Mateusz Kowalski - J. S. Bach, Schubert, Piazzolla & Others: Works for Solo Guitar (2019) [Hi-Res]

Mateusz Kowalski was born in Koszalin in 1995. He started learning to play the guitar at the age of 7 and for the next 12 years, he learned under the supervision of Dariusz Schmidt in the Grazyna Bacewicz State Music School Complex in Koszalin. Then he graduated from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw after studies with Ryszard Balauszko. As a teenager, Mateusz Kowalski was spotted and recognized as one of the most interesting guitarists of the young generation. He is the winner of many international guitar competitions — his most important achievements include winning the first prizes in Antony (France) and Rust (Austria). At the 2018/2019 music season, he participated in a prestigious programme for guitarists called EuroStrings. Apart from numerous concerts in Poland, he has given concerts in Slovakia, Hungary, France, Italy, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Spain, Germany, South Africa, Belgium, England, Sweden, and Austria (including the famous Vienna Musikverein concert hall). As a distinguished graduate, he received an invitation from the Rector of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music to participate in the concert of the graduates at the Warsaw Philharmonic — he performed Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (June 2019). Mateusz Kowalski is a scholarship holder of the Marshal of the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship, the Mayor of Koszalin, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and the Polish Children’s Fund. “Youthful energy and virtuosity, beautiful concert programme, noble sounds.” (Ryszard Balauszko) “Mateusz Kowalski executes his interpretations with great artlessness, nobility of the sound and beautiful phrasing, showing vast variety of moods, emotions, dynamics. He deals with technical challenges with ease, characterized by brilliant virtuosity.” (Marcin Zalewski) “Thanks to understanding the role of harmony and articulation in interpreting a musical composition, the Artist creates natural-sounding musical statement. Due to being able to easily use all the possibilities of the instrument and successfully recognizing its idiomatic features, he transfers the expression to the listener with specific, skillfully selected techniques, with sense of good taste. He operates the time and dynamics in a fantastic way - from rich-sounding forte to beautiful subtle piano and pianissimo.” (Agata Sapiecha)