CD album – “Moniuszko&Kurpiński”

Quartetto Nero is a young and dynamic Polish string quartet, producing its unique and intriguing sound by playing on the original period instruments (or their copies) as well as using gut strings and special bows, appropriate for the music of different eras. All this distinguishes the ensemble from other string quartets not only on Polish, but also international musical market.

The ensemble is dedicated to exploring and searching for the authentic sound of music written in baroque, classical and early romantic times; not only by using characteristic instruments of those eras, but also through historically informed interpretation of the pieces. What has a very special place in Quartetto Nero’s repertoire is Polish music from these periods, rarely performed nowadays. The idea of the group is also to bring the audience closer to the history of a string quartet as a chamber music ensemble.

Quartetto Nero is the winner of the 1st and Special prize in the Early Music Ensemble Competition in Poznan in Poland (2016) and also a finalist of an international competition XVIII. Biagio-Marini Wettbewerb in Neuburg in Germany (2017) and the Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music in Rzeszów in Poland (2019). In 2019 the quartet was also awarded the “Young Poland” scholarship for outstanding artistic achievements. The ensemble already has a very vibrant concert schedule, performing in Poland and abroad – e.g. during the Fringe concert series of Utrecht Early Music Festival (Festival Oude Muziek, Netherlands, 2018) and twice during the International Early Music Festival ECOS (Festival Internacional de Música Antigua de Sierra Espuña, Spain, 2018 & 2019). In 2019 Quartetto Nero established cooperation with Polish early music festival Misteria Paschalia. As a result, the quartet performed a prologue concert to this festival and also participated in the „Misteria Paschalia in tourneé” concert series, which took place during Kromer Biecz Festival and Musica Poetica Festival. In November 2019 the very first CD of Quartetto Nero is going to be released, containing music of Polish romantic composers – S. Moniuszko and K. Kurpiński.

The members of the quartet are graduates of the Academy of Music in Krakow (Poland), Mozarteum University in Salzburg (Austria) and Conservatory of Music G. B. Martini in Bologna (Italy). The ensemble was established in 2015 in Krakow (Poland) and, since the very beginning, has been tutored by Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch at the Academy of Music in Krakow. The ensemble has also participated in masterclasses with e.g. Manfredo Kraemer and Paolo Pandolfo.