The cellist Magdalena Bojanowicz and the accordionist Maciej Frąckiewicz – both born in 1988 – formed the Twogether Duo in 2007. The combination of cello and accordion is a rarity but surprisingly works perfectly for a broad repertoire. They play compositions written especially for them (mostly by young Polish composers) as well as transcriptions of classical masterpieces by Bach, Manuel de Falla, Sofia Gubaidulina and Astor Piazzola.
Maria Peryt wrote in the booklet of TWOgether Duo's debut album Satin:
Wojciech Blecharz’s piece In my head... was the impulse which ignited TWOgether Duo to get interested in contemporary Polish Music.
TWOgether Duo’s repertoire is full of works composed by young Polish composers, among others: Preludium. Postludium and Psalm by Hanna Kulenty, Satin by Aleksander Nowak, Rhythm of Doubts by Mikołaj Majkusiak, Discours by Dariusz Przybylski and Nowy utwór (New Composition) by Cezary Duchnowski. The very existence of such an unconventional duo fires up composers’ imaginations and diversifies routine philharmonic sets.
The duo of Bojanowicz and Frąckiewicz stands out thanks to their precision and amazing emotionality - both when strive for excellence in Bach’s pieces and when they try to keep up with irregular time signatures and the fast pace drenched with the spirit of rock, as in Majkusiak’s Rhythm of Doubts.
TWOgether Duo performed at Musica Polonica Nova in Wrocław (2010) as well as at the International Festival of Contemporary Music ‘Warsaw Autumn’, where they shared the stage with Anna Radziejewska (2012).
Both musicians graduated with honours from Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and have their own solo careers.
Magdalena Bojanowicz was placed 3rd at the Krzysztof Penderecki International Cello Contest in 2008 and has performed with philharmonic orchestras from Warsaw, Rzeszów, Zielona Góra Łódź and Lower Silesia.
Maciej Frąckiewicz won the Grand Prix at the 8th edition of 20th and 21st Century Music Contest for Young Musicians in Radziejowice, 1st prize and two non-statutory awards at the 3rd Spisak’s International Music Contest in Dąbrowa Górnicza (2009), 3rd prize at the 17th International Accordion Contest in Arrasate (2009), 1st prize at the 13th International Accordion Contest in Val Tidone (2010). In June 2012 he became the first accordionist ever to perform with the National Philharmonic Hall as a soloist.
The greatest achievements of the duo include: 1st prize at the 8th International Accodrion Meetings in Sanok (2008), 2nd prize at the 45th International Accordion Contest in Kligenthal (2008) and the Special Award for the most promising Polish artist at the 14th International Chamber Contemporary Music Festival in Cracow (2010).
In December 2012 TWOgether Duo received Polityka’s Passport. In support of his nomination Jacek Hawryluk wrote:
It is for the cello, which does not need to play only Bach, and the accordion, which need not be Piazzolla. Although Bojanowicz and Frąckiewicz play their compositions as well. In the Internet voting TWOgether beat Wojciech Blecharz and Agnieszka Bennett-Budzińska.
Author: Filip Lech, Translated by W.O. April 2014