Beata Będkowska-Huang & SONOS Kwartet / Guitar4mation / Friend 'n Fellow

The evening will begin in a special way. The first piece will be dedicated to the late Romuald Jurkowski, who passed away unexpectedly on 30 June 2024 at the age of 68. Romuald was the son of Jan Edmund Jurkowski, the founder and the first artistic director of the Silesian Guitar Autumn Festival. For years, Romuald Jurkowski supported the festival in continuing his father’s work, and with his vibrant personality he will be remembered as the festival’s guiding spirit.

Sonos Quartet, along with Beata Będkowska-Huang, will perform A Song for a Friend, a piece composed by Czesław Grabowski in 1990 after the death of Jan Edmund Jurkowski. The piece will be performed in a chamber arrangement. Other performers for this concert include the Tychy-based Sonos Quartet and the flautist Małgorzata Hławsa.

The first part of the programme will also feature the Guitar4mation Quartet, a group with over 30 years of experience on European stages. The repertoire is their hallmark, as it consists exclusively of songs arranged for four guitars. Their style encompasses both romantic and impressionistic works from the 19th century, as well as a variety of musical genres, including contemporary pieces commissioned by the group (e.g. Suite del Dia by Sérgio Assad), alongside Latin American, jazz, and pop music. Guitar4mation concerts offer the audience a wide range of experiences, from serious to humorous, from peaceful to exhilarating. Guitar4mation pioneers new ways to explore music which has never before been performed on the guitar.

The group’s individual uniqueness and perfect synergy are evident in how each musician brings different qualities and strengths to their vibrant, intense performances, all within the framework of democratic music creation. The end result of this colourful collaboration can be heard right here in Tychy.

In the second part of the concert, the duo Friend 'n Fellow, consisting of guitarist Thomas Fellow and vocalist Constanze Friend, will take the stage. For 33 years, its members have successfully followed their own path, steering away from the mainstream and refusing to be pigeon-holed into a single musical genre. Thanks to their deep and natural connection, the duo reveals nuances which seem almost lost in today’s world of radio pop. The music of Friend 'n Fellow breathes the intensity of blues, the freedom of jazz, and touches on the sound of soul.

Part I of the Concert:

Beata Będkowska-Huang – guitar

Sonos Kwartet:
Małgorzata Hlawsa – flute
Marta Huget-Skiba – violin
Anna Grzybała – viola
Joanna Urbańska-Mikszta – cello
guest appearance: Gabriela Kubarska – violin

Guitar4Mation:
Petr Saidl (Czech Republic)
Campbell Diamond (Australia)
Martin Schwarz (Austria)
Michał Nagy (Poland)

Programme:
Czesław Grabowski – Pieśń dla Przyjaciela
Ernesto Halffter:
Danza de la Pastora
Hommage a Mompou
Danza de la Gitana
Leos Janacek  
On an Overgrown Path
Our Evenings
The Madonna of Frydek Mistek
They Chattered Like Swallows
The Barn Owl Has Not Flown Away
Joaquin Rodrigo:
Serenata Española
Syrah
Get Uneven
Mistral
Ansielmo Aieta – Corralera
Juan Carlos Cobian – Los Mareados
Juanjo Dominguez – Faseando

Arrangements: Martin Schwarz, Petr Saidl, Michał Nagy

Part II of the Concert:

Friend 'n Fellow:
Thomas Fellow – guitar
Constanze Friend – vocal

Programme:
Martin Gore – Personal Jesus
Constanze Friend – Fighter
Constanze Friend – Sister
U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Friend 'n Fellow – Blue in You
Nina Simone – My Baby Just Cares For Me
Friend 'n Fellow – Travelers
Friend 'n Fellow – Child of spring
Constanze Friend – Elf
Bill Withers – Grandma’s Hands (vocal solo)
Earth, Wind and Fire – September (guitar solo)
Friend 'n Fellow – Train Of Tears

The festival pass covers the concert.