Kwadrofonik (Poland)
16.09.2009 (Wednesday), festival tent, 19:00
Kwadrofonik was founded in 2006, as a result of a fusion of two duets: a percussion and a piano one. Magdalena Kordylasińska and Miłosz Pękała (Hob-beats Duo) and Emilia Sitarz and Bartłomiej W±sik (Lutosławski Piano Duo) form the only quartet of this kind in Poland and one of few in the world. They play the music of the 20th and 21st century, pieces composed especially for the quartet, as well as those which result from the group’s collective work.
Kwadrofonik consists of artists who create an extraordinary musical dialogue between pianos and percussion instruments, almost imperceptibly changing functions of the instruments - pianos become percussion instruments whereas groups of percussion instruments take over the functions of the melodic ones. Precision of interpretation, impetuousness, the gift of establishing direct contact with the audience guarantee full satisfaction for the participants of the sound performances created by the quartet. While working on their pieces the musicians often chose improvisation and sound experiments to make the maximum use of two pianos and a percussion.
The quartet’s project - own studies of folk songs - was enthusiastically received at the 9th Nowa Tradycja (New Tradition) Folk Music Festival at which the musicians were awarded Grand Prix, the Mayor of the City of Warsaw award and “Storm of Applause” - the audience’s award. Critics found the quartet innovative and blazing a trail in folk music.
In 2007, Kwadrofonik became the winner of the prestigious Special Award at the 3rd Competition of European Broadcasting Union "Svetozar Stracina" in Bratislava. The award for modernity, innovation and faithfulness to tradition was given for the first time in history.
Their new idea for interpretation of classical music of Karol Szymanowski was also very well received. The project consists of innovative interpretations of selected mazurkas from Mazurki, 50 and tunes from Harnasie ballet.
At the 5th Cross-Culture Warsaw Festival the quartet will perform together with the legendary Moroccan group Master Musicians of Jajouka featuring Bachir Attar.
www.kwadrofonik.pl