The Silesian String Quartet is a string quartet founded in 1978 by the graduates of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland. Its current members are: Szymon Krzeszowiec (violin I) Arkadiusz Kubica (violin II) Łukasz Syrnicki (viola) Piotr Janosik (cello)
History In 1978, graduates of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice founded the Silesian String Quartet. They participated in masterclasses with such artists as, among others, the musicians of the LaSalle Quartet, Amadeus, Juilliard, Smetana and Alban Berg string quartets.
In 1993, the Silesian Quartet launched an annual chamber music festival held under the motto "Silesian Quartet and its guests".
Since 2005, the Self-Government of Gliwice has been the patron of The Silesian String Quartet and the Music Theatre of Gliwice has been its partner.
Performances Festivals The ensemble performed at numerous festivals, including: Berliner Musiktage, Time of Music in Viitasaari (Finland), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), West Cork Chamber Music Festival (Ireland), Festiv´Alpes in Grenoble (France), Inventionen in Berlin, Musicorama in Hong Kong, Festival de Saint-Denis in Paris, Wien Modern (Austria), EuroArt in Prague (Czech Republic), Contemporary Music Festival Melos-Etos in Bratislava (Slovakia), Musique de Amitié Festival in Biel, Bornholms-Musik Festival, Musikhost in Odense and the World Music Days in Amsterdam, Warsaw Autumn (Poland), Penderecki Festival in Kraków (Poland), Poznań Music Spring (Poland), the Polish Contemporary Music Festival in Wrocław (Poland), Tongyeong International Music Festival (South Korea).
Concert halls The Silesian String Quartet has given over 1000 concerts, attracting enthusiastic critical response, in many European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Hong Kong. It has appeared at some of the world's most prestigious concert halls including Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Konzerthaus in Vienna, Vredenburg in Utrecht, De Unie in Rotterdam, De Singel in Antwerp, Schauspielhaus in Berlin, Tivoli in Copenhagen, Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, Wigmore Hall in London, Salle Pleyel in Paris, Merkin Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City and Jordan Hall in Boston. The Silesian String Quartet also worked with radio stations in Germany (RIAS, SFB, WDR), the Netherlands (NOS), Greece and the Czech Republic.
Cooperation The Silesian String Quartet performed with other eminent artists such as: Dmitri Ashkenazy, Andrzej Bauer, Eduard Brunner, Bruno Canino, Martin Frost, Stefan Kamasa, Jadwiga Kotnowska, Eugeniusz Knapik, Karri Krikku, Waldemar Malicki, Jerzy Marchwiński, Janusz Olejniczak, Piotr Pławner, Ewa Pobłocka, Ewa Podleś, Jadwiga Rappe, Hokan Rosengren, Jan Stanienda, Hary Sparnay, Wojciech Świtała, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Krystian Zimerman.
Repertoire The Silesian String Quartet's repertoire includes over 300 pieces of chamber literature, of which almost 200 were written by 20th-century composers. More than 100 works, by Polish and foreign composers, were premiered by the Silesian String Quartet. These were, among other works: Rafał Augustyn – String quartet no. 2 (with flute, 1983) Stanisław Krupowicz – Only Beatrix (with tape, 1989) Grażyna Krzanowska – String quartets nos. 2 and 3 Andrzej Krzanowski – Relief no. 9 (with tape, 1989), Reminiscenza B Aleksander Lasoń – String quartets nos. 2, 6 and 7 Edward Sielicki – String quartet Witold Szalonek – Inside? Outside? (with bass clarinet); Symphony of rituals (2002) Paweł Szymański – Five pieces for string quartet (1992) Eugeniusz Knapik – String quartet (1980) VSTO [version 1] – String quartet (1989)
Awards and decorations The Silesian Quartet was awarded many prizes at international musical competitions got a number of Polish awards and decorations, including: 2008 Medal for Merit to Culture - Gloria Artis 2005: "CD of the year 2005", « Hi-Fi Muzyka» Magazine (the album « Republique ») 2002: Warsaw Autumn Music Award "Orfeusz" 1999: Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) 1998: honorary badge Meritorious Activist of Culture 1996, 1998, 2005: Polish CD Award "Fryderyk" for recordings of works by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Witold Lutosławski, Karol Szymanowski and Ernest Chausson 1992: Mayor of Katowice’s Artistic Award 1990: Stanisław Wyspiański Award for Young Artists 1988: Katowice Province Governor Artistic Award 1984, 1988: UNESCO International Composers´ Rostrum for the recording of string quartets by Eugeniusz Knapik and Aleksander Lasoń 1981: Poznań Music Spring (1981) 1979: Contemporary Music Competition in Kraków
Discography Year Album details Recorded works Label 2011 GRAZYNA BACEWICZ COMPLETE STRING QUARTETS Chamber music album of 2 CDs String quartets #1 through #7 Chandos 2011 STALOWA WOLA GENERATION Chamber music album of 6 CDs
Agata Zubel – soprano Maria Grochowska – flute Jadwiga Czarkowska – clarinet Mirosław Neinert – reciting Krzysztof Jaguszewski – percussion Piotr Połaniecki – percussion Michał Klauza – conductor Witold Serafin – viola Józef Gomolka – cello Marek Moś – violin Silesian String Quartet Andrzej Krzanowski Aleksander Lasoń Eugeniusz Knapik Music with string quartet Stowarzyszenie Musica Pro Bono www.musicaprobono.org.pl 2010 ALEKSANDER TANSMAN TOMBEAU DE CHOPIN from trio to octet vol.2 Joanna Liberadzka – harp Elżbieta Mrożek-Loska – viola Krzysztof Firlus – double bass Adam Krzeszowiec – cello Jan Krzeszowiec – flute Roman Widaszek – clarinet Silesian String Quartet Aleksander Tansman: Sextuor á cordes for 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos Sonatina da camera for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp Tombeau de Chopin for string quintet Trois pieces for clarinet, harp and string quartet Stowarzyszenie Promocji Kultury im. Aleksandra Tansmana www.tansman.lodz.pl 2010 RAFAŁ AUGUSTYN DO UT DES MUSIC FOR AND WITH QUARTET Agata Zubel – soprano Jan Krzeszowiec – flute Silesian String Quartet Rafał Augustyn: String Quartet No.1 String Quartet No.2 with flute Dedication for soprano & string quartet Do ut des for string quartet Grand jeté. Quartet No.2½ with electronics www.cdaccord.com.pl www.universalmusic.pl ACD 165-2 2010 STANISŁAW KRUPOWICZ – “TYLKO BEATRYCZE” String quartets and computer Silesian String Quartet Stanisław Krupowicz: Goodbye variations on a theme by Mozart Tylko Beatrycze (Only Beatrix) Prolongement Musica Pro Bono Foundation FMPB CD004 2009 GET STRING Danish contemporary string quartets Silesian String Quartet
JENS VOIGT-LUND: Circuitous, Mountains (1999) MORTEN RIIS: getString (2009) CHRISTIAN WINTHER CHRISTENSEN: String Quartet (2002–03) MORTEN RIIS: fromString (2009) JEXPER HOLMEN: Intend/Ascend (2000/02) MORTEN RIIS: useString (2009) SIMON STEEN-ANDERSEN: String Quartet (1999) MORTEN RIIS: toString (2009) SIMON CHRISTENSEN: Towards Nothingness (2008) MORTEN RIIS: quitString (2009) dacapo CD 8.226530 2009 STRING QUARTETS / POLAND ABROAD Silesian String Quartet Joachim Mendelson (1897-1943): String Quartet no.1 Roman Padlewski (1915-1944): String Quartet no.2 Simon Laks (1901-1983): String Quartet no.5 www.eda-records.com EDA 34 2008 ALEKSANDER TANSMAN – OD TRIA DO OKTETU VOL. 1 Chamber works Silesian String Quartet Beata Bilińska – piano Piotr Szymyślik – clarinet A. Tansman: Suite divertissement for piano quartet Musica a cinque for piano and string quartet Musique a six for clarinet, piano and strine quartet Musique for clarinet and string quartet Stowarzyszenie Promocji Kultury im. A. Tansmana CD257 2008 ANDRZEJ DZIADEK – chosen works Silesian String Quartet A. Dziadek: String quartet no. 2 Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD086 2008 HELENA TULVE – LIJNEN Silesian String Quartet various artists H. Tulve: nec ros, nec pluvia... for string quartet ECM New Series ECM 1955 476 6389 "Bestenliste der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik" 03/2008 2008 HENRYK MIKOŁAJ GÓRECKI – STRING QUARTETS Silesian String Quartet H. M. Górecki: Already It Is Dusk, music for string quartet (String quartet no. 1) op. 62 Quasi una Fantasia (String quartet no. 2) op. 64 ...songs are sung (String quartet no. 3) op.67 EMI Music Poland EMI 50999 2 36313 2 8 2008 ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI IN MEMORIAM Silesian String Quartet Agata Zubel – soprano
A. Krzanowski – Audition no. 6 for soprano and string quartet W. Widłak – ”Sotto voce”, Five songs for mezzo-soprano and string quartet R. Augustyn – Dedication for soprano and string quartet A. Krzanowski – String quartet no. 1, version B A. Lasoń – Relief for Andrzej Musica Pro Bono Foundation FMPB CD003 2007 ALEKSANDER LASOŃ Silesian String Quartet A. Lasoń: String quartet no. 1 String quartet no. 3 String quartet no. 7 Musica Pro Bono Foundation FMPB CD001 2006 PAWEŁ SZYMAŃSKI CHAMBER WORKS Silesian String Quartet Krzysztof Jaguszewski – vibraphone Roman Widaszek – clarinet P. Szymański: Five pieces for string quartet Compartment 2, Car 7 for string trio and vibraphone Two pieces for string quartet Recalling a Serenade for clarinet and string quartet A Photo from the Birthday Party (The Silesian String Quartet with a Shadow of Bartók) EMI Music Poland EMI 0946 3 84393 2 5 2006 ALEKSANDER LASOŃ Silesian String Quartet A. Lasoń: String quartet no. 5 ”Five and a half of a string quartet” String quartet no. 6 20 for 4 Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD076 2005 REPUBLIQUE Silesian String Quartet
CD of the Year 2005 – Award of the "Hi-fi Muzyka" Magazine CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award songs composed by Grzegorz Ciechowski arranged by Stefan Sendecki EMI Music Poland EMI 0946 3 46038 2 9 2005 WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI / WITOLD SZALONEK Silesian String Quartet Michał Górczyński – bass clarinet W. Lutosławski: String quartet W. Szalonek: Inside? – Outside? for bass clarinet and string quartet Chaconne-Fantaisie for violin solo Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD069 2004 ERNEST CHAUSSON Bruno Canino – piano Piotr Pławner – violin Silesian String Quartet E. Chausson: Concerto in D major op. 21 for piano, violin and string quartet String quartet in c minor op. 35 Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD062 2004 ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI / ANDRZEJ PANUFNIK Silesian String QuartetDominik Połoński – cello Elżbieta Mrożek – viola A. Krzanowski: Relief no. 5 for cello solo Reminiscenza for string quartet, version B String quartet A. Panufnik: "Trans Of Thought" for string sextet "Song To The Virgin Mary" for string sextet Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD065 2003 SALON BIELAJEWA Silesian String Quartet
A. Glazunov – Waltz from "Novelettes" op.15 A. Glazunov – Preludio e Fuga N. Arcybuszew – Serenade J. Wihtol – Menuet M. d'Osten-Sacken – Berceuse A. Liadow – Mazurka N. Sokolov – Scherzo A. Liadow – Sarabande A. Borodin – Scherzo A. Glazunov – Courante A. Liadow – Fuga N. Sokołow, A. Głazunow, A. Liadow – Polka Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD048 2003 MAX E. KELLER Silesian String Quartet Max E. Keller: 2 String Quartet (1995) Musiques Suisses/Grammont Portrait MGB CTS-M 84 2003 DANCES ...AND AFTER DANCES Silesian String Quartet
CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award Dances: Joseph Haydn – String Quartet D- minor Op. 103 Alexander Glasunow – Valse from "Novelettes" op.15 Anatoly Liadow – Mazurka Alexander Glazunov – Courante Anton Webern – Rondo Dmitri Shostakovich – Polka: Allegretto (1931) John Cage – Quodlibet Igor Stravinsky – Dance from "Trois Pieces" Astor Piazzolla – Four, for Tango ...and after dances: Giacomo Puccini – Chrysanthemen Ludwig van Beethoven – Prelude and Fugue in C Major Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov – Fugue "Im Kloster" Hugo Wolf – Italian Serenade in G Major WW XV/3 Anatoly Liadow – Fugue Franz Schubert – Quartet Movement in C Minor Krzysztof Penderecki – String Quartet No.2 C&P POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE S.A PRK CD 054 2003 ANDRZEJ PANUFNIK / ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI Silesian String Quartet
CD nominated for the Fryderyk Award A. Panufnik: String quartet no. 1 String quartet no. 2 String quartet no. 3 A. Krzanowski: Relief IX ”Scottish” for string quartet and tape Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD056 2003 WITOLD SZALONEK