Karolina Mikołajczyk and Iwo Jedynecki have developed a unique approach to classical music. Their duo pairs two instruments not often found sharing the stage: the violin and the classical accordion. On Friday, March 27 Beckwith Recital Hall hosted the musical duo for a night of lively and creative instrumentation.
Their performance wove between well-known classical masterpieces and recently rediscovered works. The playful collaboration between these musicians was made apparent through each piece, and together they developed an enchantingly energetic atmosphere.
The violin and classical accordion pairing allow for an “almost infinite” range of sound possibilities that Mikołajczyk and Jedynecki take full advantage of. Pulling from baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century masterpieces, they build programming with their own transcriptions of the music.
“We felt it would be a waste to settle for just one era!” Jedynecki said.
In between pieces, Jedynecki paused to share stories about the music with the audience. He does this during their performances to make the pieces more accessible to audiences that may not have a background in classical music. For some pieces, he delved into the history of where the original musician came from, while in others he shared a poem or story intended to enhance the listening experience. At one-point Jedynecki gave the audience a look behind the curtain, pulling parts of his accordion off to demonstrate the inner workings of the instrument.
Iwo and Karolina were invited to UNCW as part of the Kenan Presents series 25–26 season. As part of the series, Mikołajczyk and Jedynecki weren’t just performing; they were also leading lessons with UNCW students.
On the morning of their performance, Mikołajczyk and Jedynecki held a series of individual open lessons with student instrumentalists. They worked with these students to develop and polish their repertoire, giving advice on ways students could make practicing more efficient and more fun.
Jedynecki stressed the importance of education in classical performance. “In our opinion, what makes a good classical musician is not only natural talent… the thing that could take your interpretations to a different level is knowledge and awareness of what you’re actually playing.”
The duo hoped to leave students with some valuable advice about developing their own art: “Be true to yourself and work daily,” Jedynecki shared. “Do what you love, but also don’t close yourself to what the audience may find interesting.”
According to Jedynecki, the balance of pulling inspiration from within, while also opening yourself to outside influences, often leads to the best outcomes.
This balance of inspiration and audience guidance was certainly influential for Mikołajczyk and Jedynecki’s own approach. The couple met at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland, where they were both students. After dating for two years, Iwo and Karolina began playing music together. Jedynecki playfully joked about this order of events and said, “It would usually be the other way round with classical musicians!” Now married, the duo gets the chance to travel across the world performing together.
Their unique approach to classical music has clearly captured audiences’ attention. Their debut performance at the Warsaw Philharmonic sold out, and their subsequent performances have been hosted in many prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York City.
For those who didn’t get a chance to see the duo live, you can still hear their work online.
Kenan Auditorium Presents has one final performance as part of their 25–26 season. As the end of the semester rapidly approaches, students still have the chance to attend the Wilmington Dance Festival on April 18.
