Modern NOSPR Quartet - NOSPR

Avant-garde – Tradition – Experiment 

Established in 2013, the ensemble stands as one of the most uncompromising and original formations on the Polish new music scene. The core of the group consists of acclaimed artists: the K2PianoDuo (Agnieszka Kopińska and Piotr Kopiński), an established piano duo performing since 1996 with 12 CD and DVD albums and extensive touring experience across Europe and the USA, and outstanding percussionists from the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR) – Michał Żymełka and Adam Bonk. 

Artistic focus and exploration 

The ensemble dedicates its work to exploring 20th and 21st-century repertoire, focusing primarily on: 

• musical avant-garde and experimental music 

• improvised music and performance art 

• musical and instrumental theatre 

Drawing inspiration from the masterworks of 20th-century classical composers (Béla Bartók, Claude Debussy, Arnold Schönberg), the ensemble creatively reimagines and arranges historical material through a contemporary lens. This approach has led to unique recording projects, including an experimental electroacoustic album inspired by Bartók, as well as a monographic release featuring their proprietary arrangements of Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka and The Rite of Spring for two pianos and percussion, produced to celebrate the centenary of the masterpiece’s revolutionary premiere. 

Premieres and collaborations 

The musicians are highly regarded as interpreters and advocates of contemporary music, having performed the Polish premieres of works by world-renowned composers such as Steve Reich, Julius Eastman, Nick Cave, George Crumb, Piotr Moss and Krzysztof Gawlas. Polish avant-garde music holds a special place in their repertoire, with the group’s current concert and recording plans focusing mainly on the works of Bogusław Schaeffer and Ryszard Gabryś. 

The ensemble’s interdisciplinary nature is further reflected in its ongoing dialogue with the theatrical world. The formation successfully implements projects at the intersection of music and drama, collaborating with prominent theatre directors and figures, including Mirosław Neinert and Robert Talarczyk. 

SHORT BIO 

For concert programmes and social media 

Formed in 2013, the ensemble is a unique artistic project combining the renowned K2PianoDuo (Agnieszka Kopińska, Piotr Kopiński) and percussionists from the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR; Michał Żymełka, Adam Bonk). The formation focuses on 20th and 21st-century music, blending avant-garde, experimentation, and musical theatre. They have performed Polish premieres of works by Steve Reich, Julius Eastman and George Crumb, alongside acclaimed proprietary interpretations of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Bela Bartók’s repertoire. The ensemble regularly collaborates with major theatre practitioners (Mirosław Neinert, Robert Talarczyk) and is currently preparing upcoming projects dedicated to the music of Bogusław Schaeffer and Ryszard Gabryś.