Dear Friends,

A new year has begun, and we look back with gratitude on a fulfilling time. We had the honor of performing our Eight Seasons program 23 times in beautiful concert halls. A particular highlight was the Stadthalle in Göppingen, where we played for an impressive audience of 350 listeners. Additionally, we brought joy to children 21 times with Hurrah, We’re Playing a Concert! – each performance a truly unforgettable moment for us.

2024 was also a very special year for us: We celebrated our 15th stage anniversary! In 2009, we founded our partnership, gave ourselves the name “The Twiolins,” created a website, and took many steps to establish ourselves as an ensemble in Germany.

After so many years on stage, it’s only natural for wishes and priorities to change. Christoph had expressed the desire some time ago to travel less and spend more time with his family. After careful consideration and an extensive search, we found the perfect solution in the amazing violinist Marta Danilkovich. She herself had a violin duo for 10 years and is experienced and confident in the unique challenges that playing in this genre requires.

Marta Danilkovich, born in Minsk, Belarus, has been playing the violin since the age of six and studied at the Belarusian State Academy of Music. In 2008, she founded the duo Divites, which specialized in arrangements of classical pieces for two violins. In early 2019, Divites achieved significant competition successes, winning first place at the “Grand Prize Virtuoso” of the Salzburg International Music Competition, the “Grand Prize Virtuoso” in Amsterdam, and the 10th International Music Competition in Belgrade. Further prizes followed in competitions in the USA, Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Germany. The duo later disbanded amicably after performing in renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York and the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Since August, we have been rehearsing together, and our first premiere with Marta will take place in January in Langgöns. It’s been an exciting and humorous time: Marie is expanding her vocabulary with Russian swear words, while Marta is tackling the viola – and doing a fantastic job! We hope you will welcome Marta as warmly as we have!

Marta says about the violin duo:
“The violin duet is a very special form of chamber music. It’s neither a solo nor a string quartet – it’s so much more. The possibilities of a duet are far greater than those of a solo or quartet. And, of course, the personality of the musicians plays a decisive role. In a duet, you’re not constantly playing the leading role. You’re much more than that. It’s a constant exchange of roles – from the leading voice to the accompanying one, often within mere fractions of a second. You have to be capable of performing as a leading voice while being able to seamlessly transition into an accompanying role in an instant.

To play a violin duet at the highest level, you need a multitude of skills: Technical mastery of the instrument comes first – an endless process of learning and improving. But beyond that, creativity is essential, as we create new violin literature and write many of our own arrangements.

And now, five years after my duo dissolved, I’ve been invited to become part of a violin duo again! I am deeply honored that Marie has chosen me as her new partner.”

We look forward to an exciting new year. Christoph will still perform in January, after which Marta will take over, with Christoph participating only occasionally. We hope to see many of you at our concerts and wish you a wonderful start to the new year!

Yours,
The Twiolins
Marie & Christoph & Marta