Szymon Krzeszowiec

Szymon Krzeszowiec (; born 20 April 1974) is a Polish violinist, chamber musician and pedagogue. Musician of the Silesian String Quartet and member of the Trio Aristos.

Education

Szymon Krzeszowiec was born in Tychy, Poland. He started his musical education in the Complex of State Music Schools in Katowice, with Urszula Szygulska. Later, he went to the Karol Szymanowski Secondary Musical School in Katowice and studied there with prof. Paweł Puczek. As a pupil of this school, he won first prizes on all-Poland competitions and auditions. He took part in summer music academies in Łańcut and Żagań.

Between 1993 and 1997, he studied in the violin class of prof. Roman Lasocki in the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice (diploma with distinction). Later, he studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with prof. Herman Krebbers. He participated in masterclasses with such artists as, among others: Glenn Dicterow, Dmitri Ferschtman, Paweł Głombik, Yair Kless, Krzysztof Węgrzyn and Tadeusz Wroński.

Competitions

Szymon Krzeszowiec is a laureate of violin competitions in Poznań (Ogólnopolski Konkurs Skrzypcowy im. Z. Jahnkego), Warsaw (Konkurs na Skrzypce Solo im. T. Wrońskiego) and Brescia (Italy), of chamber music competition in Łódź (Konkurs Muzyki Kameralnej im. Kiejstuta Bacewicza).

Artistic activity Most recently, the artistic activity of Szymon Krzeszowiec is dominated by chamber performances, but his solo career still develops.

Soloist As a soloist, he performed with such orchestras as : National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Silesian Philharmonic (Symphony Orchestra), AUKSO Chamber Orchestra and many others. He played under the baton of conductors: Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk, Jacek Boniecki, Leo Brouwer, Tomasz Bugaj, Szymon Bywalec, Sławomir Chrzanowski, Michał Dworzyński, Czesław Grabowski, Jan Wincenty Hawel, Michał Klauza, Jerzy Kosek, Marek Moś, Michał Nesterowicz, Grzegorz Nowak, Charles Olivieri-Munroe, Janusz Powolny, Ahmed el Saedi, Jerzy Salwarowski, Robert Satanowski, Tadeusz Strugała, Jerzy Swoboda, Tomasz Tokarczyk, Tadeusz Wicherek, Piotr Wijatkowski, Tadeusz Wojciechowski, Christoph Wyneken and Jan Miłosz Zarzycki.

Cooperation with pianists For many years, Szymon Krzeszowiec has played with eminent pianists : Maria Szwajger-Kułakowska and Wojciech Świtała. With the latter, Krzeszowiec recorded his first CD, containing the three Piano & Violin Sonatas by Johannes Brahms. It was published in 2001 by the Sony Classical label. This album was nominated to the « Fryderyk » award as the best chamber music recording.

In 2011, he recorded another violin & piano CD, with a leading Swedish pianist, Niklas Sivelöv. This album, named « Fratres », contains pieces inspired by baroque music, written by 20th century composers. It has been published by the DUX label.

Silesian String Quartet Since 2001, Szymon Krzeszowiec has been the first violinist of the Silesian String Quartet. Rehearsals, recordings and performances as a member of this ensemble have become his most important activities. As a chamber musician, Krzeszowiec played with such artists as, among others : Max Artved, Detlef Bensman, Bruno Canino, Dmitri Ferschtman, Maciej Grzybowski, Paul Gulda, Krzysztof Jabłoński, Krzysztof Jakowicz, Andrzej Jasiński, Jadwiga Kotnowska, Ralph Kirshbaum, Mats Lidstroem, Waldemar Malicki, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Tomasz Miczka, Bartłomiej Nizioł, Janusz Olejniczak, Bruno Pasquier, Piotr Pławner, Ewa Pobłocka, Dominik Połoński, Niklas Sivelöv, Jan Stanienda, Tomasz Strahl, Piotr Szymyślik, Marek Toporowski. He performed or/and recorded with such ensembles as Dominant, Lutosławski, Royal, Stamic, Vanbrugh and Wieniawski string quartets.

On the 15 CDs recorded by the Silesian String Quartet with Krzeszowiec as the first violinist, there are mainly pieces by Polish composers of the last 30 years. Chamber music of this period of Polish music is often performed by the Silesian String Quartet, as promoting contemporary music is one of the aims of the ensemble. In 2002, the Silesian String Quartet won the prestigious « Orfeusz » Award, given by the Association of Polish Musicians, for having premiered Witold Szalonek’s Symphony of rituals on the « Warsaw Autumn » Festival.

Aristos Trio While studying in such a cultural centre as Amsterdam, Szymon Krzeszowiec met Danish musicians Jakob Kullberg (cello) and Alexander Øllgaard (viola). Since 2004, they have performed as the Trio Aristos. In 2006, this ensemble won prestigious chamber music competitions in Copenhagen (Denmark) and Sondershausen (Germany). In Denmark, the Trio Aristos was contacted by the composer Per Nørgård, who asked the musicians to premiere some of his works.

Teaching Since 1998, Szymon Krzeszowiec is a pedagogue of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. He teaches at the Karol Szymanowski Secondary Musical School as well. Annually since 2004, he has given chamber music master classes at the International Princess Daisy Chamber Arts Festival Ensemble. Often, Krzeszowiec gives violin master classes and works in juries of musical competitions.

Discography Year Album details Recorded works Label 2011 FRATRESSzymon Krzeszowiec - violinNiklas Sivelöv - piano Igor Stravinski - Suite d’après les thèmes, fragments et morceaux de Giambattista PergolesiLuigi Dallapiccola - Tartiniana SecondaMax Reger - Suite im alten Stil, op. 93Arvo Pärt - FratresAlfred Schnittke - Suite im alten Stil, op. 80 DUX 0840 2010 ALEKSANDER TANSMANTOMBEAU DE CHOPINfrom trio to octet vol.2Joanna Liberadzka - harpElżbieta Mrożek-Loska - violaKrzysztof Firlus - double bassAdam Krzeszowiec - celloJan Krzeszowiec - fluteRoman Widaszek - clarinetSilesian String Quartet Aleksander Tansman:Sextuor à cordes for 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellosSonatina da camera for flute, violin, viola, cello and harpTombeau de Chopin for string quintetTrois pieces for clarinet, harp and string quartet Stowarzyszenie Promocji Kultury im. Aleksandra Tansmanawww.tansman.lodz.pl 2010 STANISŁAW KRUPOWICZ - “TYLKO BEATRYCZE” String quartets and computer Silesian String Quartet Stanisław Krupowicz: Goodbye variations on a theme by Mozart Tylko Beatrycze (Only Beatrice) Prolongement Musica Pro Bono Foundation FMPB CD004 2010 RAFAŁ AUGUSTYNDO UT DES MUSIC FOR AND WITH QUARTETAgata Zubel - sopranoJan Krzeszowiec - fluteSilesian String Quartet Rafał Augustyn:String Quartet No.1String Quartet No.2 with fluteDedication for soprano & string quartetDo ut des for string quartetGrand jeté. Quartet No.2½ with electronics www.cdaccord.com.plwww.universalmusic.plACD 165-2 2009 KALEIDOSCOPEPolish contemporary music for violin soloSzymon Krzeszowiec - violin K. Meyer - Sonata op. 36S. Moryto - Aria e ChoraleP. Szymański - Kaleidoscope for M.C.EK. Penderecki - CadenzaT. Wielecki - Przędzie się nić...IIE. Knapik - Filo d’AriannaW. Szalonek - Chaconne-Fantaisie DUX 0688 2009 STRING QUARTETS / POLAND ABROADSilesian String Quartet Joachim Mendelson (1897–1943):String Quartet no.1Roman Padlewski (1915–1944):String Quartet no.2Simon Laks (1901–1983):String Quartet no.5 www.eda-records.comEDA 34 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 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 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 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 SZYMAŃSKICHAMBER 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 Aleksander 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 QuartetCD of the Year 2005 - Award of the "Hi-fi Muzyka" MagazineCD 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 ANDRZEJ PANUFNIK / ANDRZEJ KRZANOWSKI Silesian String QuartetCD 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 Silesian String Quartet Witold Szalonek: 1+1+1+1 per 1-4 strumenti ad arco /version for violin and cello/ Symphony of rituals for string quartet 1+1+1+1 per 1-4 strumenti ad arco /version for string quartet/ Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD058 2003 MAX E. KELLER Silesian String Quartet

A. Glazunov - Waltz from "Novelettes" op.15 A. Glazunov - Preludio e Fuga N. Arcybushev - Serenade J. Wihtol - Menuet M. d'Osten-Sacken - Berceuse A. Liadov - Mazurka N. Sokolov - Scherzo A. Liadov - Sarabande A. Borodin - Scherzo A. Glazunov - Courante A. Liadov - Fugue N. Sokołow, A. Głazunow, A. Liadov - Polka Polskie Radio Katowice PRK CD048 2001 JOHANNES BRAHMS: PIANO & VIOLIN SONATASSzymon Krzeszowiec - violinWojciech Świtała - pianoJohannes Brahms:Sonata in G major op. 78Sonata in A major op. 100Sonata in d minor op. 108 Sony Music PolandSK 87712