Infinity Natalia Jarzabek & Emmy Wils

• Niccolò Paganini (1782 - 1840):
• 1 Moto perpetuo, Op. 11 (Arr. for Flute & Piano) 05:33
• Tomaso Antonio Vitali (1663 - 1745):
• 2 Chaconne in G Minor (Arr. for Flute & Piano) 09:41
• Dimitri Arnauts (b. 1973):
• 3 Weird Bird 03:55
• Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849):
• 4 Etude in F Minor, Op. 25 No. 2 "The Bees" (Arr. for Flute & Piano) 01:51
• 5 Etude in A Minor, Op. 10 No. 2 "Chromatique" (Arr. for Flute & Piano) 01:39
• Joachim Andersen (1847 - 1909):
• 6 24 Etudes for Flute, Op. 15: No. 3, Allegro con brio 02:17
• Tim Mulleman (b. 1993):
• 7 Take My Breath Away 06:02
• Marcel Chyrzynski (b. 1971):
• 8 Haiku No. 3 07:07
• Isang Yun (1917 - 1995):
• 9 Etudes for Solo Flute: No. 5, Allegretto 07:00
• Arvo Pärt (b. 1935):
• 10 Spiegel im Spiegel (Arr. for Alto Flute & Piano) 09:23
• Ian Clarke (b. 1964):
• 11 The Great Train Race 04:04
• Total Runtime 58:32

Info for Infinity

The inspiration for the Infinity project was the permanent breathing technique. The flautist – Natalia Jarząbek – can apply it almost inaudibly and imperceptibly, doing it in a fluid and natural manner. The album was recorded in cooperation with outstanding pianist Emmy Wils, a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. The repertoire included on the album is very diverse: It contains pieces for flute, as well as transcriptions of original works for piano, violin, or both, by Natalia Jarząbek. The presence of newly created compositions written specifically for the Infinity project constitutes a significant value of the album. As part of the project, a special textbook for learning permanent breathing was created.

Circular breathing is a technique employed while playing a wind instruments that enables the production of a continuous tone without pause for a very long time. It is accomplished by breathing quickly through the nose while simultaneously pushing air into the instrument from the mouth. Circular breathing in flute performance poses very special demands on the performer because of the specific features of the instrument.

The idea of the Infinity project was born as an outcome of Natalia Jarząbek’s studies in the flute class of Professor Barbara Świątek-Żelazna at the Music Academy in Krakow. Natalia is able to use the technique of circular breathing almost inaudibly and imperceptibly, in a smooth and natural way. Her skills have won instant recognition. ​

In 2017, Natalia and Professor Świątek-Żelazna received the prestigious Małopolska Province Ars Quaerendi Prize in the ‘Master-Student’category, which enabled them to write a manual in circular breathing and to record a album featuring pieces in which the use of this technique has produced outstanding artistic effects. The flutepart was recorded by Natalia, with Emmy Wils, a graduate of the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, at the piano. The name of the project – Infinity – symbolizes both the unlimited possibilities of holding a tone and the boundless qualities of the flute as a musical instrument.

The selection of works on the album is very diverse. It contains pieces for flute as well as Natalia Jarząbek’s transcriptions of compositions that were originally written for piano, violin or for both of these instruments. There are also a few pieces that have been recently composed especially for the Infinity project. ​

Natalia Jarzabek, flute​
Emmy Wils, piano

Natalia Jarzabek
Circular breathing is a technique used by woodwind players that allows them to play for a long time without a break. It involves simultaneously exhaling the air collected through the mouth whilst taking a breath throw the nose. ​

The idea of co-writing a methodology on how to learn this particular technique playing the flute was initiated by the flutist Natalia Jarząbek under the supervision of her teacher, prof. Barbara Świątek-Żelazna from the Academy of Music in Kraków. During her studies, Natalia learnt on her own how to circular breathe. Thanks to the support of her teacher, prof. Barbara Świątek-Żelazna, she perfected her skills, taking breaths inaudibly and invisibly without disturbing the quality of sound or intonation. ​

In 2017 Natalia and prof. Świątek-Żelazna received the prestigious Ars Quaerendi award of the Lesser Poland Gouverment to write a book about circular breathing and record a unique CD with pieces that are unable to be recorded on the flute without using this technique. Inspired by the infinite possibility of continuing sound and the capabilities of the flute as a musical instrument, this project has received the name “ Infinity”. ​

Since its inception the music community has enthusiastically received the news of the Infinity project. Now Natalia and prof. Światek-Żelazna are intensively teaching a group of flutists all over the world, including principal flutists of many great orchestras as well as professors and students alike from universities and conservatoires. ​

Based on their experience, Natalia and prof. Światek-Żelazna are co-writing a methodology on how to learn this particular technique of circular breathing and preparing exercises and etudes to accompany learning the technique. Thanks to the assistance of British flutist and writer Katy Ovens, this book will also be published in English. ​

The repertoire for the CD is greatly varied, including transcriptions of pieces for violin or piano (Paganini’s Moto Perpetuo, Chopin’s Etudes, Vitali’s Chaconne), modern pieces for flute (I. Clarke’a The Great Train Race), as well as works commissioned especially for this project. Amongst composers who have agreed to support the project are: prof. Marcel Chyrzynski, Dimitri Arnauts and Tim Mulleman. ​

Emmy Wils - a young talented pianist from Belgium, student of the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, and the winner of many prestigious piano competitions - will perform the piano part of these pieces. Inspired by the project, Natalia and Emmy started a duo also named “Infinity” in November 2017, playing together not only pieces inspired by circular breathing but also chamber works for flute and piano of various epochs. ​

The CD has been recorded in October 2018 in Krzysztof Penderecki’s European Music Centre in Lusławice and released by the prestigious DUX label.

Emmy Wils
displayed an extraordinary musical talent while still a small child. She was nine when she started taking piano lessons from Johan Bossers, a teacher at a local music school in Tongeren, eastern Belgium. In 2012 she enrolled at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, where she studied with Piet Kuijken and Hans Ryckelynck. She obtained her M.A. degree in 2018 under the supervision of Boyan Vodenitcharov. She also developed her skills with Peter Waas at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar.

She has participated in masterclasses given by such prominent pianists as Wolfgang Manz, Massimiliano Mainolfi, Christian Wilm Müller, Lukáš Vondráçek, Boris Giltburg, Stephen Kovacevich, and Yury Martynov. Emmy is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including Cantabile Piano Competition, Belfius Classics, Stephan de Jonghe, Concours de piano de Liège, Concours Andrée Charlier, Vrienden Cultuurprijs Tilburg, and Triomphe de l’Art.

She made solo orchestral debut at the age of 16, performing Chopin’s E minor Concerto. She has also developed a career in chamber music, with appearances at such prestigious festivals as B-Classic Festival of Flanders. She is the founder of Sonos Ensemble, a Brussels-based group of 11 musicians performing in various instrumental combinations.

Booklet for Infinity