The first encounter of the versatile sound and keyboard artists from Gdańsk and Leipzig: a German-Polish collaboration.

Piano duos often promise extraordinary artistic experiences. Marian McPartland, for example, proved this in the past with her legendary radio show “Piano Jazz.” And ever since Michael Wollny and Joachim Kühn enchanted the opera stage with their four-handed performance at the 48th edition, this has also become a given at the “ Leipziger Jazztage.” However, the “First Date” between Emilia Gołos and Philipp Rumsch will by no means be as classical as those duos.

When Philipp Rumsch received the Marion Ermer Foundation’s “ Leipzig Jazz Young Talent Award ” in 2018, one thing was already clear: he has a talent for pushing the boundaries of style. He has remained true to this approach and has thus made a name for himself throughout Europe—most recently with projects such as “An Abyss,” featuring dancers from Ballett Basel, and “Mikrokosmos,” which he created in collaboration with quantum physicist Dr. Elena Hassinger. He is constantly working to expand the horizons of electronic sound production, for example through artificial intelligence and spatial audio. 

Fans of the “Jazzclub Live” series may have already taken notice of the title, as Emilia Gołos presented her breathtaking piano artistry in Leipzig back in April with her duo Gołos x Jasinska. Her piano playing seeks to extract every technically possible sound from the instrument: prepared, manipulated, and varied with electronic effects. The multifaceted result ranges from crystalline tranquility to an oppressive sense of unease.

This first-time encounter brings together two musicians who have always felt at home in the spaces between genres. At the same time, their “First Date” continues the long tradition of German-Polish collaborations at the Leipzig Jazz Days. How it will all sound is, of course, anyone’s guess. Only one thing is certain: the stage will become an experimental treasure trove of previously unheard soundscapes.