Atom String Quartet is one the most interesting string quartets in the entire world. It also happens to be one of the best Polish jazz bands. This group has all the qualities of a string quartet, including: The group combines the capabilities of a string quartet (i.e., two violins and viola) with improvisation in its broadest sense. A chamber music ensemble’s set of instruments, which are most traditional and well-established in music tradition, allows the musicians to explore new sounds and formal achievements. The group’s music style is hard to describe. The group’s music output is influenced by jazz and Polish folk music, as well as music from other parts of the globe. It also incorporates contemporary and classical music. The quartet was founded in Warsaw by Dawid Lubowicz, Mateusz Smoczynski and the cellist Krzysztof Lenczowski. All of them are graduates of Warsaw Frederic Chopin University of Music. The band has been performing at the most prestigious music festivals around the globe since 2011, when they won the Grand Prix of the 13th Bielska Zadymka Jazz Festival. Atom String Quartet was also the only Polish band to play at the European Jazz Fair jazzahead! Bremen (2015). The group recorded four original albums: “Fade In”, which won the Polish music award “Fryderyk”, “Places”, (2012), which won “Fryderyk,” for Album of the year – Jazz (2012), and “AtomSPHERE”, which earned “Fryderyk”, for Jazz Album of the year (2015). Kayax released all records. The band’s fourth album, which featured compositions by Zbigniew Szeifert (a Polish jazz violinist) and interpretations from the members of the quartet, was released in 2017. Zbigniew Seifert Foundation published the album. The album was also released this year on two other CDs, in which the quartet participated: a mutual recording of Zakopower, Atom String Quartet, and “Made in Poland”, which were recorded with Leopoldinum Orchestra. It features compositions by Karol Szymanowski and Grazyna Bachewicz, Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki, and Krzysztof Lenczowski (“Ilawa”, “Namyslowiak”, “Ballad on Janosik”), “Ballad on Janosik”), “Ballad on Janosik”), “Ball on the Death of Janosik”), “Ballad on Janosik”) and Dawid Lubowicz” (“Ballad on Janosik”) and “Ballad on Janosik”) and “Ballad on the Birth of Janosik, Ballad on the Death of Janosik”) There are also significant albums of live concerts with special projects in the discography, such as “Live in Berlin Philharmonic III”, Grzech Piotrowski World Orchestra “Live in Gdansk”, String Big Band (“Live In Trojka”) and “Made to Poland” by Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki. : Leszek Mzdzer and Friends “Live In Berlin Philharmonic III”, Grzech PiotrowskiWorld Orchestra “Live In Gdansk”, String Big Band” “Live at Trojka”, Dorota Mikiewicz (“Piano.pl”) Atom String Quartet musicians are regularly invited to recording sessions with other artists, e.g. Zakopower (“Drugie pol”) and Kayah (“Transoriental Orchestra”), Natalia Kukulska (“Osmy plan”), Cezariusz Gadzina („Atom Accordion Quintet”)), Grazyna Augustuscik (“Inspired By Lutoslawski”), Tomasz Wendt (“Behind the Strings”). Two recordings of the band were released in 2017. One is a joint Zakopower/Atom String Quartet project, the other is “Made in Poland”, recorded with Leopoldinum Orchestra. It contains works by Karol Szymanowski and Grazyna Bachewicz and Krzysztof Lenczowski’s “Ilawa” (and “Namyslowiak”), as well as Dawid Lubowicz’s “Balla smierci Janosika”, “Balladada si Janosik”), ” (“Ballad at the Death of Janosik”), ” Atom String Quartet was awarded many awards. “Grand Prix of Music Lovers Society”, in the category New Hope of Music Lovers (2010), Band of the Year (2016), and “Gold Fiddle” at the 15th Polish Radio Folk Festival New Tradition (2012). “Mateusz Trjki” (2015) is in the category Jazz Music-Event. The musicians of Atom String Quartet have been gaining high ranks in “Jazz Top”, a survey published by “Jazz Forum”, including many times being the first in the category Acoustic Band. The quartet cooperated with such artists as: Branford Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Gil Goldstein, Vladislav “Adzik” Sendecki, Mino Cinelu, Paolo Fresu, Leszek Mozdzer, Lars Danielsson, Zohar Fresco, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Andre Ochodlo, Urszula Dudziak, Anna Maria Jopek, Marek Mos, Natalia Kukulska, Kayah, Aga Zaryan, Janusz Olejniczak, Krzesimir Debski, Adam Sztaba, Grzech Piotrowski, Krzysztof Herdzin, Andrzej Smolik, and bands, i.e. : AUKSO Tychy Chamber Orchestra, Leopoldinum Orchestra, Elblag Chamber Orchestra, Grzech Piotrowski World Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, Sebastian Karpiel- Bulecka Highlanders Band. from www.atomstringquartet.com
