AGATHE Ensemble is a group of talented and enthusiastic young musicians who come together to bring out some of the greatest chamber music works ever composed. The ensemble is comprised of a collective of string players who offers performances in different settings, in both small and large formations. Agathe Ensemble aims to bring out the best chamber music works in all kinds of settings: duo, trio, quartet...octet! In this way, a wider range of audiences can be reached, while exploring a very diverse, interesting and broad classical chamber music repertoire. 

 

Since its creation ensemble has brought up ambitious programs including Brahms Sextet op. 36, Quintet op. 101 or Mendelssohn Octet op. 20, having performed in many diverse settings, from living room concerts to festivals such as Delft Fringe Festival or Kamermuziek in de Sint-Janskerk, Gouda.

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At the present time, 2 are the groups that are continuously active: Violin&Cello and Cello&Cello. Both groups develop and perform on a regular basis their own unique programs. Other Agathe ensembles work on a project basis or at request.

Aleksandra Kwiatkowska: Violin

Iván Nogueira: Cello

The Violin and Cello duo is a very exceptional one due to the beauty and full range of possibilities that both string instruments offer. But at the same time, it is very challenging for both composers and performers to create textures and harmonies which normally are supplied with a full string quartet or a piano. 

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Great composers have written for this kind of ensembles, such as Haydn, Ravel, Halvorsen, Gliere, or Vasks. Their works are often very virtuosic, which requires high instrumental skills and good musicianship. 

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Aleksandra and Iván also like to explore and adapt music which is traditionally played by other instruments, like the Beethoven duo's, originally for clarinet and bassoon, or the Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, written for string orchestra. They are also interested in Tango and Keltic folk, rounding up a big spectrum of music styles

Alejandro Sánchez: Cello

Iván Nogueira: Cello

Nowadays being the cello an increasingly popular instrument, we can find more often the combination of 2 cellos, but it has not always been this way. 

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Especially the classical music period (s. XVIII), music works began to were written for this kind of duo, although we won't find the big composers' names amongst them. However, great cellists from all times did develop a repertoire for this formation, since especially in the old times,  being both performer and a composer used to be something very common.

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As a result, a great and diverse repertoire, where the cello is uplifted to its best, and its most beautiful qualities are enlighted thanks to great cellists of all times such as Cervetto, Kummer, Dotzauer, Grützmacher or Popper.

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Apart from these composers, Iván and Alejandro also like to adapt and arrange all kinds of music, while contributing to keeping enlarging the repertoire for 2 cellos. They feel particularly attracted by Argentinian and Spanish folklore.