Lucid Duo

"The music of Lucid Duo has a lot of energy and sensitivity and it will make an impression on the audience. They show great promise for the future." - Keiko Abe, Composer & Marimba soloist; Professor Emeritus of Marimba Department at the Toho Gakuen College of Music, Tokyo

“Lucid duo, has this fantastic and unique combination of very interesting compositions, joined by impressive virtuosity, musicianship and ‘Slavic souls’, that just add to their unique position in the percussive world.” - Nebojša Jovan Živković, Composer & Multipercussion Concert Artist, Professor of Percussion at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna; University Novi Sad, Academy of Arts, Serbia

Irena Manolova and Tomasz Goliński created an unseen chamber music concept with their unique sounding instruments, innovative repertoire and virtuoso skills. Lucid Duo is the first prize winning laureate of the prestigious Universal Marimba Competition 2011 in Belgium under the High Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Paola, praised for their amazing degree of sensitivity to sound. Among others they were also recognized as Prizewinners of the Fidelio Chamber Music Competition 2015 in Vienna and were chosen to perform as one of the top three finalists at the Gala Concert of the Contemporary Music Competition De Linkprijs 2012 in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Their success allows them to perform on international festivals and events in Europe and Asia, such as: The International Percussion Ensemble Week Festival 2012 in Croatia; The Universal Marimba Festival 2013 in Belgium; Vienna Percussion International Symposium “Percussionissimo” 2015 and Prizewinners Gala Concert of the Fidelio Chamber Music Competition 2015 in ORF Radiokulturhaus in Vienna, Austria; Marimba Duo Recital and Masterclass in 2016 at the renowned Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, Japan; International “Schlagwerk Wien!” Symposium 2017 at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, Austria; Marimba Duo Recital and Masterclass during the Festival de Música Contemporánea de Tenerife 2017 in Auditorio de Tenerife, Spain; Celebration of Keiko Abe Festival 2017 - “A Tribute to Marimba Duo” at the BCV Hall in Lausanne, Switzerland etc.

In October 2017, Lucid Duo held their marimba academy and festival “Marimba Duo Days”, followed by the performance of “The Wave Impressions” for two marimbas and orchestra by Keiko Abe and the premiere of Tomasz Goliński’s “Double Marimba Concerto No.2” with Koszalin Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestro Simone Zuccatti in Koszalin, Poland. In 2016 the duo specialized with the primary figure in the development of the 5 octave marimba and Lucid’s biggest inspiration and idol – the Japanese composer and marimba virtuoso - Keiko Abe, at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, Japan with the help of the “Startstipendium” Scholarship given by the Federal Chancellery of Austria.

The ensemble was formed in 2009 by Irena Manolova (Bulgaria) and Tomasz Goliński (Poland) in Antwerp, Belgium. After graduating Europe´s first Marimba Master Degree at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, the duo believes in bringing the instrument to a further development as a solo concert musical instrument. Lucid’s performance is an introduction to the wide spectrum of the marimba virtuosity. Irena and Tomasz want to share their vision about this unique instrument and convince the audience to perceive it as a standard classical instrument. They mainly perform with a technical proficiency and above all passion and excitement a repertoire with selections of Japanese music, own compositions and arrangements in a variety of musical styles. Seeking technical challenges and pushing the limits of the instrument has led Irena and Tomasz to unite two forces as they both have a strong background as soloists. Since Tomasz is one of the leading composers of his generation on the international marimba and percussion scene, the duo premieres many of his new works, such as marimba duo pieces; marimba duo with electronics or double marimba concerts. These new compositions are being performed further by other marimbists around the world. In this unique way, the duo contributes to the marimba repertoire worldwide.

Lucid Duo is currently based in Vienna, Austria and is an Innovative Percussion Endorser.