Chopin - Piazzolla - Saint-Saëns Duo Fortecello

• Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849): Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 (Arr. By François Servais):
• 1 Chopin: Nocturne in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 (Arr. By François Servais) 04:20
• Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65:
• 2 Chopin: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65: I. Allegro moderato 10:54
• 3 Chopin: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65: II. Scherzo 04:50
• 4 Chopin: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65: III. Largo 03:23
• 5 Chopin: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65: IV. Allegro 06:56
• Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992): Milonga del Angel (Arr. by Dario Polonara):
• 6 Piazzolla: Milonga del Angel (Arr. by Dario Polonara) 06:34
• Muerte del Angel (Arr. by Dario Polonara):
• 7 Piazzolla: Muerte del Angel (Arr. by Dario Polonara) 02:52
• Resurreccion del Angel (Arr. by Dario Polonara):
• 8 Piazzolla: Resurreccion del Angel (Arr. by Dario Polonara) 06:32
• Frédéric Chopin: Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C Major, Op. 3:
• 9 Chopin: Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C Major, Op. 3 09:34
• Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921): Danse macabre, Op. 40 (Arr. by Anna Mikulska):
• 10 Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op. 40 (Arr. by Anna Mikulska) 07:24
• Total Runtime 01:03:19

Info for Chopin - Piazzolla - Saint-Saëns

The joint programs of the Polish cellist Anna Mikulska and the French-Spanish pianist Philippe Argenty are always of a colorful lightness in their special compilation and inspired by the claim to present classical music as a contemporary form of expression. And their success proves them right. The two artists have already given concerts in renowned concert halls in France, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Poland, China and Germany.

Anna Mikulska comes from Kraków, where she studied before completing her artistic education at the “Ecole Normale” in Paris. As a soloist she has performed with the Kraków Philharmonic and the Nigel Kennedy Orchestra. Philippe Argenty studied in Perpignan, Paris and Barcelona. A major concert tour took him throughout Europe as a piano soloist with the Orchestra Barcelona Conjunt XXI. Both artists now direct several music festivals in France.

With their extensive skill, Anna Mikulska and Philippe Argenty have developed a unique way of interpretation. The duo can produce a wide range of orchestral tones, have a very natural phrasing and a keen sense of harmony. The musical arc, which is stretched by these two likeable, young artists, has moved the international press to ovations and storms of enthusiasm.

The focus of their rousing program are well-known works by Frédéric Chopin and Camille Saint-Saëns, but also by Astor Piazzolla, whose 100th birthday we are celebrating this year. One can also look forward to a composition by the contemporary composer

Duo Fortecello:
Anna Mikulska, cello
Philippe Argenty, piano

Duo Fortecello:
The Polish cellist Anna Mikulska and the French-Spanish pianist Philippe Argenty wish to gather the music of their roots and their respective sensibilities in a program that will make you travel from Armenia to South America, but also from Eastern Europe to Spain and Paris… This second musical world tour offered by the Duo Fortecello is breathtaking of diversity and virtuosity. The show is performed by two musicians, whose experiences through the most prestigious European Institutions brought them a cosmopolite and universal vision of the music.

To resume, the main goal of Duo Fortecello is to reconcile the largest audience with classical music, to make it live again and to propose concerts that are light, colorful and joyful.

This young duo has already performed in France, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Germany, Poland, New York, China and Tunisia and other places. In March 2018 they have played as a soloists with Atlantida orchestra the outstanding concerto/fantasia for cello, piano and orchestra by Theodor Dubois in Guadalajara near Madrid.

They are playing concerts as well for retirement homes, public in difficulty, disabled persons and concerts for children (serie called "DF for kids!" since 2016.

Both musicians are artistic directors of several festivals as Musique et Patrimoine en Vienne et Gartempe, Musiques en Clain, Les Clés du Classique (since 2005) and Bonneuil-Musique,

Anna Mikulska-Argenty
started her music studies when she was 6. In 2005, she starts at the Music Academy in Cracow, Poland, her hometown. In 2007, she also studies at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris in Paul Julien’s class. She receives advices from famous cellists such as Anner Bylsma, Arto Noras or Franz Helmerson and others. In 2010, she obtains a Master’s degree in Arts, as well as a Cello Aptitude Certificate.

Since 2005, she has been playing in solo with the Symphonic Orchestra of Cracow Music Academy and the Young Philharmonic Orchestra. Meanwhile, she is the privileged partner of chamber music, in quartet, in trio, in quintet and in duo. She has been part of the Cracow Royal Quartet in Poland from 2007 to 2009 and has formed the Quator Volubilis in 2011, with which she performs since then.

She also played in the orchestra of the famous English violonist Nigel Kennedy “Orchestra of Life” with whom she will participate in a European Tour of more than 30 dates in such a famous music halls as Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Southbank Centre and Palais de Congrès de Paris.

Since her arrival in France, she has been working regularly with the Limoges and Limousin Orchestra and orchestra of Soirées Lyriques in Sanxay.

Since 2012 she specialized in chamber music in numerous formations (Duo Fortecello, Trio Gatti, Duo Slavo, Quatuor Volubilis, in quintet with string quartet and piano)

The first album named “Cello and Piano World Tour” with the pianist Philippe Argenty (Duo Fortecello) was released in 2015 and the second “Soul of nations” in 2018 by KNS Classical label,. They several european tours and one China tour in 2019 and USA tour in 2019 as well.

Since 2015 she is the co-director of several festivals in France as Musique et Patrimoine en Vienne et Gartempe. Since 2017 she is the member of administration council of Pablo Casals Festival in Prades.

Philippe Argenty
enters the Music Academy in 2000 and in 2003 he decides to go to Paris in order to focus on music and piano. In 2005, after two years of formation in Paris, he joins the Conservatori Superior de Musica of Liceu in Barcelona, where he studies with the pianist and instructor Stanislav Pochekin. There, he obtains a diploma in “Piano Performance” in 2011 and he receives the best possible mark for the interpretation of the Franz Liszt 2nd Concerto for piano and orchestra.

In 2005, he is awarded with the 2nd prize at the Grand Concours International de Piano in Paris, at the Cortot Hall.

Since 2004, he has performed in France, Norway, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Andorra in solo or in chamber music.

In 2011, he does a concert tour in solo with the Barcelona orchestra “ConjuntXXI” where he performs the Franz Liszt 2nd Concerto for piano and orchestra.

Meanwhile he is invited to perform in several festivals in France and in other foreign countries. He plays in recitals and in chamber music in numerous formations (Duo Fortecello, Trio Gatti, in quintet with string quartet and in sextet with wind quintet or even in violin-piano duo…

Since January 2016 he is as well member of NonStop Tango Trio that proposes tango argentino concerts and shows all around the Europe.

Today he dedicates much part of his professional activity to organize festivals and musical seasons:

“Festival Itinérant et Permanent les Clés du Classique”, “Musiques en Clain”, “Saint Savin Piano & Master Classes Festival”, “Concerts aux Châteaux” and “Jeudis du classique” in Montmorillon.

In 2017 he joined the council of the Festival Pablo Casals in Prades.

In addition, he is the Artistic Manager of the association Les Clés du Classique since 2008.

In 2015, he is invited by the Festival Art Duo in Prague as a jury member of the piano competition, and plays in many concerts in Czech Republic and Hungary.

He does several European Tours with the cellist Anna Mikulska (Duo Fortecello) and will be on tour in China and USA in 2019.

Their first disc, “Cello and piano World Tour Opus 1” is released in 2015 and the second, "Soul of nations", is released in june 2018 under KNS Classical label.

This album contains no booklet.