Dalbergia Duo (Anna Rutkowska & Julianna Siedler Smuga) is a unique female marimba/percussion duo from Poland established in 2017. Their performances are filled with a mixture of sensitivity and elemental women’s power. These two marimba ladies put together on stage create multitude of colours and picturesque musical landscapes.
Dalbergia Duo perform a variety of musical styles and genres including both pieces already written by great world known composers of classical and contemporary music, and those commissioned by the Duo. They actively cooperate with composers of the young generation, building new sonic vocabulary for marimbas. They also give new life to the “classics” written for other instruments inter alia piano compositions by Polish masters Karol Szymanowski or Ignacy Jan Paderewski. There are no performing boundaries for Dalbergia Duo. Apart from the classical repertoire the artists deal with contemporary performative compositions with audio-visual layers, as well as theatrical works. So far Dalbergia Duo have performed in Poland and abroad at many significant international music festivals, like inter alia Poznan Music Spring (Poland), Agora Actual Percussio (Spain), Doctors in Performance (Lithuania). In 2017 both artists obtained the Doctors of Musical Arts degree in Performing Arts. In 2019 Dalbergia Duo won 2nd Prize at IMKA International Internet Music Competition in Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina) in the Chamber music category, in April 2018 artists became laureates of the 1st Prize at International Master Competition for Music Teachers and obtained recommendation from Polish Music Foundation for outstanding interpretation of Polish works. In December 2018 Anna and Julianna were awarded with 2nd Prize at International North Music Competition in Sweden (Stockholm) – chamber music category. Julianna and Anna are both active members of Marimba Festiva – International Marimba Association. The Duo actively runs marimba masterclasses and workshops inspiring the younger generation with their passion for percussion From the end of 2020 Dalbergia Duo is proud Artist Endorser of Schlagkraft Mallets and Adams Percussion.bio
Anna Maria Rutkowska, DMA is a talented and openminded Polish marimbist and percussion artist with a huge desire and determination for discovering new fields of music.
She graduated with honours from the instrumental department at Academy
of Music in Cracow, Poland (2009), and it was a starting point of her career. Anna has had a chance to work with great people from contemporary marimba and percussion world like: Keiko Abe, Theodor Milkov, Jean Geoffroy, William Moersch, Fumito Nunoya, Marta Klimasara, Peter Prommel, Katarzyna Myćka, John Beck, Tchiki Duo, Ramon Lormans, Vincent Houdijk, Mitch Markovitch, Ricardo Flores, Nippy Noya.
In 2017, having completed Doctoral Studies at the Academy of Music in Cracow, she received the academic Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Fine Arts for the doctoral dissertation on the influence of culture, traditions and arts of Japan on the works for marimba solo and chamber marimba music by Japanese composers: Keiko Abe, Minoru Miki, and Akira Miyoshi.
In 2009, as the Laureate of the XII International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music in Cracow, (Poland) Anna Maria directed her main focus on solo and chamber marimba performance.
She performed at many festivals in Poland including “Warsaw Autumn” (Warsaw, Poland), “Sources and Inspirations”, “Audio Art”, “International Festival of Krakow Composers” (Cracow, Poland), and also took part in numerous concerts across Europe, like in Germany “BeethovenFest” (Bonn), Switzerland “KALIMA” (Lausanne), and the Netherlands “Uitgast” (Lelystad), and “Percussion Friends Chamber Music Academy” (Amsterdam).
Julianna Kamila Siedler-Smuga, PhD , graduated with honors from The Grazyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Lodz, with degree Master of Music. In 2014 she obtained Master in de Muziek degree (marimba podium) in marimba class of Ludwig Albert and Chin Cheng Lin at Koninklijk Conservatorium Antwerpen (Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Antwerpen). In 2012 she continued education at doctoral studies in her alma mater. In academic year 2011/2012 she get in Erasmus Scholarship Programm and studied in Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, where she had plessure to meet and work under direction of G. Franҫois, B. Quartier and B. Bouckaert. In 2013 she get to semifinals of International Marimba Competition in Opole, in 2014 she passed preeliminations to International Marimba Competition in Bamberg, she also took a part in the Yamaha Scholarship Competition 2013.As a soloist she can be spotted playing independent concerts and also during many festivals (inter alia: Musica Privata, Umami Live Berlin, Film Music Festival in Lodz, Musica Moderna), masterclasses and academies in Poland and abroad. She constantly
develop her skills during various masterclasses with great teachers: inter alia: Tchiki Duo, S.Sakai, Axoum Duo, A.Caggiano, G.Jurczyk, W.Herzyk, S.Buranov, Nanae Mimura, Seung-Myeong Oh, Daniella Ganeva, Kuniko Kato, N. J. Živkovič, M.Ford, F.Macarez, Keiko Abe.Julianna during all years in her alma mater she was member of chamber music group Percussion Studio, she cooperated with Big Band of The Grażyna and Kiejstut Academy of Music in Lodz under direction of prof. J. Delong. She is interested in contemporary music, that’s why she is constantly in contact with polish composers, which are creating new music: K.Knittel, A.Zagajewski, N.Fukuoka, W.Blecharz, T.Goliński, M.Śniady, M.Gładysiak, K.Krzewiński, A.Sowa. Julianna Kamila is still performing their compositions, they are writing music specially for her (e.g. K.Krzewiński – Glass Wood Plastic, N.Fukuoka – Belgian rare groove & breakbeat, A.Zagajewski – Solid). She also arrange music for her own use.During five years of her studies till now, she cooperated with professional orchestras as orchestral musician, intera alia: The Arthur Rubinstein Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra of the Grand Theater in Lodz, Warsaw Chamber Opera Orchestra, Kalisz Philharmonic Orchestra. She played with great conducters, inter alia: D. Raiskin, M. Nesterowicz, M. Pijarowski, A. Boreyko, J. M. Florêncio, T. Wojciechowski, K. Penderecki, K. Kord, W. Michniewski etc. She performs various repertoire from classical, throught jazz music, film music, sonoristic music to contemporary music. She is working also as timpani player in Chamber Orchestra Polish Camerata.
From academic year 2014/2015 she connect her two passions – for playing percussion and teaching, her success is reflected by winning prizes by her students at region and national area.
In June 2017 she obtained PhD degree in music arts (percussion), defended thesis written under direction of prof. Grzegorz Jurczyk. Julianna is a member of Polish Percussion Teachers Association and german Marimba Festiva Association.
Dalbergia Duo Activity
Prizes in competitions:
• 2019 – 2nd Prize at IMKA International Internet Music Competition, Sarajevo (Chamber music)
• 2018 – 2nd Prize at The North International Music Competition, Stockholm (Chamber Music, section: Duo – XX Category)
• 2018 – 1st Prize at 6th International Master Competition for Music Teachers, Warsaw (Chamber Music)
• 2018 – Recommendation from Polish Music Foundation for outstanding inerpretation of Polish work
Participation in Competitions:
• The International Anton Rubinstein Chamber Music Competition 2018
• The 1st AEMC International Chamber Music Competition 2019
Major concerts:
• August 2019 – Theodor Milkov International Marimba Summer Camp, Greece
• June 2019 – International Katarzyna Mycka Marimba Academy, Gdansk 2019, Academy of Music in Gdansk, Poland
• June 2019 – „Percussion tea” – Kielce, Poland
• April 2019 – Concert during Design Expo “WZORY”, Warsaw, Poland
• March 2019 – 48th Poznan Music Spring – International Contemporary Music Festival, Poznan, Poland
• March 2019 – Final tutors concert at 3rd International Marimba Meetings, Lodz, Poland
• January 2019 – Concert/vernissage of posters by „Papierowe Sny”, SPATiF club, Warsaw, Poland
• November 2018 – 12th International Percussion Music Festival „Sources and inspirations”, Academy of Music in Cracow, Poland
• October 2018 – 14. Mózg Festival, Bydgoszcz, Poland
• October 2018 – Inauguration concert of 3rd National Chamber Music Festival „Dialogi”, Ozorkow, Poland
• September 2018 – 3rd Doctors in Performance, Vilnius, Lithuania
• August 2018 – LUCA School of Arts, Lemmensinstitute, Leuven, Belgium
• July 2018 – 2nd Agora Actual Percussio, Xabia, Spain
• June 2018 – Percussion Seminars 2018, Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, Poland
• December 2017 – Contemporary Artistic Session “Musica Moderna”, Academy of Music in Lodz, Poland
Educational activity:
• May 2019 – Concert for pupils at City Art School at Minsk Mazowiecki, Poland
• April 2019 – Workshop for kids at Design Expo WZORY at Warsaw, Poland
• March 2019 – 3rd International Marimba Meetings by Marimba Festiva, Lodz, Poland
• October 2018 – Lecture with concert for seniors, Piaseczno, Poland
• June 2018 – Percussion Seminar for pupils, students and percussion teachers, Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, Poland
• February 2018 – Workhops for kindergarten and primary school pupils, Warsaw, Poland
• February 2018 – Concert for pupils and teachers of Music School “Missio Musica” in Warsaw, Poland
media
concerts
album
While contemplating our existence, when our beloved come and go, beginning and the end of our
lives there is a moment of inner research on „who am I”? Like Gaugain’s painting „Where do we
come from? What are We? Where are we going?” we want to find the answer and it comes in form
of our „Roots”. The duo’s debut album containing Polish music intended for two marimbas has already found many supporters.
The album includes compositions: arranged for two marimbas andcomposed especially for Dalbergia Duo and dedicated to them:
1. Paweł Michał Korepta – Dalbergia Duo Theme – Seedling (2019)
2. Ignacy Jan Paderewski – Menuet a l’antique op.14 (1887)
3. Marta Ptaszyńska – Scintilla for two marimbas (1984)
4. Artur Zagajewski – Chanson – solide pour 2 marimbas (2019)
5. Radosław Mateja – Loops II for two marimbas (2019)
6. Karol Szymanowski – Mazurka „For music” (1924)
7. Paweł Michał Korepta – Dalbergia Duo Theme – Trembling leaves (2019)
“Dalbergia Duo’s debut marimba-percussion duo album is a worldwide record in every aspect. (…)” Piotr Iwicki
“Roots” is not only an artistic pearl, but also a disc that could boldly aspire to be an audiophile edition. (…) ” Piotr Iwicki
“It’s a ready showcase of our music. Our art, our culture. Oh, on a five-star scale … six stars. ” Piotr Iwicki
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