Violin
Marcin Baranowski
prominent chamber artist and teacher. Graduated with distinction from prof. Jad-wiga Kaliszewska’s violin class at the Music Academy my in Poznań. For 10 years he played in Collegium Musicorum Posnaniensium and 24 years contributed his skills to “Amadeus” Chamber Orchestra under Agnieszka Duczmal. Numerous recording and concert tours of Europe, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Quwait and Tajwan. Currently Professor of Violin at the Music Academies in Poznań and Bydgoszcz and also Talent School in Poznań. He gives masterclasses and has trains a large number of prize-winning violinist.
Helen Brunner
violin teacher. Violin studies at the Royal College of Music, London and the Juliard School, N.Y. with Oscar Shumsky. Introduced to the Suzuki Method, she then founded the London Suzuki Group comprising violin, viola, cello and piano studies. Graduated from Dr Suzuki’s Talent Education School, Japan. Flourising international career as violin teacher and teacher trainer with workshops all over the world. She has been recogniset by the Who’s Who of Woman for her distinguished service to music.
Izabela Ceglińska
soloist, chamber artist, teacher. Professor of Music Arts. Graduated with distinction from Academy of Music, Łódź (prof. I Wojciechowska’s ciolin class). Further studies at master classes in Łańcut, Bayreuth and Baden-Baden. Won Ruggiero Ricci and Polish Ministry of Culture scholarships. Prizewinner at competitions, concertizes in Poland and abroad. From 1996-2001 Deputy Dean, until 2008 Dean of the Department of Instruments and Head of the String Instruments Chair at the Academy of Music in Łódź. Juror of national and international competitions. Honoured with the Gloria Artis medal.
Natan Dondalski
soloist, concertmaster, teacher. He graduated with distinction from the class of prof. M. Ławrynowicz at the AM in Warsaw. He also studied with G. Zhislin (Wurzburg) and R. Fain (Dusseldorf). He perfected his skills during master classes with W. Wiłkomirska, M. Jaszwili, W. Marschner and P. Amoyal. Prizewinner of international violin competitions in Lublin, Prague, Weimar and Freiburg. As a soloist, he has performed in many countries with excellent orchestras: NOSPR, Polish Radio Orchestra, Slovak Sinfonietta, Staatskapelle Weimar, Deutsche L. Spohr Philharmonie Freiburg, Rundfunkorchesters Kaiserslautern, Klassische Philharmonie Bonn. He teaches violin at the Academy of Art in Szczecin and at the ZPSM im. G. Bacewicz in Koszalin, and his students win awards in competitions. Consultant of CEA in Warsaw. Awarded many times by the Director of CEA and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Honored with the Gloria Artis Medal.
Anna Gutowska
soloist, chamber musician, teacher. Graduated with distinction from: music schools in Rzeszów, Conservatoire de Lausanne and Universitat fur Musik in Vienna, working with prof. E. Zienkowski, prof. P. Urstein J. Jaquerod. Prizewinner of national and international competitions, scholarship holder of national and international foundations. Represented by Arte 90, awarded the Young Poland scholarship of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. As part of the scholarship project, she recorded CDs with H. Wieniawski’s violin concertos. Performs in Poland and many countries around the world, including Berlin, Vienna, Shanghai, Lausanne, Beijing, Iran, China, New York, Paris, Portugal, Norway, Japan, Lichtenstein, Italy, Chile, Mexico, Switzerland. Conducts masterclasses in Poland, Chile, Mexico, Slovakia, Iran, Italy, Japan, China, Georgia, Austria. She is a lecturer at the Universität für Musik and darstellende Kunst Wien.
Manana Kantaria
She is actively engaged in playing as soloist, performing chamber music, lecturing. Associate professor V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire, Georgia,Laureate of Transcaucasian Competition 1976, Yerevan. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire, string- Violin 1980-1985 – Honours Diploma, Concert Performer, Pedagogue, Postgraduate – Chamber Ensemble. Head of String Department in Tbilisi Zakaria Paliashvili Central Music School. Head of String Department in Tbilisi Evgeni Mikeladze central Music School. Juror of international and national competitions. She is also founder and director of the Georgian Musicians’ Union. In 2016, Manana established Young Musicians-Performers Competition-Festival Rondo Klasika, of which artistic director she is. In 2017, she founded and became the artistic director of International Competition for Strings and Woodwind, and in 2018, she held the first Otar Taktakishvili International Competition in Tbilisi. Also in 2019, she organized the first Marine Iashvili International Competition in Tbilisi. Manana has conducted numerous masterclasses in Sakartvelo, Armenia, Turky, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, and has been performing annually on the stage of Tbilisi Chamber Music Festival since 2005, in piano trios, quartets and quintets. Received numerous honours and awards.
Ewa Kowar
violinist, chamber musician and teacher. Doctor of Musical Arts. Graduated from the Chopin Academy of Music, Warsaw, where she studied with prof. Z. Brzewski, prof. M. Ławrynowicz and prof. K. Makowska-Ławrynowicz. Comleted master classes in Łańcut taught by prof.” Z. Bron, E. Feltz, K. Lewin. Teaches the violin at Warsaw’s Fryderyk Chopin Unoiversity of Music affiliate in Białystok and the Z. Brzewski Secondary School of Music in Warsaw. Juror of competitions for children and young adults. General Secretary of ESTA Poland.
Konstanty Andrzej Kulka
world-famous virtuoso, soloist, chamber artist, teacher. Student of Stefan Herman. Graduated with distinction from the PWSM in Gdańsk. He began his world career after winning the first prize at the ARD International Radio Competition in Munich. He performs and records all over the world with the most distinguished orchestras and artists. He has performed over 3,000 recitals and concerts, recorded many albums and film music. Polish music occupies an important place in his rich and versatile repertoire. Professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Juror of prestigious violin competitions. Honored with many awards. Honorary doctor of the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.
Agnieszka Marucha
prizewinner of international violin competitions, soloist, chamber musician, teacher. In 2014 she received the Fryderyk award for the album “Chagall for Strings”. She studied in the classes of prof. Mirosław Ławrynowicz (Warsaw), prof. Monika Urbaniak-Lisik (Bern) and prof. Robert Szreder (Maastricht). She teaches violin at the UMFC in Warsaw. In 2014 she was a guest professor at the Keimyung University in Daegu (South Korea). She has recorded 10 albums, all of them phonographic premieres. She has performed many pieces for violin and orchestra. As a member of the Ensemble Modern, she has performed in the largest European halls, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Festspielhaus in Baden Baden, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Salle Pleyel in Paris. She is the author of numerous publications in the field of violin playing and musicology.
Gabriela Opacka-Boccadoro
began learning to play the violin at the A. Malawski School of Music in Przemyśl. She graduated from the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (DMA), the Academy of Music in Kraków and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. As a soloist, she has performed with the NOSPR, Southbank Sinfonia, the Podkarpacka Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the leader of the International Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York. She regularly gives concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and chamber ensembles. She is involved in interdisciplinary projects – she collaborates with Shakespeare’s Globe and London Contemporary Voices, and also records film music, collaborating with, among others, the Oscar winner, Dario Marianelli.
Agata Szymczewska
winner of the International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition in Poznań in 2006. Winner of 4 “Fryderyki”, “Paszport Polityki”, “London Music Masters” awards and “Koryfeusz Muzyki Polskiej”. Professor at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Teacher of music courses in the USA, Japan, Korea, Chile, China and Germany. She performs and records with artists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Krystian Zimerman, Martha Argerich, Maxim Vengerov, Mischa Maisky, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Seiji Ozawa, Krzysztof Penderecki and Sir Neville Marriner. She has been the leader of the Karol Szymanowski Quartet for over 10 years. President of the Musical Society of H. Wieniawski in Poznań. Playing the violin by N. Gagliano (1755).
Monika Urbaniak-Lisik
professor of violin and chamber music at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern, educated 130 violinists from all over the world. Conducts master classes in Europe and America. Juror of numerous competitions and expert of Swiss universities. Studies and assistantship in the class of Prof. Z. Płoszaj in Łódź and the master class of Prof. I. Ozim in Bern (soloist diploma with distinction). Prizewinner of the Jahnke Competition (1st prize) and the 8th International Wieniawski Competition (special prize). Soloist and chamber concerts in Europe, America, Africa with a repertoire of all eras. As a member of the Swiss Soloists and Camerata Bern, she performed at Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Musikverein, Sydney Opera House, Wigmore Hall, among others. Participated in festivals in Lockenhaus, Lucerne, Rheingau, Menuhin in Gstaad, Warsaw Autumn. Numerous award-winning ensemble and solo recordings for international labels. Awarded the Gloria Artis medal. Plays the J.B. Vuillaume violin, Paris 1840.
Janusz Wawrowski
solo violinist, chamber artist, teacher. One of the most outstanding Polish violinists of the younger generation. Gratuated with diploma cum laude from the Chopin University of Music, Warsaw, where his teacher was Mirosław Ławrynowicz. Further studies with Yair Kless in Gratz and Salvatore Accado in Cremona. Prizewinner of many competitions, he concertizes and records in Poland and abroad. Famed for his recitals of the complete 24 N. Paganini Capricci. From 2012 a contract with EMI for 4 solo discs, the first of which was released in April 2013. A violin teacher on the faculty of the Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and artistic director of the Music Spaces festival.
Viola
Krzysztof Komendarek-Tymendorf
viola soloist, chamber artist, teacher, habilitated PhD, professor at the Acad. of Music in Gdańsk and Bydgoszcz. After graduating with first-class honours from the Acad. of Music in Gdańsk, where his teacher was prof I. Albrecht, he perfected his skills at Uni. für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna and under the faculty of A. Zemtsov, M. Buchholz, H. Rohde, A. Levitan. ReVIOLAtion’s debut album (Naxos) received the Pizzicato Supersonic Award, 5 camertones in Diapason Magazine. Prizewinner at nat. and internat. competitions, awards and scholarships. He debuted as soloist with the Polish Chamber Philh. Orchestra Sopot., and as chamber player with T. Wojnowicz at the T. Baird Philh. Hall in Zielona Gora. He teaches master-classes and judges competitions. His students win viola prizes at nat. and internat. and orchestra auditions. Protagonist of viola and new music and has performed over 60 world premieres. Composers dedicate his works to him. His articles are published, among others in the Journal of the American Viola Society (USA) and on meakultura.pl. Director of EURO Chamber Music Festival Gdańsk. Honoured with the Gloria Artis medal.
Cello
Stanisław Firlej
solist, chamber artist, teacher. Cello studies under K. Kozolupov and N. Gutman at Moscow Conservatory and with A, Navarra at Academia Chigiana, Siena. Won performance prizes at competitions. Concertizes and records for Polish and foreign labels with pianist Anna Wesołowska-Firlej and as member of Chopin Trio, Rubinstein Trio and Polish Camerata of which he is founder and leader. Professor of Cello on the faculties of Music Academies in Łódź and Wrocław. Gives numerous masterclasses in Poland (Łańcut and Żagań), Austria (Zell am Pram) and Croatia (Hvar).
Tomasz Strahl
top rank cellist, solo and chamber artist, teacher. Student of K. Michalik at Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, postgraduate studies with T. Kühne at Hochschule für Musik, Vienna. Top prizes and awards at many competitions. Performs and records all over the world. Professor of cello at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. He teaches masterclasses in Europe and Japan. Received the Fryderyk award from the Polish Record Industry, the Gold Cross of Merit, the Culture Minister’s Award Gloria Artis medal and the Cross Polonia Restituta. In 2024 he was elected as Rector of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music for the years 2024-2028.
Mateusz Szmyt
graduated with distinction from the Z. BrzewskiSecondary Music School and with honours from the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, studying the cello with prof. T. Strahl, and further-ing his solo-cellist studies with P. Buck in Stuttgart. At present he is a cellist with Warsaw’s National Philharmonic Orchestra, a cello teacher at Warsaw’s Chopin Univ. of Music, a long – serving teacher at the Z. Brzewski Music School and assistant to prof. T. Strahl. He has often been awarded by jury members for excellent preparation of his students for competitions. Indeed they have won prizes at several dozen nat. and internat. competitions. Twice awarded first prize by the CEA for a notable contribution to artistic education in Poland, in 2018 he received a Distinguished Services to Polish Culture award
Double bass
Jan Kotula
graduated with distinction from the Academy of Music in Katowice (W. Tamowski’s class). Since 1997 a member of the National Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio (principal double-bassist since 2002) and the Orchestra’s quartet Primo Allegro. Solo, chamber and orchestral performances at home and abroad. Disc and radio recordings. A prizewinner (2nd prize) at the A.B. Ciechański National Double Bass Competition, Poznań 1997 and third prize winner at the International Double Bass Competition, Markneukirchen 1999. Doctor of Musical Arts, he is assistant professor of double-bass at his Alma Mater.
Chamber ensembles
Giovanni La Porta
graduated in viola in Conservatorio of Musica “C. Pollini” in Padova and in violin in Conservatorio di Musica of “J. Tomadini” in Udine, studying with m° R. Senia and D. Asciolla. Finished musical studies, and played violin and viola in several professional orchestra in Italy and abroad (Orch. Rai in Milano, Orch. Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Orch. da Camera di Padova). He had many experiences with chamber music ensemble, particularly dedicated to music of the baroque and classical periods. As a violin teacher he has taught for over 30 years in a public secondary school. He has published a short guide for beginners in violin study titled Primo incontro con il violino (1994, Intra’s ed.). Graduated in Architecture at the IUAV in Venice (1997), subsequently obtaining a PhD in “Civil environmental engineering and architecture” at the University of Udine (2014), specializing in the field of building and room acoustics.
Chamber orchestras
Maksym Dondalski
solo and chamber violinist, conductor,teacher. He graduated with distinction from the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, where he first studied the violin with Jadwiga Kalisze-wska and Marcin Baranowski, and, two years later, orchestra con-ducting under Zygmunt Rychert and Piotr Sułkowski. Award-win-ner at many violin competitions, he is an active concert violinist and orchestral conductor, performing at home and abroad. Until 2016 he was first violin leader/ concertmaster with the Gorzów Philharmon-ic, Poland. For two years now he has been a faculty member of the Academy of Arts in Szczecin, teaching the violin and chamber music, as well as collaborating, since 2016, with Sinfonia Varsovia
Aural Training
Danuta Dobrowolska-Marucha
music theorist, prof. of musical arts, founder of modern aural training methods, author
of innovative aural training materials including coursebooks for different levels of teaching. Degree cum laude from Warsaw’s Chopin Academy of Music. Postgraduate studies with N. Boulanger in Paris. Professor of Aural Training on the faculties of the F. Chopin Univ. of Mus. in Warsaw and the Mus. Acad. in Bydgoszcz, Head of the Intercollegiate Aural Training Chair, Postgrad. Aural Tr. Studies and Intercollegiate Aural Training Unit. A Min. of. Culture consultant, a Min. of Education expert, juror of Solfege competitions and international music courses tutor. Honoured with a Gloria Artis medal.
