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 at the Festival de Música de Morelia, Mexico
GlassDuo have created an exceptional musical instrument from a set of ordinary wine glasses. As a result, we can listen to music which we are not accustomed to, and which can amaze the listener.
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.
GlassDuo have taken their glass harp (the largest in the world) to the farthest corners of the globe. They’ve played for audiences of all sizes, numbering from the tens to the thousands, for residents of small towns to dignitaries and heads of state.
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.
After the concert, it’s difficult to resist the temptation to take a closer look at the glass harp and share immediate impressions.

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

GlassDuo and Sinfonia Varsovia
Concert performances with an orchestra are a chance to enjoy the exceptional tones of the glass harp and on the other hand to experience the power of orchestral sound.

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

GlassDuo, accompanied by a string quartet, entrance the public in Elblag, Poland.
GlassDuo doesn't limit themselves to duo performances; they frequently collaborate with other musicians. When the ethereal tones of the glass harp combine with those of string or other classical instruments, a unique and powerful musical experience unfolds.
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

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Often, people inquire about the possibility of playing notes on a glass harp. The answer is simple: the glass harp is an instrument like any other, and the notation is also similar.
In addition to composing their original pieces, GlassDuo interprets music originally written for other instruments that has been expertly arranged for the glass harp. They actively collaborate with composers who recognize the instrument's vast inspirational potential stemming from its unique creation using wine glasses.
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

'Glassy' music serves as a source of inspiration for artists in the realm of theatre. While music was once viewed as a means of conveying very concrete meanings, today, even though the symbolic dimension of instruments has diminished, composers for theatre or opera find in glass instruments elements that mirror conflicting forces: good and evil, light and darkness, godliness and satanic powers.
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)

Dubai: GlassDuo find collaborating with other artists on stage projects to be a source of great satisfaction.

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.

Szklane Dźwięki - Twoja Muza 6/2006
Szklane Dźwięki - Twoja Muza 6/2006

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.

Through the Lens. A Beautiful Frame, where Glass Inspires.

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

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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.

The final concert, during which GlassDuo and Simfonia Varsovia Orchestra performed Sting's "Fragile".
Report on "Water for South Sudan"
According to legend, the herb of immortality separated the lovers. The wife went away from her husband and travelled to the moon, where she lives in the Palace of Cold. Her beloved tried to follow her there, but without success…

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!

Reportage

GlassDuo and KV617 Ensemble play concert in Zilina, Slovakia

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.

Reportage

"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."

Listen

Instructions To Four Walls - concert premiere in London

Events

Lights, ballet and music from GlassDuo. A sophisticated artistic setting can turn a business meeting into an unforgettable event.

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...

Posters

The extensive array of posters stands testament to GlassDuo's numerous years of live concert experience.