Artistic Activity of GlassDuo
Exploring GlassDuo's Diverse Musical Collaborations, Innovative Projects, TV and Radio Appearances, Engaging Workshops or Captivating Corporate Events
Concerts / Festivals
GlassDuo concerts are always a chance to experience unusual tones, uniquely arranged musical pieces, and above all the presence of the artists themselves, as they pursue their dreams and passions in such an unconventional way.
The glass music of GlassDuo reverberates just as well in a typical concert hall as in industrial spaces, churches, and the ruins of old castles or palaces. It is just as wonderful in modern interiors where, thanks to amplification, it’s much more sonorous than you might expect from such a delicate instrument.
The originality of GlassDuo concerts attracts not only music lovers but also those looking for a new experience. Which is why the duo are invited to play for all sorts of people with a wide variety of interests at all kinds of events, from the strictly musical to cultural festivals.
GlassDuo has performed at:
Singapore Festival of Arts - Singapore
Busan Chamber Music Festival - South Korea
Festival de Musica de Morelia - Mexico
Visegrad Music Festival - South Korea
Ohrid Summer Festival - Macedonia
Panorama Percussivo Mundial - Brasil
altstadtherbst kulturfestival duesseldorf - Germany
Internationaal Festival van Vlaanderen Gent - Belgium
International Music Festival, Mood Indigo - Bombai, India
Warsaw Autumn - Poland
Polish Harmonies Chopin & Beyond - Austin, USA
Klaipeda Music Spring - Lithuania
International Festival Round About Chopin - Viena, Austria
Festival di Santo Stefano - Bologna, Italy
La Folle Journee - Warsaw, Poland
International Chopin Festival - Duszniki, Poland
International Music Festival "RESUREXIT" - Siauliai, Lithuania
Automne Musical de Marchienne - Belgium
International Mozart Festival "Mozartiana" - Gdansk, Poland
International Classical Music Festival of Mažeikiai - Lithuania
International Bach Festival "Bakhosluzheniye" - Kaliningrad, Russia
Days of Karol Szymanovsky's Music - Zakopane, Poland
Christopher Summer Festival - Vilnius, Lithuania
Royal Concerts Chamber Ensemble Festival - Warsaw, Poland
Musik i Glasriket - Sweden
International Mozart Festival "Chopiniana" - Warsaw, Poland
and many others...
Collaboration
There is a wide range of repertoire, both classical and modern, for glass harp and orchestra. As a result, GlassDuo are just as at home with philharmonic concerts, contemporary events, and New Year’s Eve performances.
Having collaborated with numerous Polish orchestras and those beyond Poland's borders, GlassDuo has established a rich and diverse portfolio of orchestral partnerships.
GlassDuo has collaborated with following orchestras:
Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra
Sinfonia Varsovia
Zbigniewa Górnego Orchestra in Poznań
Sinfonia Baltica
Warsaw Camerata
Elbląg Chamber Orchestra
Capella Bydgostiensis
Płock Philharmonic Orchestra
Toruń Philharmonic Orchestra
Kielce Philharmonic Orchestra
Opole Philharmonic Orchestra
Zielona Góra Philharmonic Orchestra
Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestra
Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic
Koszalin Philharmonic Orchestra
Zabrze Philharmonic Orchestra
Olsztyn Philharmonic Orchestra
Lower Silesia Philharmonic
Podlasie Philharmonic Orchestra
Łomża Philharmonic Orchestra
Gorzów Philharmonic Orchestra
Sudety Philharmonic Orchestra
Inowrocław Symphonic Orchestra „Pro Arte”
and:
Klaipeda Chamber Orchestra, Lithuania
Württemberg Chamber Orchestra, Heilbronn, Germany
Bursa State Symphony Orchestra, Turkey
Macedonian Virtuoso, Macedonia
Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in Eskisehir, Turkey
St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra in Vilnius, Lithuania
Symphony Orchestra of Musikkonservatorium
Winterthur, Switzerland
Izmir State Symphony Orchestra, Turkey
The juxtaposition of the delicate sounds emanating from the wine glasses with those of a classical quartet adds a special finesse. Simultaneously, this arrangement allows audiences to appreciate the glass harp within a slightly broader musical context.
In glass harp and string quartet collaborations, listeners can relish in classical masterpieces such as Peter Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake or Dvorak’s Slavic Dances, alongside modern compositions like Sting’s ‘Fragile’ or Astor Piazzolla’s ‘Adios Nonino’.
GlassDuo has cooperated with following chamber ensembles:
Krakow Philharmonic String Quartet
Mucha Quartet
Rubinstein Quartet
Yossif Radionov Quartet
Kaliningrad Philharmonic String Quartet
Baltic Quartet
Elbląg String Quartet
String Quartet Cztery Kolory
Hanseatica Quartet
Primo Incontro
KV617 Ensemble
The outcomes of these collaborations are compositions tailored specifically for the duo. These compositions range from standalone pieces for the glass harp to works with additional musical accompaniment. GlassDuo is also known for creating incidental music designed for use in theatrical or film productions.
Composers who has collaborated with GlassDuo:
Zbigniew Preisner
Mieczysław Litwiński
Garry Eister
Zbigniew Pniewski
Piotr Salaber
Tom Smail
Anna Pęcherzewska
Aleksander Przeradowski
Jean Chatillon
Daniele Furlati
In Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, for instance, the inclusion of a glass harmonica in the 'Mad scene' intensifies the drama and triggers an absolute eruption of insanity, adding a profound layer to the situation.
To date, music recorded by GlassDuo has appeared in the following Polish theatre performances:
A. Mickiewicz "Forefathers’ Eve" (music by Monika Zytke, New Theatre, Słupsk, 2007)
W. Gombrowicz "The Marriage" (arrangements by GlassDuo, Stefan Jaracz Theatre, Łódź, 2007)
M. Sałtykow-Szczedrin "Judas", based on the story "Mr. & Mrs. Gołowlew" (music by Piotr Salaber, Ateneum Theatre, Warsaw, 2010)
Articles written by GlassDuo have been published in two respected musical periodicals: Ruch Muzyczny and Twoja Muza.
Recordings by GlassDuo and information from our team about the glass harp have appeared in music textbooks for schools published by Nowa Era and Young Digital Poland.
Television, Radio and Advertising
From prestigious events to corporate galas, GlassDuo's glass harp, recognized as the largest in the world, graces a multitude of corporate occasions. With a reputation for delivering unparalleled musical elegance, GlassDuo transforms each corporate event into a captivating experience.
Elevate the ambiance and add a touch of sophistication to your gathering with the enchanting sounds of GlassDuo, making every corporate occasion a memorable celebration.
In their studio, GlassDuo records albums and creates custom compositions, including pieces for advertisements.
GlassDuo has cooperated with, amongst others:
Arte TV
Discovery Chanel
BBC
TVN
TVP1
TVP2
TVP Gdańsk
TVP Polonia
Polsat
PR1
ANTENA 3
Deutsche Welle
Public Radio International
Reuters
Turkish TRT
Olay TV
Globo TV
LRytas TV
Associated Press
Workshops
In addition to concert performances, GlassDuo’s musicians also conduct workshops. Participation can be open to all or by invitation only, depending on the circumstances. The workshops cater to adults, young people, and children, providing a fantastic opportunity to learn and have fun simultaneously. For many participants, it's a chance to view wine glasses from an entirely new perspective.
GlassDuo has organized workshops for corporations, cultural institutions, and various festivals. During these sessions, the public gets the opportunity to try their hand at playing wine glasses and other glass instruments, and sometimes even create their own simple melodies on specially crafted mini instruments.
GlassDuo has conducted workshops in numerous Polish towns, the USA, Great Britain, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.
Projects
"Drops of Water for South Sudan" is a collaborative project involving the Polish Humanitarian Organisation, GlassDuo, and the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra. The project resulted in the construction of wells in South Sudan.
The concert was recorded with the support of thirty thousand followers of the Polish Humanitarian Organisation on Facebook.
In 2014, as a part of the celebrations for the Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore, GlassDuo, alongside artists from Germany, Israel, Italy and Spain, created a kind of super-production inspired by the traditional Chinese fairy tale, "The Lady in the Moon."
A glass harp, a four-metre-high puppet, dancers flying in balloons 25 metres above the ground and actors in fairy-tale costumes – this was the spectacle that met the thousands of people who gathered to experience a new interpretation of the well-known story!
The GlassDuo couldn't resist the temptation to create a project inspired by the music of Chopin. Four other instruments: flute, oboe, viola and cello joined in. Glass harp, in combination with strings and wind instruments, offered a highly original sound and a completely new interpretation of Chopin's music. And although in the Romantic era glass instruments were silenced by the domination of the piano, their sound uniquely emphasizes the nostalgic aura of Chopin’s compositions.
In addition, GlassDuo present works by Polish and overseas artists who have also found inspiration both in our great countryman and in the exceptional tonal possibilities of the glass harp.
The project has been recorded on the CD choPINcode.
choPINcode performences:
„Chopin Non Stop”, Wrocław, Poland 2006
Chamber Music Festival, Jarocin, Poland 2007
Chopiniana, Warsaw, Poland 2008
Chopin Open, Warsaw, Poland 2010
Round About Chopin - Vienna, Austria 2010
II Festival Polish Music in Żylina, Slovakia 2010
Poem XXI The World of Miłosz is an interdisciplinary project combining elements of music and poetry with fine art. The project is a result of cooperation between artists from Poland and Japan.
In accompaniment to a work by Mieczysław Litwiński, a contemporary composition for voice, harmonium, cello and glass harp, sung in a number of languages: Japanese, Lithuanian, English and Polish. The music is recorded on the CD, IKI.
"Instructions to Four Walls" is a captivating musical composition that harmoniously marries the poetic expressions of W.S. Merwin with the artistic vision of London composer Tom Smail. This innovative piece is skillfully arranged for a quartet of voices, complemented by the enchanting sounds of a glass harp and the classical elegance of a harp.
The premiere of this exceptional work, along with its recording, unfolded in the vibrant city of London in January 2013. The collaboration between the voices, glass harp, and classical harp breathes life into Merwin's words, creating a unique auditory experience that transcends traditional boundaries. The fusion of poetic brilliance and musical ingenuity is a testament to the artistic synergy achieved in "Instructions to Four Walls."
Events
From prestigious events to corporate galas, GlassDuo's glass harp, recognized as the largest in the world, graces a multitude of corporate occasions. With a reputation for delivering unparalleled musical elegance, GlassDuo transforms each corporate event into a captivating experience.
Elevate the ambiance and add a touch of sophistication to your gathering with the enchanting sounds of GlassDuo, making every corporate occasion a memorable celebration.
Here are a few notable events where GlassDuo took part:
a presentation of a project from the European Solidarity Centre under the auspices of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union in Brussels
the Abu Dhabi Medical Distinction Award Ceremony, 2011, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
grand finale of the opening ceremony for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London 2013, United Kingdom
at the Asia Cup group draw, AFC Asian Cup 2011 Finals, Doha, Qatar
Grand Prix Formula1, Singapore, 2014
GlassDuo performed for:
Sony
Philips
Swarovski
Maserati
Volkswagen
Volvo
Renault
Citi Bank
Raiffeisen Bank
Huawei
BlackBerry
McDonald's
Coca-Cola
Nestle
and many others...