov, Damazy in S. Moniuszko’s The Haunted Manor, Young Servant in R. Strauss’ Elektra, Kudryash in L. Janaček’s Katya Kabanova, Edrisi in K. Szymanowski’s King Roger, Goro in G. Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, the Dancing Master and the Lamplighter in G. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Father Mignon in K. Penderecki’s The Devils of Loudun. Since 2010 Kozłowski has been a soloist in the Capella Cracoviensis early music ensemble. Together with Capella Cracoviensis he has performed Monteverdi’s music (in the m.m.m.bar.okowa uczta project), Haydn’s Stabat Mater, Requiem and The Great Mass in C minor by W. A. Mozart. He has also sung J. S. Bach’s Magnificat as well as the Evangelist’s part in Bach’s both St. John Passion and St Matthew Passion. He has cooperated with such directors as Fabio Bonizzoni, Andreas Spering, Andrew Parrott, Konrad Junghänel, Kai Wessel, Christophe Rousset and Jan Tomasz Adamus. He participated in concert performances of G. F. Haendel’s operas, where he sang Bajazet in Tamerlano and Lurcanio in Ariodante. He has collaborated with major polish baroque music ensembles, performing on authentic instruments i.a. Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, The {oh!} Orkiestra Historyczna, Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense, Il Giardino d’Amore and Arte dei Suonatori. His voice’s exceptional timbre and versality has inspired also living composers. Since 2012 Kozłowski has regularly participated in the Kissinger Sommer Festival in Bad Kissingen, where parallel to the masterpieces of Romantic and 20th century art song, accompanied by such outstanding pianists like Melvyn Tan, Axel Bauni and Jan Philip Schulze he has performed the world premiere pieces for voice and piano, written especially for him by i.a. Oliver Schneller, Manfred Trojahn and Bernd Redmann. In 2014 composition of Andrzej Kwieciński- Canzon de’baci for tenor and orchestra, performed for the first time in Katowice a year earlier during the 6th Festival of Premieres (Karol Kozłowski was accompanied by AUKSO Chamber Orchestra of the City of Tychy under the baton of Marek Moś) won the 61st International Rostrum of Composers in Helsinki. The artist’s tenor voice inspired Paweł Mykietyn- one of the most eminent composers of contemporary music – to cast Karol Kozłowski as Settembrini in his new opera The Magic Mountain. The world premiere, directed by Andrzej Chyra took place at Malta Festival 2015 in Poznań.
III Concert
Łukasz Hajduczenia (baritone)
An award-winning baritone Lukasz Hajduczenia keeps audiences spellbound with the sheer beauty of his voice and mesmerising interpretations. Born in Toruń, Poland, he is a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Lukasz is a recipient of prizes at international competitions, including the XV Ada Sari International Vocal Arts Competition in Nowy Sącz (III prize), II International Competition for Voice and Piano Duos „Pianovoce” in Moscow (II prize), XIX Kiejstut Bacewicz International Chamber Music Competition in Lodz (special prize). Finalist of 54th Tenor Francisco Viñas International Singing Contest in Barcelona and 1st International Karol Szymanowski Competition in Katowice. Lukasz took part in the prestigious Georg Solti Accademia di Bel Canto in Italy, where he had an opportunity to work with top-tier singers including Angela Gheorghiu, Richard Bonynge, Dennis O’Neill. On numerous occasions Łukasz appeared in concert with one of the leading Polish singers – Urszula Kryger. He has performed in many opera and concert halls, such as: The National Opera in Warsaw, The Warsaw Chamber Opera, The National Philharmonic in Warsaw, The Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic in Gdansk, The Krakow Philharmonic, The Wrocław Opera, The Silesian Opera in Bytom, Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. The roles include Orfeo in “Orfeo ed Euridice” by Ch.W. Gluck, Marcello in “La Boheme” by G. Puccini and Count Almaviva in “Le Nozze di Figaro” by W. A. Mozart directed by Christopher Cowell, Eneas in “Dido and Eneas” by H. Purcell directed by Natalia Kozłowska, Jontek in “Halka” by S. Moniuszko directed by Natalia Babińska. Lukasz is also significantly involved in performing chamber and modern music to the acclaim of both audience and critics. In 2014 he recorded CD with modern compositions written by Dariusz Przybylski in DUX company. His voice has often been used in classical music recordings from a wide variety of epoques.
III Concert
Mischa Kozłowski (piano)
One of the most interesting pianists of Polish young generation. Mischa Kozlowski has already successfully presented his talent at the concert halls of Europe, China and Japan. Born in 1989 in Gdynia (Poland), where he started his piano studies at the age of 7 under Julita Randazzo at Zygmunt Noskowski Primary Music School. In 1999 he started to work with prof. Katarzyna (Ekaterina) Popowa-Zydron until obtaining the diploma in 2008 at Gdynia Secondary Music School. He contiuned his musical education at Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw at piano class of prof. Piotr Paleczny as well as at chamber music class of prof. Maciej Paderewski, prof. Jerzy Marchwinski and prof. Katarzyna Jankowska-Borzykowska (diploma with a distinction in 2013). During the studies there he regularly performed with instrumentalists and singers of his Almae Mater at polish national and international musical competition, being often awarded with special prizes for the best pianist of the competitions such as The 10. E. Kossowski Polish National Vocal Competition of Polish Artistic Songs’ Performance in Warsaw (2012) or 6. H. Halska-Fiałkowska International Vocal Competition in Wroclaw (2013) among others. In 2014 he started studies at Hochschule der Künste Bern where he obtained his MA Specialized Diploma (Soloist programme) with a distinction as a student of prof. Tomasz Herbut (2017) and then he pursued postgraduate chamber music studies together with Affetto Piano Trio (Amelia Maszonska – violin, Marianna Sikorska – cello, Mischa Kozlowski – piano) studying with prof. Patrick Jüdt, prof. Monika Urbaniak-Lisik and prof. Tomasz Herbut (diploma in 2018). Since October 2018 he is an assistant at the Piano Chamber Music Faculty of Fryderyk Chopin Univeristy of Music in Warsaw, Poland. In June 2019 on a special request of Prof. Jerzy Marchwinski he became The President of The Foundation “Partnership in Music”. Mischa Kozlowski took an active part in many masterclasses where he had an opportunity to improve his musical skills as a soloist as well as a chamber musician working with such artists as Helmut Deutsch, Dietrich Henschel, Rahel Harnisch, Malin Hartelius, Capucine Chiaudani, Christian Hilz, Kai Wessel, Izabella Kłosińska, Jadwiga Rappé, Jolanta Janucik, Anna Radziejewska, Artur Stefanowicz, Stanisław Daniel Kotliński, Regina Smendzianka, Andrzej Jasiński, Dang Thai Son, Marta Sosińska, Maria Szwajger-Kułakowska, Maja Nosowska, Krystyna Borucińska, Józef Stompel, Kazimierz Michalik, Andrzej Bauer, Antonio Meneses, Conradin Brotbek, Jens Peter Maintz, Nicolas Altstaedt, Bartosz Koziak, Benjamin Schmid, Jan Stanienda, Krystyna Makowska-Ławrynowicz, Viera Nosina, Alexey Sokolov, Aleksey Orlovetsky, Marie Kodama, Tamas Ungar, Joaquin Soriano, Matti Raekallio, Jacques Rouvier and Noel Flores among others. Due to his successes he was awarded many special prizes and scholarships such as those awarded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Minister of National Education, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Dongsan Research Foundation, Société Générale, LYRA Stiftung, Rita Zimmermann Musik-Stiftung, Fondazione Pro Libertas et Humanitas Kasimir Bartkowiak, Dr. Pierre und Marie Spring-Tschanz Stiftung, Geert und Lore Blanken-Schlemper Stiftung, Bank Société Générale and Polish Children Fund in Warsaw.
Ewa Katarzyna Sokołowska (piano)
Professor Katarzyna Ewa Sokołowska is a pianists, chamber musician, teacher and a coordinator of artistic, didactic and scholarly events. She has graduated from the FCUM in Warsaw from the piano class of J Ekier and A. Paleta-Bugaj and the chamber music class of M. Nosowska. In the field of chamber music, she graduated with honours from the postgraduate and concert studies (Konzertexam) in the piano duo class of H.P. Stenzl and V. Stenzl at the Rostock University of Music and Drama (Germany). In addition, she was awarded a master’s degree at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Opole. For over 20 years, together with Agnieszka Kozło, she has been forming one of the leading Polish piano duos – Ravel Piano Duo, which has been awarded many prizes while performing in Poland, Europe and Asia. The pair’s extensive repertoire includes compositions for four hands and two pianos from the baroque period to the present day. The duo has had many world premieres and several CD releases. For several years, the pianists’ activity has been focused on Polish duo repertoire, its research, editing, performance and recording. As part of this activity, an original CD anthology is being created entitled “Polish Kaleidoscope.” In 2020, the artists made the first complete recording of the works for four hands by Zygmunt Noskowski. The pianist combines her concert performing activity with didactic work, teaching piano and chamber music at the F. Chopin Music Schools in Warsaw. She is invited to sit on the juries of Polish and foreign competitions and lectures at numerous courses in musical interpretation. Her students are laureates of prizes and distinctions. In 2008–2010 she cooperated with the Piano Department of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Currently, she is employed as an assistant professor at the Department of Piano and String Chamber Music and at the Vocal and Acting Department of her Alma Mater. For many years she has been associated with the Jerzy Heller Society of International Music Courses, acting as the Vice President of the Management Board and dealing with the organisational and substantive coordination of the International Music Course in Opole. From 2020, she is also a board member of the Polish Chamber Musicians’ Association.
IV Concert
Zbigniew Zamachowski (recitator)
One of the most valued and award-winning contemporary Polish actors. In 1985 Zamachowski graduated from the Leon Schiller National Higher School of Film, Television and Theatre in Łódź. Initially he was associated with the Teatr ’83 studio in Łódź, where he made his debut as a composer, composing music for Bruno Jasieński‘s Bal manekinów (Mannequin Ball) directed by Bogdan Michalik (1983). Zamachowski ‘plays a kind of tough duel of wasted lives and adversity of fate of a weak body, with a life-giving personality. And it stimulates the never-ending spirit of activity’, wrote Andrzej Lis. ‘Zamachowski’s Harry Berlin is at one time almost ready to throw himself into the river with the same determination. (…) This dominance of the ‘soul’ over the ‘body’ is not only seen in this role – a sort of stare into the American acting tradition of the likes of Chaplin, but is one of the primary and perhaps original features of Zamachowski’s acting’ – claims Stanisław Zawiśliński in his book Zamach na Zamachowskiego (A swing at Zamachowski). Zamachowski acted in many supporting roles throughout his career, but it seems that his strengths and talents can also be witnessed in these minor roles. He is an actor, for whom even a short theatrical ‘outing’ is eagerly awaited. He played superb roles in, among others, Moliere’s plays – Alceste in The Misanthrope directed by Ewa Bułhak (1995) and Piotrek in Dom Juan directed by Grzegorzewski (1996). In 1999 he portrayed the main character in Tadeusz Różewicz‘s Kartoteka (The Card Index), directed by Kazimierz Kutz. He has performed in many musical productions, in 2007 he sang in a concert dedicated to the works of Marek Grechuta Steruj krwią swoją do Oceanu Spokoju (Let Your Blood Steer You tothe Ocean of Peace) written and directed by Wojciech Kościelniak. Zamachowski debuted in cinematic productions at age 20 in Wielka majówka (Great May Day Picnic) by Krzysztof Rogulski (1981). In the 1980s and 1990s, he played in many Polish films. He created one of his best film roles in Decalogue X by Krzysztof Kieslowski (1989) and Three Colours: White (1993), where he played the hairdresser. He also appeared in smaller roles in films about Poland’s difficult history – Władysław Pasikowski’s Aftermath (2012) and Jack Strong (2014) and Andrzej Wajda’s Wałęsa. Man of Hope (2013). He played alongside Jim Carrey and Agata Kulesza in long-awaited True Crimes directed by Alexandros Avranas (2016). The actor also successfully performed in comedies: Ciało (Body) by Tomasz Konecki and Andrzej Saramonowicz, Czas surferów (The Time of Surfers) by Jacek Gąsiorowski, Dublerzy (The Doubles) by Marcin Ziębiński.
IV Concert
Herbert Piano Trio
Created in 2013, Herbert Piano Trio adopted as their patron one of the greatest Polish poets, Zbigniew Herbert, and in 2014 they started the collaboration with The Zbigniew Herbert Foundation. The band consists of Bartłomiej Wezner – piano, Joanna Kreft – violin and Dominik Płociński – cello. They are the graduates of outstanding Polish artists: Ewa Pobłocka, Marcin Baranowski and Andrzej Bauer. The ensemble have drawn inspiration from great musicians – Gregor Sigl (Artemis Quartet), Ulf Schneider, Martin Löhr, Eckhart Heiliger (Jean Paul Trio), Sebastian Schmidt, Clive Brown, Niklas Schmidt (Trio Fontenay), Pierre Amoyale and Anne Queffelec. Bartłomiej and Joanna – as the Herbert Duo – are laureates the 16th Premio Trio di Trieste International Chamber Music Competition, the Beethoven Chamber Music Competition in Lusławice and The Violin and Piano Academy in Lausanne. Herbert Piano Trio have made the debut in the concert studio of Polish Radio in Katowice. The ensemble toured among others in the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Polish Radio in Warsaw, Opole Philharmonic (the Triple Concerto by Beethoven), Bydgoszcz Philharmonic, Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Teatro Comunale Giuseppe Verdi in Pordenone, Concert Hall of Chopin Centers in Szafarnia and Żelazowa Wola. The Trio performed in the TransVocale and PianOdra Festivals in Frankfurt (Oder), The Mendelssohn Summer School in Hamburg, the Krystyna Jamroz International Music Festival in Busko-Zdrój. They recorded for the Radio Suisse, the Polish Radio 2 and the Polish Radio Pik. The repertoire includes works from classical to contemporary music. A special place in emploi of Herbert Trio is taken by an interdisciplinary project carried out together with the actor, combining music with readings of Zbigniew Herbert’s poetry.
IV Concert
Jan Wezner (drums)
Jan Wezner (born 07/11/1990, Nysa) A graduate of the Feliks Nowowiejski Music Academy in Bydgoszcz in the percussion class of prof. Grzegorz Jurczyk and the State Higher Vocational School in Nysa in the jazz percussion class of dr. Adam Buczek. Currently employed as a percussion teacher at the State Music School of the 1st degree in Głuchołazy and Prudnik. He is active as a jazz and classical drummer. He is a member of such groups as: Take Style, Saxesfull Plus and the family band Wezner Ensemble. He has collaborated with many Polish orchestras (including Sinfonia Iuventus, Philharmonic Orchestras in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Bydgoszcz, Capella Bydgostiensis, Toruń Symphony Orchestra). He has performed in leading cultural institutions in the country (Philharmonic: National, Baltic, Lublin, Pomeranian, NFM in Wrocław, Concert Hall of the FCUM in Warsaw). He collaborates with the violinist Vadim Brodski (Brodski Jazz Quartet). He premiered the piece “2xH” to the poetry of Zbigniew Herbert and Fragments of the book of Job for actor, piano quintet, percussion and electronics by Michał Dobrzyński, realized as part of the IMIT Composers’ Orders program (2018). He also participated in the phonographic premiere of Dobrzyński’s composition “Continuum” for two pianos and percussion (recording for DUX). In his spare time, he develops the ability to play the Vilnius cymbals.
V Concert
Celina Kotz (violin)
Celina Kotz is one of the most interesting violinists of the young generation. Her interpretations delight the audience and are appreciated by the jury of many competitions. Despite his young age, she is actively involved in many areas of the Polish music market. She is a versatile artist – the soloist, chamber and orchestral development as well as the organization of musical life are equally important to her. She is a laureate of the Audience Award of the XV International Competition Henryk Wieniawski in Poznań. She made her debut with the Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 11 and has been giving regular concerts ever since. She has performed with most Polish and also many foreign orchestras, cooperating with world-famous conductors such as Christoph Poppen, Yuki Miyagi, Jesús Medina, Grzegorz Nowak and José Maria Florêncio. In 2016, during a US tour, she made her debut at Carnegie Hall in New York. She has also performed in many countries in Europe and Asia. Chamber music is an important part of her activity. For many years he has been giving concerts with the pianist Marcin Sikorski. He also co-creates the Trio im. Wiłkomirski, under the patronage of Wanda and Józef Wiłkomirscy, and whose debut album was nominated for the prestigious International Classical Music Awards. She is also involved in small projects with outstanding artists such as: Katarzyna Duda, Katarzyna Budnik, Bartłomiej Nizioł, Klaudiusz Baran, Marek Bracha, Maciej Frąckiewicz, Marcin Zdunik and Janusz Wawrowski. She is a co-founder, artistic director and concertmaster of the Polish Soloists String Orchestra, as well as a member of the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra. The artist is also close to pedagogical activity – she works with children and teenagers as part of workshops and music courses. She is a scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Young Poland scholarship program, the President of Poznań, the Business and Professional Women’s Club Association, as well as the Pro Bono Musicae foundation and the National Children’s Fund. Celina Kotz began her adventure with the violin at the age of 6. She studied under the supervision of outstanding teachers of the Poznań violin school – Karina Gidaszewska and Bartosz Bryła. She also implemented a scholarship program at the Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna in the class of Stefan Kamilarov. The artist plays Jacek Steczkowski’s violin from 2010.
V Concert
Maciej Kułakowski (cello)
Born 1996 in Gdansk, he began playing the cello at age six in the class of prof. Jadwiga Ewald. In 2015 at the age of 19, Maciej won 1st Prize and a special award at the Lutoslawski International Cello Competition. He was a Laureate in the Finals of the 2017 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels and was selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) in 2019. As a soloist Maciej has appeared with the National Philharmony Warsaw, Baltic Philharmony, Sinfonia Cracovia, Sinfonia Iuventus, London Mozart Players, the Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Brussels Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Symphony, Calgary Symphony and Aukso: Chamber Orchestra of Tychy, among many others. Recitals and chamber music have taken him across Europe and further afield, including the Piatigorsky Cello Festival in Los Angeles, Beijing Cello Festival, the Penderecki, Lutoslawski, Moritzburg, Kronberg, Krzyzowa Music, Hohenstaufen and Munich Rising Stars Festivals. He has collaborated with Krzysztof Penderecki, Emanuel Ax, Christoph Eschenbach, Viviane Hagner, Charles Neidich, Arnold Steinhardt, Jan Vogler, Lawrence Power, Kian Soltani and worked with conductors Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Frank Braley and Stéphane Denève, Marek Moś in a wide range of repertoire. Other highlights include the premiere of a new work especially written for him by Tadeusz Kassak with the Kassak Brass Ensemble and a residency at the Ozawa International Academy in Switzerland. As a member of the Wilkormirski Trio, he has given concerts throughout Poland and recorded music by Arensky for the DUX label. Maciej studies with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt at the Kronberg Academy. In 2016 he received a scholarship and special prize from the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben at the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb, and in 2015 won 2nd Prize at the TONALI Competition in Hamburg (2015). Maciej previously studied with Marcin Zdunik at the Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk, Mannheim University and the Franz Liszt University of Music in Weimar. He has taken part in masterclasses with Sir Andras Schiff, Gidon Kremer, Steven Isserlis, Frans Helmerson, Mischa Maisky, Truls Mørk, Gary Hoffman, Phillippe Muller, Jens Peter Maintz, Ivan Monighetti and Andrzej Bauer. Maciej is playing a Thorsten Theis cello from 2014.
V Concert
Łukasz Trepczyński (piano)
Łukasz Trepczyński in 2009 graduated from the Academy of Music. K. Szymanowski in Katowice in the piano class of prof. Andrzej Jasiński and in the chamber music class of prof. Regina Michalak. Currently, he is a teacher at the piano department of his mother university, he is also a teaches in Katowice. During his education, he participated in master classes conducted, among others, by by: K. Zimerman, V. Krainev, J. C. Vanden Eynden and Dang Thai Son. He was a multiple scholarship holder of, among others, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage in 2003-2009; The Fund for Aid to Young Talents of Jolanta and Aleksander Kwaśniewski in 2000; Of the National Children’s Fund in 2003/2004. He has participated in numerous piano festivals, including the Polish Piano Festival (Słupsk, 2007, 2020), the “Young Praga” International Music Festival (2010), the International Chopin Festival (Marianske Lazne, 2009 and 2010), the Warsaw Chopin Philharmonic Festival Narodowa (Warsaw, 2005). He has performed in many European music centers, as well as in the country, incl. in the following philharmonics: Bałtycka, Częstochowa, Koszalin, National Philharmonic, NFM in Wrocław, NOSPR in Katowice, Łódzka, Opolska, Podkarpacka, Podlaska, Śląska and Świętokrzyska. Winner of prizes at national and international piano competitions, including: 2nd prize at the National Piano Competition in Żagań (1999); 2nd prize at the Polish National Piano Competition W. Kędra in Łódź (2002); 5th Prize at the Polish National Piano Competition F. Chopin for Candidates for the 15th International Piano Competition F. Chopin in Warsaw (2005); 2nd prize at the Polish National Piano Competition F. Chopin in Warsaw (2006); Awards for the best Polish participant at the 7th International Piano Competition I. J. Paderewski in Bydgoszcz (2007); 2nd prize at the YAMAHA Scholarship Piano Competition in Gdańsk (2008); 2nd prize at the 7th International Chopin Competition in Marianske Lazne (2008). Since 2015, together with Celina Kotz and Maciej Kułakowski, he has been co-creating the Wiłkomirski. The ensemble received the privilege of bearing the name – after the Trio Wiłkomirski, which has operated for over 60 years – from prof. Wanda and Józef Wiłkomirski. In 2016, the musicians recorded an album with Anton Areński’s piano trios for DUX. This recording was nominated for the prestigious ICMA 2018 award.
VI Concert
Monika Gardoń-Preinl (piano)
Dr hab. Monika Gardoń-Preinl, prof. AMKP began her musical education at the age of four. In 1991 she graduated from the Academy of Music in Krakow, where she studied with Prof. Stefan Wojtas. She participated and became a laureate of several competitions, first as a pupil and later as a student (including an award of the Stendhall Foundation Competition, Chopin Competitions in Darmstadt and Gottingen), as well as masterclasses for young pianists (with Rudolf Kehrer in Weimar and Rudolf Buchbinder in Zurich). She gave concerts in Poland and abroad (including performances of piano concertos with orchestra). After graduation she began her professional career at the Academy of Music in Krakow, where she presently is an associate professor at the Chamber Music Department, as well as at the State Secondary School of Music where she holds a post of a certified teacher. In 2013 she became a Habilitated Doctor of Musical Arts. She is both an active performer and a teacher, taking part in concerts, masterclasses, auditions and competitions. She has received several awards and distinctions for an outstanding accompaniment. Monika Gardoń-Preinl is a laureate of state distinctions for her contribution to the development of art. She performs with soloists both in Poland and abroad, constantly broadening her chamber music repertoire.
VI Concert
Jakub Jakowicz (violin)
He learned from his father, Krzysztof Jakowicz, under whom he studied at the Academy of Music. Frederic Chopin in Warsaw. He was also the last student of one of the founders of the Polish violin school, prof. Tadeusz Wroński. Has been giving concerts since the age of 11. He has played with all leading Polish orchestras. In 1998, at the invitation of Krzysztof Penderecki, he performed at the composer’s festival in Krakow, presenting the Capriccio per violino e orchestra conducted by Jerzy Maksymiuk. In 2001, the violinist made his debut with the Munich Philharmonic under the direction of Pinchas Steinberg, performing Karol Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Since then, he has performed as a soloist with many renowned orchestras, incl. with the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale in Florence, Czech Philharmonic in Prague, Orchestra di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Dresden Philharmonic, Orchester de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, Orquesta Nacional in Madrid, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Orquestra Sinfônica do de São Paulo and Concerto Köln. He has collaborated with conductors such as Pinchas Steinberg, Jerzy Semkow, Antoni Wit, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Jacek Kaspszyk, Kazimierz Kord, Jan Krenz, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Eiji Oue, Marek Pijarowski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Agnieszka Duczmal, Kirill Karabits, Michail Jurowski, Marc Minkowski or Stefan Solyom. In 2009 and 2011, at the invitation of Antoni Wit, the artist took part as a soloist in concert tours of the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Great Britain. As a chamber musician, Jakub Jakowicz has been creating a violin duo with his father, Krzysztof for many years. Since 2000, he has been playing with the pianist Bartosz Bednarczyk – together they recorded the discs Subito (Polskie Radio), Beethoven Violin Sonatas (Subito Records), a disc with Witold Lutosławski’s Partita (CD Accord) and a disc with chamber music by Franz Schubert (Polish Radio). The artist also performed with such musicians as Heinz Holliger, Paul Gulda, Jan Krzysztof Broja, Michel Lethiec, Anna Maria Staśkiewicz, Ruth Killius, Katarzyna Budnik-Gałązka, Ryszard Groblewski, Avri Levitan, Ursula Smith, Daniel Müller-Schott, Andrzej Bauer, Rafał Kwiatkowski, Marcin Zdunik, Karol Marianowski and Zvi Plesser. He is also associated with two string quartets: in the years 2008–2014 he was the leader of the Lutosławski Quartet, with which he performed, inter alia, recordings of Grażyna Bacewicz’s complete string quartets, and since 2006 he has been a member of the Zehetmair Quartet, an ensemble created by the Austrian violinist and conductor Thomas Zehetmair. The band’s album (ECM) with works by Béla Bartók and Paul Hindemith received the Diapason d’Or de l’Année 2007 award. Jakub Jakowicz performed in the Zehetmair Quartet, among others. at the Berlin Philharmonic, Wigmore Hall in London, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Gulbenkian Center in Lisbon, Konzerthaus in Vienna, Zankel Hall and Y Hall in New York, as well as at famous music festivals, incl. in Schleswig-Holstein, Salzburg, Lucerne, Aldeburgh and Edinburgh. In 2014, the team received the prestigious Paul Hindemith of the City of Hanau. Jakub Jakowicz is the winner of first prizes at the violin competitions in Lublin (1993), Wattrelos in France (1995) and Takasaki in Japan (1999). In 2001, he was one of the three winners of the International Rostrum of Young Performers in Bratislava, organized under the auspices of the European Radio Union and the UNESCO International Music Council. In 2002, he received the Polish-Japanese Foundation award for the most promising young generation violinist. He is also a laureate of the “Polityka” Passport for 2003. In 2007, he received the “Orpheus” award at the “Warsaw Autumn” Festival, and in 2018, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the dissemination of Witold Lutosławski’s music, he was awarded the 100th Birthday Medal composer, awarded by the Society of Witold Lutosławski. The artist has a doctorate in musical arts. He teaches the violin at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and at the Karol Szymanowski in Katowice. He plays the Gand Brothers’ instrument (Paris, 1859), courtesy of Fondation Jerzy Semkow.
VI Concert
Bartosz Koziak (cello)
Bartosz Koziak is the winner of the 3rd Witold Lutoslawski International Cello Competition in 2001 in Warsaw, Poland, a winner of the 2nd prize at the International Cello Competition in Tongyeong (Korea) in 2006 (“Isang Yun in memoriam”), winner of the 2nd prize at the Mikola Lysenko Competition in Kiev in 2007 as well as winner of the International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition in Kraków, a laureate and a winner of a special prize at the Prague Spring Music Festival in 2006. Bartosz Koziak also received prizes at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 2002 and the ARD competition in Münich in 2005. In 2003, he received a special prize of the Polish Cultural Foundation awarded by Ewa Podleś. Bartosz Koziak is a holder of a scholarship granted by the French government and a participant in the programme of the Polish Ministry of Culture “Młoda Polska”. He performed at Konzerthaus in Berlin, Rudolfinum in Prague, Teatro Politeama in Palermo, Studio of Witold Lutoslawski, Khachaturian Hall in Yerevan, the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall. As a soloist, Bartosz Koziak collaborated with the Polish National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra Katowice, Sinfonia Varsovia, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Concerto Budapest (under Andras Keller), Armenian State Orchestra (under Sergey Smbatayan), Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, radio orchestras in Warsaw and Budapest, as well as a majority of philharmonic halls in Poland conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki, Jan Krenz, Antoni Wit, Gabriel Chmura, Jacek Kaspszyk, Tan Dun and Massimiliano Caldi. Since 2007 he plays in piano trio with the violinist Kaja Danczowska and the pianist Justyna Danczowska. He is invited to renowned festivals, such as Warsaw Autumn, L. van Beethoven Easter Festival, Mecklemburg Vorpommen, Young Euro Classic in Berlin, Chopin and his Europe. Bartosz Koziak is for many years playing with the pianist Agnieszka Kozło as well as with the violonist Anna Maria Staśkiewicz. In the recent years Bartosz Koziak has been regularly invited for participation at concert projects of Krzysztof Penderecki. He participated in the first recording of “Concerto Grosso” conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki and made several recordings for Polish Radio. Bartosz Koziak graduated in the class of Prof. Kazimierz Michalik and Andrzej Bauer at the Fryderyk Chopin University in Warsaw, receiving a “Magna cum Laude” distinction and completed Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris in the class of Philippe Muller. Thanks to the kindness of Kaja Danczowska he plays on a 19th c. copy of J.B. Guadagnini’s instrument, previously used by the outstanding Polish cellist Dezyderiusz Danczowski during his concerts.
Speakers
dr Maciej Negrey
Born 1953 in Krakow. Musicologist (graduated from the Jagiellonian University in 1976) and composer. Since 1979 he has been teaching at the Academy of Music in Krakow, incl. music literature and the history of popular music, conducts classes in the field of musical analysis, specialist literature and a seminar of Polish music of the nineteenth century. He also gives lectures on the work of outstanding symphonists of the 19th and 20th centuries. He has published a number of scientific works in this field, with particular emphasis on Polish music of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, he is also interested in Czech, Scandinavian and English symphonies. He is the editor of the Composers of the 19th century section of the PWM Music Encyclopedia and the author of one hundred and several dozen entries for this edition. As a co-author, consultant and speaker, together with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, he implements the project “Still Polish Music”, aimed at performing forgotten Polish symphonic works of the nineteenth century, cooperates with Polish music festivals and orchestras as an author of reviews and lecturer. He has composed several dozen works, mainly chamber works, as well as vocal-instrumental and orchestral works.
dr hab. Agnieszka Draus
Theorist of music – is an assistant professor and Dean of the Faculty of Composition, Interpretation and Musical Education of the Academy of Music in Krakow. In her research activities she has focused on the issues of musical theatre especially in the works of Krzysztof Penderecki and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Her research focuses also on the vocal-instrumental works of Polish composers: Witold Lutosławski, Paweł Mykietyn, Marek Stachowski. Except for about 50 articles she has released two books: (1) Stage Cycle LICHT by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Musical Theatre of the World (AMK Edition 2011) – honoured with the Hieronim Feicht’s Award of the Polish Musicology first presentation of the topic in Polish language and (2) Sound and Meaning. Studies on ouvre of Marek Stachowski (AMK Edition 2016) – nominated to the Jan Długosz Award first monograph of the composer. She is also a co-author (together with Joanna Wiśnios) of The Opera Atlas for the youth.
Support
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport from the Culture Promotion Fund under the “Music” programme implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance.
Project implemented with the financial support from Malopolska Region.
Project co-financed by the Municipality of Krakow.
The premiere of R. Janiak’s new work implemented in cooperation with Piotr Orawski’s Foundation and co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport from the Culture Promotion Fund under the “Composing commissions” programme implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance.