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- cello player from Poland. Got master degree on Academy of Music in Katowice. Michal was a first cellist in several chamber, symphonic and oper orchestras.
In 1998 founded Altra Volta string quartet which succesfuly concerting around the world. Michal performed in such countries as: Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Lithuania, Bialorus, Sri Lanka, India, Czech Republic, Thailand, Egypt, Brasil, USA, Canada, China.
Mike was recording for Polish Radio, TV Mezzo, Polish TV, Vatican Radio, Daniel Hertz (Mark Levinson's company www.danielhertz.com )
Michal Lech cooperate with Mark Levinson, Lorelei and Durga Mc Broom, Stanisław Soyka and meny others.
The Altra Volta Quartet was founded in 1998 by the students of the Academy of Music in Katowice. Having graduated from their Alma Mater and having acquired some experience and enriched their repertoire, the ensemble embarked upon the concert path. Altra Volta have traversed three continents following their musical trail: Europe (Germany, France, Italy, the Vatican, Switzerland, Turkey, Lithuania, Slovakia, Belarus and the Netherlands), Africa (Egypt) and Asia (India, Sri Lanka).
The quartet’s most valuable concert experience definitely includes their participation in the following festivals: “Szalone Dni Muzyki” (Crazy Days of Music) and “Ogrody Muzyczne Chopina” (Chopin’s Musical Gardens) held in Warsaw (as part of the Chopin Year celebrations), the International Festival “La Nuit de la Voix” in Paris, as well as a series of concerts held in India and Sri Lanka. Constituting a truly unique adventure for the ensemble was their performance on the set of the award-winning film “Z odzysku”, directed by Sławomir Fabicki. The quartet can also pride itself on its radio and television trecordings for Mezzo television, the French Radio Classique, Polish Radio, RMF Classic and Vatican Radio.
As part of the Chopin Year celebrations, and along with “Camerata Silesia”, the Katowice City Singers’ Ensemble (Zespół Śpiewaków Miasta Katowice), the quartet premiered a piece by Régis Campo, “Sept Humoresques”. This work was performed at Teatr Wielki (Grand Theatre) – the Polish National Opera, in the courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, and at the Opera Comique in Paris.
The quartet’s repertoire encompasses classical compositions (including transcripts and accompaniments), works from the circle of popular and jazz music, as well as film and musical soundtracks. The ensemble is also successful in implementing its own original music projects. On the artistic field Altra Volta collaborates with the renowned polish and foreign musicians, among others with Stanisław Soyka, Durga and Lorelei McBroom (backing vocals for Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Rod Steward), Camerata Silesia - The Katowice City Singers' Ensemble, Daddy`s Cash, Krzysztof Antkowiak, Krzysztof Cugowski, Natalia Niemen.
In 2013 Altra Volta established cooperation with the Piotr Kler Foundation. Together with the Foundation`s scholars they released live and studio recordings of famous piano concertos in chamber versions. The compositions included F. Chopin`s 1st and 2nd Piano Concerto, E. Grieg`s Piano Concerto in A minor, the 20th , 21st , 23rd , 24th Piano Concertos by W. A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven`s 1st Piano Concerto in C major, and J. S. Bach`s Harpsichord Concerto D minor BWV 1052 in piano transcription.
The recordings took place in the Opole Philharmonic, National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Katowice Radio and the prestigious Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio. One of the last recordings were recorded together with excellent young pianist – Łukasz Byrdy.