MozART group are a string quartet from Warsaw in Poland. These exceptionally talented musicians mix cabaret with classical music for a brilliantly funny twist on a typically formal genre.
First seen presenting musical jokes in 1995 on Canal+, a premium French channel, the fabulous foursome have since filled countless concert halls with laughter and cheer. Their unique approach allowed even those with little or no classical understanding to enjoy the sound of string instruments.
The quartet, who went on to perform their first cabaret show (1997) entitled “Mozart’s still alive”, is made up of Filip Jaślar and Michał Sikorski on violins, Paweł Kowaluk on the viola and Bolesław Błaszczyk on the cello. They all graduated from the Academies of Music in Warsaw and Łódz before developing their own distinctive style.
Since then, the unconventional group has performed and brought happiness to millions of spectators in more than 50 countries across Europe, the U.S.A., Canada and Asia. They have taken over 2000 flights (for which their cello needed its own ticket!) and driven more than 1 million miles. Each musical sketch is packed with humour, breaking away from the seriousness generally associated with classical music.
One such act, Gypsum Kings (Official Video released in 2009), demonstrates this hilarity brilliantly. The quartet, who appear on stage in slings and casts, put on a side-splitting rendition of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life. The irony of their bumps and bandages had the audiences in stitches and racked up over 74K likes on YouTube.
In another outstanding performance, named How to impress a woman (Official Video released in 2017), the quartet started by playing a classical piece, Divertimento in F Major, K. 138: 3. Presto by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But it wasn’t long before Filip Jaślar took to his ping pong ball and paddle, much to the audience’s curiosity, and tapped along to a short rendition of The Entertainer. The contrast in music, along with Bolesław Błaszczyk solo that involved squeezing a balloon to hit musical notes, took YouTube by storm and received over 7 million views and 295k likes.
The group have received numerous prestigious awards, including the Grand Prix XVIII Biesiad Satyry i Humoru “Złota szpilka” in Poland (1997) and the Grand Prix at the Good Humour Festival in Gdańsk (2002). They also received a Special Award from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Poland, recognising their outstanding achievements during their 15 years on stage (2010).
After being forced to take a creative break (due to worldwide restrictions), the quartet returned in 2021 and performed in Paris for the 150th time in 6 years. They’re set to continue touring throughout 2022 to San Fransico, New Jersey, Israel, Switzerland and Northern Ireland but to name a few.
Having taken inspiration from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with both name and music, the MozART group are not only a great source of entertainment but a welcome doorway into the world of classical music. If you want to see more from these talented musicians you can subscribe to their YouTube channel or you can follow them on Facebook. You can also visit their official website for more information.