“Music brings us together, and none more so than chamber music,” promise the organisers of the International Piano Duo Festival “Duettissimo” – a unique event showcasing music for two instruments or four hands, organised by the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków for the eighth time. Featuring compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and Malcolm Arnold, the inaugural concert reminds us that this arrangement was as popular with Baroque composers as it is with contemporary ones. Works by Mozart, Zarębski and Liszt are performed by the Italian duo of Mattia Ometto and Leonora Armellini; the latter is the winner of the 5th prize at the most recent Chopin Competition and is already a favourite of Polish audiences. During the finale, Szymon Nehring and Łukasz Dębski bring a spirit of virtuosic rivalry with the Concerto in E-flat major KV 365 for two pianos, penned by Mozart with the intention of performing it alongside his sister Nannerl. “Duettissimo” also features an academic conference, a section for student duos and a competition for piano duets, closing with a performance by the winners at the Kraków Philharmonic. (Barbara Skowrońska, “Kraków Culture”)

6 April 2024, 6pm
Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice
INAUGURATION CONCERT

Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Introduction and Allegro Op. 47 for string orchestra
Jan Sebastian Bach (1684-1750) Concerto In C major for two pianos BWV 1061
Aleami Piano Duo: Aleksandra Pazdyga-Chojnacka/ Michał Chojnacki
*******
Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) Concerto for Piano Duet & Strings Op. 32
Cracow Piano Duo: Milena Kędra/ Michał Dziad

Wojciech Kilar (1932-2013) Orawa
Jonathan Mann conductor
Festival Orchestra

Tickets: PLN 20/10 available on bilety24.pl.

7 April 2024, 6pm
Saski Hotel
INAUGURATION CONCERT OF THE 2ND PIANO DUOS COMPETITION

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata in D major for two pianos KV 448
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Fantasia in F minor D. 940
Kate Moore (1979-) Thorns for two pianos
Scholtes/Janssens Piano Duo pianos

Tickets: PLN 60 zł available at the venue an hour before the concert

11 April 2024, 4pm
Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków
World Piano Legends: Recital by Professor Marcella Crudeli

Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801)
Sonata in G minor (ed. Marcella Crudeli)
Sonata in F major (ed. Marcella Crudeli)
Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
Sonata in C major (ed. Marcella Crudeli)
Sonata in D major (ed. Marcella Crudeli)
Alfredo Casella (1883-1947) Three Etudes Toccata Op. 70
Marco Sollini 24 Piano Works: Christmas Op. 13 – Largo e Tenero
Andrea Talmelli 5 Bagatelles: A Marcella
Sergio Calligaris Preludio, Sarabanda e Finale (dedicated to Marcella Crudeli)
Marcella Crudeli piano

Johannes Brahms Hungarina Dances for 4 hands No. 1 & 4
Marcella Crudeli piano
Marek Szlezer piano

Admission free

12 April 2024, 19.30
Filharmonia Krakowska

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Fantasia per organo meccanico KV 594 (two pianos version by Silvio Omizzolo) 
Juliusz Zarębski (1854-1885) Deux Morceaux en forme de Mazurka Op. 5
Ferenc Liszt (1811-1886) Eine Symphonie zu Dantes Divina Commedia S 648 (two pianos version by the author) 
Leonora Armellini/Mattia Ometto pianos

Tickets available at the Kraków Philharmonic ticket office and on filharmoniakrakow.pl

15 April 2024, 7pm
Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków
Young Stage

Hanna Kulenty  (1961-) VAN
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Danse Macabre
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/A. Volodos (arr. ShadowTenshii) Concert Pharaphrase on “Turkish March” from Sonata in A major K. 331
Julia Kukuczka/ Miron Gomułka

Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925) From Foreign Lands for Piano 4 hands Op. 23
Martyna Włodarczyk/ Oksana Momot

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Suite no 1 Op. 5 for two pianos
Tamar Jincharadze/Salome Godzerdzishvili

Admission free

16 April 2024, 7pm
Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków
Young Stage

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Fantasia in F minor D. 940
Natalia Kokoszka/Jakub Niewiadomski

Claude Debussy (1962-1918) Petite Suite
\Witold Lutosławski (1913- 1994) Variations on a Theme from Paganini
Julia Czajka/ Zuzanna Gawrońska

****

Roman Maciejewski (1910-1998) Negro spirituals
Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) Andalucia Suite part 6: Malagueña
Wiktoria Latos/Magdalena Trojanowska 

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) 6 Morceaux Op. 11
K2 Piano Duo: Karolina Kisiak/Kinga Kaczmarczyk

Admission free

17 April 2024, 7pm
Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków
Young Stage

Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994) Variations on a Theme from Paganini
Grzegorz Malacina/ Szymon Maziarz

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) Danse macabre
Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994) Variations on a Theme from Paganini
Tomasz Szczepankiewicz/ Adrian Sarkowicz

Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) L’histoire de Babar le petit éléphant
Text – Jean de Brunhoff
Zuzanna Haberka/Jonasz Jochemczyk

Recitation – Gabriela Nalepa

Admission free

21 April 2024, 6pm
Saski Hotel
FINALE

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Concerto in E flat major for two pianos K. 365
Szymon Nehring/Łukasz Dębski pianos

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony in E flat major K. 543
Maciej Tworek conductor
Chamber Orchestra of the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków

Tickets: PLN 60 available at the venue an hour before the concert