Musicians

Arte dei Suonatori

The most recognizable Polish ensemble on the international music scene performing the music of past eras in a historically informed manner formed by violinists Ewa and Arek Golinski. After years of joint and individual experience, the musicians’ artistic search focuses on a constant exploration of the core of the musical language of composers of past eras, which, combined with historical instruments, has led to the creation of a style that is both historical, modern and thoroughly individual. The vast repertoire of this ensemble exceeds 700 compositions, representing a wide-range of styles and forms from the 17th and 18th century as well as the contemporary era.

Over 30 years in operation Arte dei Suonatori have recorded and released 18 albums produced by renowned record companies (including BIS Records, Alpha, Channel Classics), distinguished by international music critics with awards such as Gramophone Award (Recording of the Year: Concerto in 2003 for Vivaldi’s Violin Concerti “La Stravaganza”) amongst many others.

Carsten Dahl

Carsten Dahl embarked on his professional music career in 1982, marking the beginning of a journey characterized by versatility and innovation. Notably, he joined tenor saxophonist Thomas Agergaard’s quartet in 1991, followed by becoming a member of drummer Ed Thigpen’s Rhythm Features band in 1998. Alongside his performance career, Dahl contributed significantly to music education, leading the rhythmic department at the Rhythmic Conservatory in Esbjerg, from 1992 to 1996, and later teaching at Det Rytmiske Musikkonservatorium for two years, with a subsequent return for five years from 2011. Despite his profound expertise, Dahl’s departure from teaching at the Danish Rhythmic Conservatory in 2015 stemmed from philosophical differences concerning the essence of art.

Dahl’s impact extends beyond the realm of music; he is also an accomplished painter, with a diverse portfolio ranging from classical inspirations in a contemporary context to intricate abstract compositions. As of 2022, Dahl’s discography boasts an impressive repertoire of approximately 300 albums, reflecting his enduring influence and multifaceted artistic expression.

Aureliusz Goliński

The co-founder of the Arte dei Suonatori formation, along with his wife Ewa, studied Academy of Music in Poznań. In 1998, along with a group of musicians and musicologists gathered around the ensemble, he initiated a series of regular concerts featuring outstanding artists from around the world, titled Early Music – Persona Grata. Since then, the orchestra has become the initiator and host of six early music festivals in Poland and a festival in Copenhagen. As a concertmaster, soloist, and chamber musician, he has numerous concerts to his credit accompanied by Arte dei Suonatori; these projects, encompassing both orchestral and chamber works, have been presented throughout Europe and the United States. 

He is also passionately involved in pedagogical activities, leading a class for baroque violin and chamber music at the Royal Danish Academy of Music; as a lecturer, he is also invited to participate in courses and workshops dedicated to early music topics (Poland, Beijing, Tallinn). 

Poul Høxbro

Poul Høxbro is a true pioneer in the field of music. He was also chosen as one of 9 flautists from all around the world to take part in the “Magical Flutes” project at Germany’s biggest Folk and World Music Festival in Rudolstadt. He has been called ”the great man of small instruments” and it is true that he is quite unique in the way he has taken the medieval instrument of pipe-&-tabor out of the shadows and into the full glare of concert platforms all over  the world. Furthermore he masters instruments as xun, low whistle and traditional Scandinavian willow flute and valdhorn. Always trying to push the instruments to their limits and to renew their repertoire.

Poul Høxbro has created and led several projects with the Danish baroque orchestra, Concerto Copenhagen, and occasionally guest teaches at Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. He was music consultant for Robert Eggers movie, The Northman (Universal Pictures, 2022) and played all the flute and horn parts for the sound track.  Besides his music, Poul Høxbro is a much sought-after storyteller. He has received outstanding reviews for his dramatic and utterly magic way of drawing an audience into the world of myth and legend – be it in Danish, Swedish, German or English.

Reiko Ichise

Tokyo​ ​born​ ​viola​ ​da​ ​gamba​ ​player​ ​Reiko​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​sought​ ​after​ ​musicians​ ​in​ ​the​ ​UK. After reading musicology, Reiko left Japan to the UK to pursue her study of viola da gamba at the Royal College of Music. Reiko’s​ ​passion​ ​for​ ​chamber​ ​music​ ​led​ ​her​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​several​ ​prestigious​ ​ensembles such​ ​as​ ​Florilegium,​ ​Passacaglia,​ ​The​ ​King’s​ ​Consort,​ ​Bach​ ​Players​ ​and​ the Elephant House Quartet. Reiko has​ ​made​ ​​numerous critically​ ​acclaimed​ ​cd​ ​recordings​ ​and​ ​radio​ ​broadcasts.​ ​From​ ​2009​ ​for​ ​8​ ​years​ ​Reiko​ ​was​ ​a member​ ​of​ ​award-​ ​winning​ ​viol consort ​Fretwork​ ​with​ ​whom​ ​she​ ​had​ ​a​ ​privilege​ ​in​ ​performing​ ​both old​ ​and​ ​new music. ​

As​ ​a​ ​soloist,​ ​she​ ​is in great demand, regularly​ ​performing with​ ​many​ ​leading orchestras​ ​including​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Ancient​ ​Music,​ ​English​ ​Baroque​ ​Soloists,​ ​Gabrieli​ ​Consort, Arte​ ​dei​ ​Suonatori,​ ​Britten​ ​Sinfonia,​ ​Halle​ ​Orchestra,​ ​appearing​ ​in​ ​many​ ​international​ ​festivals and series. ​Reiko​ ​is​ a ​viola​ ​da​ ​gamba​ ​professor​ ​at the Royal College of Music and lives in London.

Anna Krzyżak

Anna Krzyżak-Siarkowska is a young Polish violist focusing on performing modern and early music. She is a graduate of music academies in Berlin (DE), Warsaw (PL) and Katowice (PL). In the years 2016 – 2018 she was a member of the prestigious youth orchestra – the LGT Young Soloists, with which she appeared as a soloist in Asia and Europe. The „Nordic Dream” CD that Anna recorded with this orchestra was nominated in the OPUS Classic contest. She took part in masterclasses guided by Pinchas Zukerman, Yuri Bashmet, Wolfgang Klos, Maxim Rysanov, Pierre Henri-Xuereb, Chiara Banchini, Bernhard Forck and many more. Anna is a prize winner of international viola competitions, in 2016 she was among 12 young musicians to compete in the national stage of the Eurovision contest. She has been granted scholarships by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture and the National Cultural Centre. She regularly performs as a soloists and a chamber musician in Europe. Anna is a member of the Arte dei Suonatori ensemble, the Theresia Orchestra and the Polish Soloists String Orchestra.

Bolette Roed

Bolette Roed graduated from the advanced solo performance class of the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. Soon after her debut, Bolette was appointed Artist-in-Residence of the Danish National Radio and in 2011 she was nominated for the Nordic Council’s Music Prize. Furthermore she received the Grand Prize of Jacob Gade Foundation in 2003 and the highly esteemed “The Danish Music Critics Prize 2014”. And she was elected for The Danish State Art Council’s “Young Elite” program.
Bolette is an all-embracing musician, working not only with the classical repertoire for recorder, but also with improvisation, folk and world music. Her repertoire ranges from medieval through renaissance and baroque to contemporary music and she has world premiered a large number of works. As part of her innate curiosity Bolette is constantly striving to expand the musical playground of the recorder.
Since 2004, Bolette has toured as a soloist with Arte dei Suonatori, Concerto Copenhagen, the Danish National Chamber Orchestra, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Holland Baroque and the Royal Danish Orchestra.
Besides persuing her solo career, Bolette often performs in smaller or larger chamber music settings – including her own ensembles Alpha, Concert Pastoral and Elephant House Quartet.
She has released a large number of CD’s – most recently as the first ever Brüggens complete arrangements for recorder of selected J. S. Bach solo repertoire from the solo cello suites and violin partitas and sonatas. Of future releases can be mentioned “Telemanns Garden” on Pentatone with Elephant House Quartet, to be released in the fall of 2019.

Copenhagen Baroque Festival Talent Academy

In 2024, the talent academy consists of Anna Johansson (baroque cello), Julius Vilfred Hartung (harpsichord), and Nanna Treu (baroque violin). The talent academy was established in 2023 out of a desire to support the pipeline of musicians passionate about specializing in early music. As part of the talent academy, young music students or recent graduates will have the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with international baroque specialists, which are a part of the Copenhagen Baroque Festival. Participants can perform with the festival orchestra, Arte dei Suonatori, during the festival, attend all rehearsals and concerts, give their own performances at the festival, furthering their burgeoning musical careers.

Clara Cecilie Thomsen

Soprano Clara Cecilie Thomsen is a graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Music and the Opera Academy. She made her debut at the Royal Theater in 2017 as Barbarina in “The Marriage of Figaro” and has since performed roles such as the Countess in “The Marriage of Figaro,” Donna Anna in “Don Giovanni,” and Pamina in “The Magic Flute.” In 2019, she appeared in Kasper Holten’s production of “Amadeus” and in Christian Lollike’s experimental production of “Don Juan.” In 2020, she made her debut at the Jutland Opera in Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio.”

Clara Cecilie Thomsen has performed with orchestras such as the Royal Danish Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, and Copenhagen Philharmonic, and has appeared in major venues across Europe, including the Musikverein in Vienna with the Tonkünstler Orchestra. Additionally, she has performed as a soloist in cantatas and passions, including Handel’s “Messiah,” Bach’s “St. John Passion” and “St. Matthew Passion,” and Mozart’s “Requiem.” She has received awards such as the Copenhagen Opera Festival’s Talent of the Year, the Leonié Sonning Talent Prize, and the Critics’ Talent Prize.

Marcin Świątkiewicz

Marcin Świątkiewicz is one of the leading Polish harpsichordists, known for his inventive realizations of basso continuo. As a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra leader, Świątkiewicz performs worldwide with ensembles such as Brecon Baroque, Arte dei Suonatori, Divino Sospiro, Capella Cracoviensis, {OH!} Orkiestra Historyczna, and The Scroll Ensemble. In 2015, Marcin released his album featuring J.G. Müthel’s five harpsichord concertos with Arte dei Suonatori—an album we highly recommend listening to! Marcin graduated from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where he studied both harpsichord and composition. He holds a Ph.D. from the Music Academy in Katowice, where he is currently a faculty member.