The Silesian String Quartet


  • Szymon Krzeszowiec
    I violin

  • Arkadiusz Kubica
    II violin

  • Łukasz Syrnicki
    viola

  • Piotr Janosik
    cello

 

 

The Silesian Quartet was founded in 1978 by the graduates of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. It developed its skills at the master classes conducted by the members of such quartets as the LaSalle, Amadeus, Juilliard, Smetana and Berg.

 

The Quartet's repertoire includes over 300 pieces of chamber literature, of which almost 200 are by 20th-century composers. The Silesian Quartet premiered over 100 works by Polish and foreign composers, many of which have been dedicated to the Quartet. The ensemble has performed at numerous prestigious festivals, including: Berliner Musiktage, Time of Music in Viitasaari, Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Festiv´Alpes in Grenoble, Inventionen in Berlin, Musicorama in Hong Kong, Festival de Saint-Denis in Paris, Wien Modern, EuroArt in Prague, Contemporary Music Festival Melos-Etos in Bratislava, Musique de Amitié Festival in Biel, Bornholms-Musik Festival, Musikhost in Odense and the World Music Days in Amsterdam, Warsaw Autumn, Penderecki Festival in Kraków, Poznan Music Spring, the Polish Contemporary Music Festival in Wrocław, Tongyeong International Music Festival (Korea).

 

The Silesian Quartet was awarded at the Contemporary Music Competition in Kraków (1979), the Poznań Music Spring (1981), and at the UNESCO International Composers´ Rostrum for the Recording of quartets by Eugeniusz Knapik (1984) and Aleksander Lasoń (1988). It Received the Katowice Province Governor Artistic Award (1988), the Stanisław Wyspiański Award for Young Artists (1990) and the Katowice Mayor Artistic Award (1992). In 1996 , 1998, 2005 the ensemble received the Polish "Fryderyk" Awards for CDs featuring works by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Witold Lutosławski, Karol Szymanowski and Chausson, the Warsaw Autumn Music Award "Orfeusz" (2002), "CD of the year 2005" award - Hi-Fi Muzyka Magazine (Republique)

 

The Silesian 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 venues 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 and Jordan Hall in Boston. The Silesian Quartet also worked with radio stations in Germany (RIAS, SFB, WDR), Holland (NOS), Greece and the Czech Republic. The ensemble regularly records for Polish Radio and TV. It has recorded, for various labels, complete string quartets by Stravinsky, Szymanowski, Panufnik and Aleksander Tansman. Other successful recordings include works by Johannes Brahms, Zygmunt Krauze, Witold Lutosławski, Witold Szalonek, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ernest Chausson, Krzysztof Penderecki, Juliusz Zarębski, Grzegorz Ciechowski (EMI Music) etc. The groupe performed with among others: Dimitri Ashkenazy, Andrzej Bauer, Eduard Brunner, Bruno Canino, Martin Frost, Stefan Kamasa, Jadwiga Kotnowska, Eugeniusz Knapik, Karri Krikku, Waldemar Malicki, Jerzy Marchwinski, Janusz Olejniczak, Piotr Plawner, Ewa Pobłocka, Ewa Podles, Jadwiga Rappe, Hokan Rosengren, Jan Stanienda, Hary Sparnay, Wojciech Switala, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Krystian Zimerman.

 

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 become the patron of The Silesian String Quartet and the Music Theatre of Gliwice has become its partner.