Words by Jim Ottewill

“We consider ourselves sisters, a relationship which goes deeper than friendship. This is the basis of our musical understanding,” says Polish cellist Dobrawa Czocher.

If you listen to Inner Symphonies, the new album from Dobrawa and pianist, composer, and fellow collaborator, Hania Rani, their unique musical chemistry is evident through its 10 original and distinctive compositions. 

The pair have been indelibly connected via a passion for classical music and composition since studying together but on this new release, they’ve pushed themselves into ambitious musical territories. While each has enjoyed success on their own terms, the creative friction between their musical union opens up new worlds of sonic possibilities. 

“We would sometimes argue during the process, as we’ve different perspectives on the best ways to work and strong artistic visions,” says Dobrawa. “But even if we have to work hard to compromise, the strength of our bond means we always find a way.”

Hania and Dobrawa discovered they were kindred spirits during their time as students at the Feliks Nowowiejski Music School in Gdańsk, Poland. Once they had completed their studies, both went on to join Warsaw’s Fryderyk Chopin University of Music where their connection grew stronger. Their debut album, 2015’s Biała flaga (White Flag), marked the start of their artistic partnership together, having been invited to reimagine music by the late Polish composer Grzegorz Ciechowski. 

“Grzegorz was a composer and famous Polish rock star from the same place as me, this small town of Tczew,” states Dobrawa. “Every year, there would be a festival to remember him and the organiser asked if I’d be interested in presenting his music in a classical form. I knew right from the start that the best person to collaborate on this project would be Hania.” 

It was an astute decision with Biała flaga reaching the top 30 of Poland’s album chart on its release in September 2015. The album was put together via a crowdfunding campaign and its success showed the pair that there was an appetite for their musical collaborations.

“We were just students and didn’t have much money to record it professionally,” says Hania. “But we wanted to work on it properly in an actual studio which is where the idea for the campaign came from.”

“We managed to put it together really quickly with the help of the backers,” agrees Dobrawa. “It was a sign that people really wanted to hear this album.”

Since its success, both have been busy with a variety of creative projects. Hania has composed for strings, piano, voice, and electronics and her latest release, ‘Music For Cinema and Theatre’, has reached the top 10 of the UK Classical Charts. Dobrawa has been performing as a solo cellist for the Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestra. It was through this that the opportunity to work together again came.

“We’d played at the Szczecin Philharmonic Hall, then were invited to use this space to record an album in,” reveals Hania. “This was the push we needed to focus on making another record, and a date of May 2020 was put in the diary for recording. This was before the pandemic - but when that hit, it gave us more time to prepare the repertoire.”

The pair composed together in the run-up to recording then spent a week capturing sounds before focusing on mixing and post-production. Both Dobrawa and Hania appreciate different aspects of working on music but their collaborative relationship is intuitive and helps them quickly bring new ideas to life. 

“Our musical power is in our friendship. I feel we understand each other when composing and performing without having to discuss too much,” says Dobrawa of how they work. “But for me, I find the recording process tough. Every note can always be better and it’s a challenge to consider each track as a whole.”

By contrast, Hania is very much in love with the studio, the art of recording, and the creative opportunities this affords. “I can spend hours there working,” she says. “Possibly because my instrument is the piano and is easier to play when compared with Dobrawa’s cello, which can be more tiring.”

“When making the record, we planned some aspects but others were less thought through. We would record every idea we had, then add layer after layer of instrumentation. I love the improvisation aspect, and find the spontaneity really exciting.”

Many of the themes explored on Inner Symphonies were born out of this wilful experimentation, and an ongoing dialogue between the pair. With the pandemic swirling around them, the concept of hope was something many of the compositions pivot on. 

“It felt right to explore this concept during such strange times,” explains Hania. “That’s why the record finishes with Spring. We didn’t want it to be spectacular, but instead bring a sense of calm and peace at the close.”

During the recording, the pair realised that the sound was symphonic but there were also plenty of ideas percolating within each composition, a concept which fed into the record’s title. “We realised that the sound we achieved and the structures of our compositions were expanding through their many layers,” explains Dobrawa. “But inside each, there are many other concepts vying for attention and feeding this bigger universe of sound. As composers, it’s our two inner symphonies which emerge and combine on this album.”

The pair’s love for the natural world is also reflected in the album’s tracks, from the rhythmical energy of ‘Con Moto’ to the more experimental Whale Song. Every piece tells its own story while joining up to create a record that paints a far fuller and colourful aural picture than being the mere sum of its parts. 

“Our love of nature is a shared concern for both of us,” explains Dobrawa. “It’s super important for both of us and we wanted to showcase that connection throughout the album.” Whale Song was the biggest surprise for the pair when making the record. But for a long time, they struggled to find the best way to make the composition work. 

“We knew what we wanted to say and show but just couldn’t find a structure or way to do it,” says Dobrawa. “Then we found it using some weird bow movements on the cello. I would never play classical music like this. But when I started experimenting, it just made sense. That was a wonderful surprise. We’ve always been open to innovating and taking the music to unexpected places,” Hania continues. “Whale Song definitely opened us up to new perspectives.”

The record marks an important moment as creators and in the career for both Hania and Dobrawa. Inner Symphonies will be released by Deutsche Grammophon, one of the most prestigious and most well-respected classical labels and the pair are the first female and youngest composer duo to sign with them in their history. While the album was composed by the two of them, they continued to keep friendships at its heart by inviting musicians from their university days to perform with them. Now with the record released in the wider world, they are out on the road and playing the album across Europe. 

“Performing this live record was a key concern during the compositional process,” Hania says. “We wanted to feel that we could perform it on stage but also come up against some technical challenges too. We want it to be lively enough to stand up to many performances.”

“It takes new forms when performed on stage,” says Dobrawa. “For me, art is best when it’s alive, that’s what makes it exciting and interesting.”

The pair are looking forward to exploring the compositions on stage and bringing something new to the music through improvisation. “The music has been with us for a while for some time now, but we’re looking forward to progressing the work,” says Hania. “We have plenty of dates planned and are super excited to perform and see how people react to it.”

They might be early in their composing careers but have already gained plenty of music industry experience and critical acclaim. Hania believes those wanting to follow in their footsteps need to adopt a similar mindset to their own when starting out - be open to new processes and ways of playing. 

“Be brave enough to share new ideas and just start making music,” she advises when asked for her essential tips. “We’d like to be an example to those who are shy or afraid to create music that it is possible to do it.”

Dobrawa also says how being yourself is key to compositional success and emerging talent shouldn’t shy away from revealing their emotions. “Don’t fear expressing the every day in your music,” she says. “We are all human and life is about all of the emotions, even if they seem innocuous. Bring to life what is yours - that’s where you can be honest and show the most power.”

Visit hania-dobrawa.com for more information.