When Crises Arise, Pianists Carry On
Radoslawa Jasik & Andrea Domenici
April 13, 2020
Hi Andrea & Radoslawa,
Could you tell us more about your artistic identity and how did you start working together?
We are two pianists. Radoslawa (artistic pseudonym: Radosia) artistic life is rooted in classical music and Andrea’s is rooted in jazz. We met five years ago at school where we were studying music. We became life partners before thinking of becoming a duet in a professional realm. The idea of creating something together did not come soon after we started dating. It took years before we decided to play our first concert together. In those years, we were growing as two separate artists, but we were present in each other’s lives, observing, listening and supporting one another.
At some point, we realized that jazz and classical musicians do not cooperate enough and the two fields are separated by a thick wall. We decided to break that wall and that’s when we came with the idea of putting on a concert together since we strongly believed there is more in common between classical and jazz than people think.
Our first concert was quite successful and that experience showed us that we should explore more collaborative projects and continue with the idea of playing as a duet.
You have different concentrations, but you are both profoundly passionate about the piano repertoire. What’s the story behind your individual choices and what makes your collaboration so interesting and special?
Could you tell us more about your artistic identity and how did you start working together?
We are two pianists. Radoslawa (artistic pseudonym: Radosia) artistic life is rooted in classical music and Andrea’s is rooted in jazz. We met five years ago at school where we were studying music. We became life partners before thinking of becoming a duet in a professional realm. The idea of creating something together did not come soon after we started dating. It took years before we decided to play our first concert together. In those years, we were growing as two separate artists, but we were present in each other’s lives, observing, listening and supporting one another.
At some point, we realized that jazz and classical musicians do not cooperate enough and the two fields are separated by a thick wall. We decided to break that wall and that’s when we came with the idea of putting on a concert together since we strongly believed there is more in common between classical and jazz than people think.
Our first concert was quite successful and that experience showed us that we should explore more collaborative projects and continue with the idea of playing as a duet.
You have different concentrations, but you are both profoundly passionate about the piano repertoire. What’s the story behind your individual choices and what makes your collaboration so interesting and special?
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Radosia: As I mentioned above, I am a classical pianist. My story starts back when I was six years old, growing up in my home country - Poland. Although my parents love music, they did not have any intentions of sending me to music school. However, a group of musicians who had come to my kindergarten to check our artistic/hearing abilities, recommended that I go to music school. After giving it some thought, my parents decided to let me take an entrance exam to a music school. I passed and got in. My parents chose piano as my main instrument for the simple fact that we had an upright piano at our apartment and my grandma had a baby grand piano at her house, which would allow me to practice wherever I was. This is how my musical adventure began. I was not a child prodigy.
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Photo credit: courtesy of the artist |
My parents were happy to give me the chance to learn how to play an instrument but nobody expected me to become a professional musician. I was very lucky to have wonderful teachers who provided me with their great knowledge as musicians and humans. I believe that my teachers’ guidance and my parents’ incredible support had a great impact on how my path shaped. By the end of primary school (after six years of education) I could not imagine not continuing my musical education. I realized that music was my real passion which led me to consider it as my profession.
Photo credit: courtesy of the artist |
Andrea: I got the love for music from my father who has always been a serious jazz lover. He has never pushed me to perform or become a professional musician, but music was always present in my house. I have loved music since I was little. At the age of nine I started to take piano lessons but unfortunately a bad piano teacher made me dislike piano for a short time. I decided to play drums for about five years. After that period, my love for piano returned. I met a great jazz pianist who became my teacher and I started to study intensively then. At the age of 19, I moved to New York where I continued my music education.
We believe that because we are so different in terms of our personalities and musical approaches our collaboration is very special and interesting. |
Your music performance at the New York Encounter event this past February was electrifying. It was a showcase of how we can all Cross the Divide and make the best of our experiences when focused on what connects us. What was your approach to that specific event and how does your music connect the world?
It was actually very familiar topic for both of us. As we mentioned before there is a huge separation between jazz and classical musicians. Even if the subject of their interest is basically the same, their approach, process and perspectives of looking at things are so different that there is a huge disconnection. So, our take on the topic was to show through the musical journey that we can cross the divide step by step coming towards each other.
We can break the walls by finding common points. It is our understanding that music is the tool for us musicians to express our beliefs, opinions, emotions and feelings. We connect to other people that way. Also, in this case, we wanted to use our tool, our ability to present the topic of Crossing the Divide in a very alive way through the notes we played and little stories we shared in between.
Knowing that you’ve performed around the world, can you tell us what are your favorite venues? How about in New York, where do you love performing and where do you enjoy going on your nights off?
Radosia: Although I have been performing in many countries, different continents there is still a long list of the venues I wish to perform at. I think the biggest privilege I have had in my life was to perform multiple times at Carnegie Hall. I also had a great pleasure performing a few times at the Steinway Hall. Although the space resembles a chamber room, it has a wonderful atmosphere and of course, great instruments. One of my favorite performance venues I have performed at in New York is the Polish Consulate. Besides the sentimental aspect of it, the architecture and decoration of the building is marvelous. The acoustics and wonderful instrument helped make it an even more memorable experience. I have also performed in some summer music festivals in Italy. This country with its culture and history is breathtaking and to perform indoor and outdoor concerts, being surrounded by that beauty was an unbelievable experience.
Andrea: The place where I love performing the most is Mezzrow Jazz Club in New York. It feels like home for me. I was also honored to perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center several times sharing the stage with great musicians. Moreover, I had the opportunity to perform at the Cancun Jazz Festival and Bern Jazz Festival where I have really enjoyed the atmosphere.
When we have nights off, we often go to listen to music; either in the great jazz clubs in the city or classical venues. We also enjoy good food and explore some restaurants in the city. We have a few favorites.
What kind of challenges do you face as professional musicians in the Big Apple? What are some of the best perks?
A huge number of musicians coming to the city is a good chance for us to start new friendships and collaborations. But at the same time, it can become a challenge since the environment is highly competitive. On one hand, the city is full of opportunities, on the other it can be difficult to make things work. So, the same aspects that can be the best perks of the place paradoxically might become obstacles at the same time.
It is truly important however to be proactive in a place like New York. We try to find as many doors as possible and hope some will open. What’s good is that New York can be truly inspiring for emerging artists.
What's your take on our campaign #WhatMatters at present?
We think this campaign is very interesting especially now in this difficult time for all. We think this new reality makes people think, wonder, open their eyes and maybe notice things they would have not noticed in everyday life. So, the time in the present history makes this campaign very urgent and people need to realize what is important to them in this moment.
How do you characterize 2020 so far? What’s in store for you in the coming weeks and months?
2020 has been a big challenge so far. It started well. We got to play at the New York Encounter (you can watch our performance here) and we had some other promising projects coming up until the life stopped. At the moment of the Coronavirus Pandemic exploded, the artistic life of most musicians literally paused. We are unable to do what we would usually do. All of a sudden, we all are locked in our houses with no possibility to rehearse and perform. People say that we can always turn something bad into something good. Hopefully, that is what is in store for us in the coming weeks and months. We can use this time to practice every day and become better musicians. We are lucky to be in the same apartment so we are working on some repertoire together which we hope to record soon and promote online. We have been asked by a group of friends to give a Zoom Concert. This is going to be challenging but we are planning on taking this task seriously. We will do our best to make it happen.
And here comes another aspect of how music connects to the world. In times of natural disasters, people are frightened and depressed. Music with its healing powers can help. We need to make sure to provide people with this little soul medicine to share with the world. We cannot do much more than that but if we can do something good for others, we will not hesitate to do it. This extraordinary situation has made us change our life habits. We have learnt to live day by day because it is hard to know how the situation will turn out to be tomorrow. We are focused what we can do now, these days and then we will see..
Thank you and stay safe!
It was actually very familiar topic for both of us. As we mentioned before there is a huge separation between jazz and classical musicians. Even if the subject of their interest is basically the same, their approach, process and perspectives of looking at things are so different that there is a huge disconnection. So, our take on the topic was to show through the musical journey that we can cross the divide step by step coming towards each other.
We can break the walls by finding common points. It is our understanding that music is the tool for us musicians to express our beliefs, opinions, emotions and feelings. We connect to other people that way. Also, in this case, we wanted to use our tool, our ability to present the topic of Crossing the Divide in a very alive way through the notes we played and little stories we shared in between.
Knowing that you’ve performed around the world, can you tell us what are your favorite venues? How about in New York, where do you love performing and where do you enjoy going on your nights off?
Radosia: Although I have been performing in many countries, different continents there is still a long list of the venues I wish to perform at. I think the biggest privilege I have had in my life was to perform multiple times at Carnegie Hall. I also had a great pleasure performing a few times at the Steinway Hall. Although the space resembles a chamber room, it has a wonderful atmosphere and of course, great instruments. One of my favorite performance venues I have performed at in New York is the Polish Consulate. Besides the sentimental aspect of it, the architecture and decoration of the building is marvelous. The acoustics and wonderful instrument helped make it an even more memorable experience. I have also performed in some summer music festivals in Italy. This country with its culture and history is breathtaking and to perform indoor and outdoor concerts, being surrounded by that beauty was an unbelievable experience.
Andrea: The place where I love performing the most is Mezzrow Jazz Club in New York. It feels like home for me. I was also honored to perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center several times sharing the stage with great musicians. Moreover, I had the opportunity to perform at the Cancun Jazz Festival and Bern Jazz Festival where I have really enjoyed the atmosphere.
When we have nights off, we often go to listen to music; either in the great jazz clubs in the city or classical venues. We also enjoy good food and explore some restaurants in the city. We have a few favorites.
What kind of challenges do you face as professional musicians in the Big Apple? What are some of the best perks?
A huge number of musicians coming to the city is a good chance for us to start new friendships and collaborations. But at the same time, it can become a challenge since the environment is highly competitive. On one hand, the city is full of opportunities, on the other it can be difficult to make things work. So, the same aspects that can be the best perks of the place paradoxically might become obstacles at the same time.
It is truly important however to be proactive in a place like New York. We try to find as many doors as possible and hope some will open. What’s good is that New York can be truly inspiring for emerging artists.
What's your take on our campaign #WhatMatters at present?
We think this campaign is very interesting especially now in this difficult time for all. We think this new reality makes people think, wonder, open their eyes and maybe notice things they would have not noticed in everyday life. So, the time in the present history makes this campaign very urgent and people need to realize what is important to them in this moment.
How do you characterize 2020 so far? What’s in store for you in the coming weeks and months?
2020 has been a big challenge so far. It started well. We got to play at the New York Encounter (you can watch our performance here) and we had some other promising projects coming up until the life stopped. At the moment of the Coronavirus Pandemic exploded, the artistic life of most musicians literally paused. We are unable to do what we would usually do. All of a sudden, we all are locked in our houses with no possibility to rehearse and perform. People say that we can always turn something bad into something good. Hopefully, that is what is in store for us in the coming weeks and months. We can use this time to practice every day and become better musicians. We are lucky to be in the same apartment so we are working on some repertoire together which we hope to record soon and promote online. We have been asked by a group of friends to give a Zoom Concert. This is going to be challenging but we are planning on taking this task seriously. We will do our best to make it happen.
And here comes another aspect of how music connects to the world. In times of natural disasters, people are frightened and depressed. Music with its healing powers can help. We need to make sure to provide people with this little soul medicine to share with the world. We cannot do much more than that but if we can do something good for others, we will not hesitate to do it. This extraordinary situation has made us change our life habits. We have learnt to live day by day because it is hard to know how the situation will turn out to be tomorrow. We are focused what we can do now, these days and then we will see..
Thank you and stay safe!