Irena Manolova
Irena Manolova is a Bulgarian-born marimba and percussion virtuoso who has established herself as a leading artist on the international stage. Renowned for her versatility and dynamic artistry, she seamlessly navigates contemporary music, jazz, and orchestral settings, earning recognition from prestigious ensembles and festivals across Europe.
In 2022, Irena joined Ensemble XXI. Jahrhundert, one of Vienna’s premier contemporary music ensembles, where she has collaborated with distinguished composers such as Dai Fujikura, Pierluigi Billone, Fabian Panisello, Julia Purgina, Gérman Toro Pérez, Peter Eötvös, and Johannes Maria Staud. Her dedication to modern composition and live performance innovation has made her a sought-after performer in both solo and ensemble settings.
She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at renowned festivals, including European Weeks Festival Passau (Germany), Jazzfest Saalfelden, Festival Wellenklänge Lunz am See, Big Band Bang Graz, Most und Jazz Fest Styria, Wien Modern, Vienna International Saxfest, SGEM Vienna – International Scientific Conference on Social Sciences and Arts (Austria), Zurich Saxfest (Switzerland), and Nomus Festival Novi Sad (Serbia), among others.
Her extensive performance experience spans contemporary, chamber, and jazz ensembles, collaborating with leading groups such as the Ralph Mothwurf Jazz Orchestra, Quasars Ensemble, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Kontrapunkte, Neue Oper Wien, Ensemble Reconsil, Peter Lenz’s Large Jazz Ensemble, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, and Netherlands Chamber Orchestra Amsterdam.
Tomasz Goliński
Tomasz Goliński is a highly accomplished Polish composer, marimbist, and percussionist, widely regarded as one of the leading composers of his generation in the international marimba and percussion scene. His works are commissioned worldwide, spanning Austria, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, the USA, Poland, Spain, and Denmark. His versatility is reflected in his diverse output, including solo and chamber music; marimba chamber works with organ, violin, saxophone, and flute; as well as concertos for marimba, percussion, and full orchestra.
Goliński’s work extends beyond the concert stage into the world of film, fashion, and multimedia arts. His piece Utopia Spheres was featured in Linus Leonardsson’s Autumn/Winter collection Let There Be Light at London Fashion Week, while his composition Up in the Air became the soundtrack for Farshido Larimian’s film of the same name, showcased at Vienna’s Theater am Spittelberg. His music has also been part of exhibitions such as Minna Antova’s SKIN#touching NOLE ME TANGERE at Haus Wittgenstein, Vienna, and he has worked alongside Casanova Sorolla and Vienna State Opera choreographer Eno Pecci on Signapura.
Goliński’s major works include Double Percussion Concerto No.1, premiered in 2015 by Tuopali Duo with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, conducted by Eckart Preu at the Festival de Música Contemporánea de Tenerife, Spain. His Marimba Concertino Luminosity, commissioned by Mark Ford and the University of North Texas, received its premiere with the Opole Philharmonic in 2018 and later made its Italian debut 2019 with Filippo Lattanzi and the Orchestra della Fondazione Petruzzelli under Luigi Piovano at Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari. That same year, The Principal Delusion and Double Marimba Concerto No.2 for marimba orchestra were premiered by Lucid Duo, Phonix Marimba Orchestra, and Shiniti Ueno in Tokyo, as well as by Lucid Duo and Filarmónica de Marimbas de la UNICACH in Chiapas, Mexico. In 2023, Goliński’s Concerto for Two Marimbas, Clarinet, and Orchestra was premiered by Lucid Duo, clarinetist Tomasz Klepczyński, and the Koszalin Philharmonic.