About Us
Nadja Stiegler and Maria Kasznia met first at a masterclass for cellists in Hungary. Soon they developed a deep friendship, having much in common personally and sharing their joy of playing music together, with special enthusiasm for chamber music. On the occasion of their very first project, a memorial concert for the jewish victims of the Holocaust (organized in October 2018 in Zbąszyń, Poland), they founded DuoArte.
The Austrian Cellist Nadja Stiegler completed her bachelor studies with
professor Rudolf Leopold, graduating with honors at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Graz, and continues her Diploma Studies at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with professor Stefan Kropfitsch. There she also studies Contemporary Music. She participated successfully numerous Austrian and International Competitions, and holds scholarships of the ‘Anny-Felbermayer-Fonds‘ (Vienna), of the ‘Sylff-Association’ (Tokyo Foundation) and of the ‘Fondation Josef und Harrietta Krips’ (Martigny/Switzerland). In May 2022 she won the audition for principal cello in the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and will take up her position in September 2022.
The Polish-Austrian pianist Maria Kasznia studied piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, at the Hochschule for Music Hanns Eislerin Berlin, at the Felix Nowowiejski Music Academy in Bydgoszcz, at the Accademia di Musica in Pinerolo and the Accademia Europea di Musica e Arti dello Spettacolo in Naples, and participated in numerous masterclasses with renowned pianists. As soloist and chamber musician she engages in numerous concert activities in Austria as well as abroad and is a laureate of several competitions. Regularly she is piano accompanist at international masterclasses and competitions in Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary.
The DuoArte has a special focus on including less known compositions in their concert programs besides the standard repertoire. The Duo regularly gives concerts in Austria and abroad. In 2021 they played at festive ceremonies of both the ‘Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)’ at the ‘Wiener Musikverein’ and at the Human Rights Congress’ at the ‚Musikverein Graz‘.
The Duo successfully took part in competitions:
’21st Euterpe International Music Competition’, Corato (Italy) 2019, 1st prize (premio assoluto)
‘XII Filadelfia International Music Competition and Festival’, Filadelfia (Italy) 2021, 2nd prize
’28. Internationaler Johannes Brahms Wettbewerb’, Pörtschach (Austria) 2021, finalist
’18th International L. Zanuccoli Music Competition’, Sogliano al Rubicone (Italy) 2021, 3rd prize
‘IX International S. Vainiunas Piano and Chamber Ensemble Competition’, Vilnius (Lithuania) 2022, finalist and laureat
DuoArte recently was invited together with 26 other chamber ensembles to participate at the renowned ICM (‘International Chamber Music Competition’) 2023 in Pinerolo (Italy).
Everything is Nothing without music
W.A.Mozart