Artists

Michael Noble has developed an international reputation as an “astonishing” (Het Nieuwsblad) and versatile pianist whose performances and initiatives engage listeners across a broad spectrum. He has engrossed audiences across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. He has won prizes in numerous competitions, including the Grand Prize at the Carmel Music Society Competition, Gold Medal at the Crescendo Music Awards (Tulsa, OK), and prizes in the Chopin International Competition of the 1000 Islands. He has performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall, at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington, D.C., Carmel’s Sunset Center, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, the National Academy for the Performing Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Royal Dublin Society, and has been a guest artist at festivals including the Gentsche Festspiele (Belgium), the Thailand International Composition Festival, the Lake George Music Festival, and the Idyllwild Arts Academy Summer Festival.

Michael has been featured as soloist with the Monterey and Tulsa Symphonies, and the Idyllwild Arts Academy Alumni Orchestra, among others, and has had the privilege of working with eminent conductors including Ransom Wilson, Gisele Ben-Dor, and Max Bragado-Darman. Additionally, he has worked with the most renowned artists in the field including Gary Graffman, the late Claude Frank, Christopher Elton, Ursula Oppens, John Perry, Boris Berman, Hung-Kuan Chen, Robert McDonald, and members of the Brentano and Tokyo Quartets.

The Lutosławski Piano Duo began its career in 1999 at master classes under the tutelage of renowned piano duos: Brachy Eden and Alexander Tamir (Israel), as well as Hans-Peter and Volker Stenzl (Germany). The musicians are graduates of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, and have done postgraduate master classes in piano duo performance at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Rostock.

The duo has won over a dozen awards at international competitions in Greece, Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. It is also a winner of the Fryderyk and the Folk Phonogram of the Year recording awards. The musicians have concertized in most European countries, both Americas, the Middle East and Japan, in such venues as Carnegie Hall (New York), Warsaw Philharmonic Hall and Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio (Warsaw), Izumi Hall (Osaka), Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Chicago Symphony Center and the Central Conservatory concert hall in Beijing. The duo has performed at such festivals as Kwartesencja, Warsaw Autumn, Łańcuch [Witold Lutosławski Chain Festival] and Polish Radio Festival (Warsaw); Festival of Premières (Katowice); Musica Polonica Nova and Wratislavia Cantans (Wrocław); Two Moors Festival (Great Britain); Festival de Música de Londrina (Brazil); Nova-Polska (France); Giacinto Scelsi Festival (Italy); and Spring Festival (Israel).

The Lutosławski Piano Duo’s repertoire includes masterpieces of classical music, 20th-century music and works by composers of the younger generation. They have released the following records: one with compositions by Igor Stravinsky, Witold Lutosławski, Mauricio Kagel and Francis Poulenc; and another with music by Tomasz Sikorski and (for four pianos) by Julius Eastman.

Joanna Duda – pianist, composer, visual artist. Founder of J=J (along with Janek Młynarski), AuAuA and, only recently, TRIO (Maks Mucha- double bass, Maks Andrzejewski - drums). She has been cooperating with Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet (awarded two gold records for Polka in 2015 and Chaos Pełen Idei in 2017). Performer of contemporary classical music along with Lutosławski Piano Duo and Mischa Kozłowski (album Unchained including compositions by Julius Eastman was awarded by Pizzicato magazine and nominated for the International Classical Music Awards 2016). Multiple scholarship winner of Kulturalne Miasto Gdańsk, nominated for the Polish Television Gwarancje Kultury for Debut of the Year and Plus Grand Prix Jazz Melomani for Music Fans Rising Star.

Her solo activities meet at the intersection of electronics and acoustics, as she performs classical piano improvisations incorporating original sounds of carefully prepared samples, and synthetic ones. Joanna Duda has performed solo and in ensembles in Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Delhi, Istanbul, Bucharest, London, Dublin, Oslo and Greenland, among many others. As theatre music composer and producer Duda cooperates with Krzysztof Garbaczewski, Amareya Theatre and Piotr Borowski.

As one of the most interesting young Polish pianists, Mischa Kozlowski has already successfully presented his talent at concert halls of Europe, China and Japan. He was awarded main prizes at such competitions as The International Othmar Schoeck Song Competition in Brunnen, Switzerland in duo with soprano Daniela Ruth Stoll (2016), The ORPHEUS Swiss Chamber Music Competition in Bern, Switzerland in duo with cellist Ilona Basiak (2015), The International Bronislaw Huberman Chamber Music Competition in Czestochowa, Poland in duo with cellist Magdalena Bojanowicz (2013), The Polish National Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition organized by Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw, Poland (2008), The 6. International Frederic Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in Narva, Estonia (2006).

He has performed at such prominent festivals as „Kissinger Sommer” in Bad Kissingen, “Festspiele Europäische Wochen” in Passau (Germany), „NCPA May Festival” at National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Gulangyu Summer Music Week in Xiamen (China), Chopin au Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris (France), Kyoto International Music Students Festival in Japan, Transatlantic Interational Music and Film Festival and Malta Festival in Poznan (Poland) and UNSOUND Festival in Cracow (Poland) and at venues and philharmonic halls all over the world.

Kwadrofonik is the only quartet of its kind in Poland and one of a few in the world and was created out of two duos: Lutosławski Piano Duo (pianists Emilia Sitarz and Bartek Wąsik) and Hob-beats Percussion Duo (percussionists). Magdalena Kordylasińska i Miłosz Pękala). Kwadrofonik's career took of in 2006, when they spectacularly won the 9th Polish Radio Festival – Nowa Tradycja (New Tradition) – where the musicians received Grand Prix and the Audience Award. The critics hailed the quartet as superinnovative and blazing new trails for folk and world music. In 2007 Kwadrofonik became a laureate of a prestigious Special Award at the 3rd Contest of European Broadcast Union (EBU) in Bratislava (Slovakia). The award for modernity, innovation and loyalty to tradition was granted for the frst time in the history of this contest. In 2008 the debut CD Folklove – released by the Polish Radio – was enthusiastically welcomed by the media and in 2009 the musicians received Folk Phonogram of the Year – an award given by critics for the best folk/ world music CD in Poland. In 2010, during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin's birthday the quartet prepared a project with their own arrangements of Chopin's masterpieces – I was there, Frederic – presented at Carnegie Hall and Chicago Symphony Hall.

In 2011 Kwadrofonik had a debut in the Berliner Philharmonie where their own version of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was presented. In 2012 quartet performed the frst time in Asia – Izumi Hall in Osaka and Chamber Music Festival in Beijing.

In 2013 the quartet met Polish jazz singer, Dorota Miśkiewicz and worked on their own arrangements of Lutosławski’s Children Songs. CD has been released by Sony BMG and in 2014 was awarded a gold record. In 2015 Kwadrofonik received the annual prestigious Polish award Paszport Polityki (Polityka’s Passport), presented by the weekly magazine Polityka since 1993, a cultural prize for achievements in classical music. In September 2015 Kwadrofonik ran the frst edition of their own contemporary chamber music festival in Warsaw – Kwadrofonik Festival.

The musicians also perform pieces originally composed for such an instrumental group. They gave also several world-premieres of the pieces composed especially for the quartet. They collaborated with many outstanding Polish composers, singers, musicians and visual artists.

The Royal String Quartet is one of the most dynamically developing string quartets in the world today. Its repertoire combines outstanding musical works of the past with contemporary music, bravely pushing musical genres. The Royal String Quartet receives enthusiastic reviews for its interpretations of classics but it also plays an important part in promoting lesser known Polish music. The Quartet collaborates with exceptional artists from different genres of music and is not afraid to cross over into the realm of pop culture.

The international career of the Royal String Quartet started with the invitation to join BBC Radio 3’s prestigious New Generation Artists scheme. With the nomination for the Royal Philharmonic Society Chamber Music Award, a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award and success in competitions in Kuhmo and Banff, the Quartet has been a regular guest in the most renowned concert halls in the world (Wigmore Hall in London, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Konzerthaus in Vienna and Berlin) and has also been invited to such international festivals as the BBC Proms, Aldeburgh, City of London and Schleswig Holstein. The RSQ has been Quartet-in-Residence at Queen’s University Belfast since Autumn 2012. The RSQ records mainly for Hyperion with albums of the music of Szymanowski, Lutosławski, Penderecki, Szymański, Mykietyn and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki. The latter was described by international critics as one of the most important interpretations of the repertoire. Covering over 10 albums, the discography of the Quartet shows versatility and passion for pushing the boundaries of classical music, jazz, pop or electronic music.

“To mix styles and genres, not to follow the beaten track, combine amazing artists who would never meet on the same stage or even on the same broadcasting channel on a regular day” is the motto for the annual series of Kwartesencja concerts organised by the RSQ in Warsaw. The Quartet’s guests have included Angela Hewitt, Mark Padmore, Urszula Kryger, Andrzej Bauer, Martin Fröst, Škampa Quartet, DJ Lenar, Warsaw Village Band and Kayah who claims that Kwartesencja: “is definitely an act of courage, but also a proof of an open mind and a lack of rigidity. It shows a soul devoted to music, not stereotypes.”

The work of WIKTOR PODGORSKI (VTR) is often at an intersection of various disciplines, and it combines his interest in sound design with experience in visual art. With background in graphic design and audio production, Wiktor has created sound design for numerous animations, video art, documentaries and commercials. He has collaborated with musicians, choreographers and theater makers developing numerous videos and live video manipulation projects. His video-soundscape, “Scintilla 21,” was seen at Fresh Minds Festival (TX, USA), MIAF (Australia), NAISA (Canada) and Punto y Raya Festival (Iceland), among other. His project, “PRIOR,” an audio-responsive video installation, was developed during Convergence, a prestigious residency in digital art and music at the Banff Centre in Canada. Most recently, his work was featured as part of New Music series at University of Glasgow and his solo audio-video performance premiered at Chasm, an immersive multimedia event in Brooklyn.

Monika Wolińska, who has been awarded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland with an honorary medal „Meritorious For Polish Culture”, enjoys an active career as a conductor on concert stages of the world. Her art of conducting was very accurately described by New York critics after her Carnegie Hall concert, pointing out her great sensitivity to the actual sound of the instruments in the orchestra. Her successful Carnegie Hall performance, which ended as a standing ovation and enthusiastic reception by the critics, was at the same time the first ever performance by Polish female conductor.

In 2013 Monika Wolińska received More beautiful Poland award, which is granted to „special people who create beauty, that could be shared with the world”. The award is a part of European Union’s „More beatutiful Poland in UE” program. In 2016 she was awarded with „Success” award - a statue granted by Rotary Club in Gorzów Wielkopolski for promoting Gorzów Wielkopolski in Poland and abroad.

Monika Wolińska conducted many orchestras in Poland and many countries of Europe, Asia and America. She has given concerts with Sinfonia Varsovia, Polish National Philharmonic Orchestra, National Polish Polish Radio Symohony Orchestra in Katowice, Polish Radio Orchestra, Sankt Petersburg Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra, „Moscovia” Chamber Orchestra, National Lithuanian Orchestra among many others. In 2012 she made her debut CD recording with Sinfonia Varsovia. The album contains the premiere recording of the complete symphonic poems by the great Polish composer Eugeniusz Morawski. The album received excellent reviews and was nominated for Fryderyk 2013 award.

She has made her debut as a conductor in 2004, conducting at Luzern Music Festival where she worked under supervision of Pierre Boulez. For many seasons, she cooperated with Maestro Jerzy Semkow, and in the season of 2007/2008 she was an assistant to Krzysztof Penderecki. Monika Wolińska is also a great promoter of a new music. She performed multiple times at Warsaw Autumn Contemporary Music Festival and Generations Festival in Warsaw. Since 2013 she is an Artistic Director of Wojciech Kilar Contemporary Music Festival in Gorzów Wilkopolski. In 2014 she conducted a world premiere performance of Jan A.P. Kaczmarek’s Universa - Open Opera, composed to celebrate 650th anniversary of Jagiellonian University in Cracow. In October 2014, she conducted an All-Mahler concert with one of the greatest baritones of our times Thomas Hampson, who invited by Monika Wolińska has given a concert in Poland for the first time in his career.

She started her artistic education at the age of six. As a holder of three diplomas in the art of music, she studied violin under Professor Henryk Bałaban, conducting vocal and instrumental ensembles in the class of Professor Janusz Stanecki at the Academy of Music, in Bydgoszcz, as well as symphony and opera conducting under Professor Ryszard Dudek at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music, in Warsaw. She also actively participated in master classes led by Kurt Masur, Pierre Boulez, Antoni Wit and Gabriel Chmura. She also studied management of culture at Warsaw University, where she graduated in 2015. Monika Wolińska is also active on field of education being an Associate Professor of Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, where she teaches conducting. She is also an author of a book published in 2005 Stanisław Wisłocki - conductor and pedagogue, about great polish conductor Stanisław Wisłocki.

In the years of 2003-2009 she cooperated with the Symphony Orchestra at the Academy of Music, in Warsaw. In the season from 2007 to 2008, she was appointed as a Permanent Conductor of the Polish Orchestra Sinfonia Iuventus. In the years 2013-2017, Ms. Wolińska served as Conductor and Artistic Director of Gorzów Philharmonic Orchestra with which she has given many concerts in Poland and abroad, including the first ever performance of the orchestra in National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw in June 2016. In 2015 she has recorded with Gorzów Philharmonics Bronisław Kaper/Jan A.P. Kaczmarek - AN ENCOUNTER - album featuring film music composed by two Academy Award winning composers.

In June 2017, as one of the six participants, she has been chosen among 161 candidates from all over the world to take part in 2017 Hart Institute for Women Conductors program at The Dallas Opera.