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.

Natan Dondalski

DMA, solo violinist, concertmaster, teacher. He graduated with highest honours from Warsaw’s Academy of Music, studying with M. Ławrynowicz then with G. Zhislin, R. Fain and on masterclasses with: W. Wiłkomirska, M. Jaszwili, W. Marschner and P. Amoyal. His many awards at competitions incl. Lublin, Prague, Weimar and Freiburg. Concertmaster with Philh. Orchestras of Koszalin and Olsztyn. Concerto appearances in Nuremberg, Hamburg, Bonn, Helsinki and Oslo, with NOSPR Katowice, Slovakian Sinfonietta, Staatskapelle Weimar, SWR Rundfunkorchesters Kaiserslaten and Klassiche Philharmonie Bonn. A violin teacher at the Acad. of Arts in Szczecin and at G. Bacewicz State Music Schools in Koszalin, he has trained a large number of prize-winning violinists

Anna Gutowska

soloist, chamber artist, teacher. She gradu-ated cum laude from mus. schools in Rzeszów, Poland, Conservatoire du Lausanne (studies with J. Jaquerod) and Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, ( pupil of Z. Zienkowski). A prize winner at numerous nat. and int. competitions, was offered grants by foundations in Poland and abroad. She received a Młoda Polska training grant from the Min. of Culture and Nat. Heritage which led to recording a disc with H. Wieniawski’s Violin Concerti. Concertizes in many countries both as solo violinist and chamber player. Violin teacher at the Univer-sität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. Runs music courses in: Austria, Slovakia, Chile, Iran, Kuwait, Mexico and Japan

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, chamber artist, teacher. Violin studies with S. Herman, graduated with distinction from the State Higher Music School, Gdańsk. Won first prize at the International Radio ARD Competition in Munich, which made him an internationally-recognised concert artist. Concertizes and records worldwide with foremost orchestras and musicians. Professor of Violin at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, gives numerous master classes. Juror at prestigious violin competitions. Received numerous honours and awards.

Maria Machowska

DMA – violin Concertmaster of the National Philharmonic, Warsaw. She is a violin teacher at the Chopin’s Univ. of Music in Warsaw. Prizewinner of the Int. H. Wieniawski Competition in Poznań (2006) and the 6^th Int. L. Mozart Competition in Augsburg (2006). Her teachers were M. Ławrynowicz, M. Zebura and K. A. Kulka. She has appeared in all European countries and in the USA, Canada, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, Oman and Israel. From 2008-2014 Concertmaster of the Sinfonia Varsovia. In 2022, honoured with a Gloria Artis medal.

Agnieszka Marucha

Soloist, chamber artist, teacher, first violin of Opium String Quartet. She graduated with distinction from F. Chopin Academy of Music, studying with prof. M. Ławrynowicz, and the Hochschule der Kunste in Bern, studying with prof. M. Urbaniak-Lisik. Doctor of Mus. Arts/ Assistant Professor, she teaches the violin and chamber music at her Alma Mater. From 2013-2014 a visiting professor at Keimyung Univesity in Daeg (South Korea). Agnieszka is a prizewinner of various violin competitions, she teaches in Italy (e.g. the Bosa Antoca courses), she has performed and given masterclasses across Europe and Asia, has released 9 CDs (6 world first recordings), and in 2014, she won a Fryderyk   award for the Chagall for String disc, recorded with Opium String Quartet.

Karolina S. Mikołajczyk

violinist and chamber musician, Doctor of Musical Arts, pedagogue of the Z. Brzewski School of Music in Warsaw. She graduated with honours from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, studying with A. Gebski, A. Szymczewska, J. Wawrowski and M.Machowska. She studied at the Hochschule fur Musik und Tanz in Cologne with Z.Bron.
Karolina continued to hone her skills under the guidance of Maxim Vengerov, Ingolf Turban, Wolfgang Marschner, and K.A. Kulka. She has given recitals in 25 countries on 4 continents, enchanting audiences in iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, the National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw, Guangzhou Opera House, NOSPR, Teatro del Lago and The Star Performing Arts Center in Singapore. In 2022, she was nominated for the Fryderyk Award for her album “BLAZEWICZ” with compositions dedicated to Duo Karolina Mikołajczyk & Iwo Jedynecki – an innovative ensemble founded in 2013. Karolina is known for her collaboration with contemporary composers and her tireless promotion of Polish music around the world. While living in New York and giving concerts in the USA, she gained new artistic competences that inform her work to this day.

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.

Monika Urbaniak-Lisik

solo and chamber violinist, teacher. Diploma with distinction from Academy of Music, Łódź – violin studies with Z. Płoszaj. Further studies, on the Swiss Government grant, in I. Ozim’s master class, Bern (dipl. cum laude) and in other master classes incl. those taught by O. Krysa, V. Malinin and M. Rostal. 1 ^st prizewinner at the Nat. Z Janke Comp. and Spezial Prize at the 8^th H. Wieniawski Int. Comp. From 1992-98 assistant to I. Ozim, since 1997 prof of violin and chamber music at Hochschule der Kunst in Bern. Teaches master classes in Poland, Switzerland, Austria and Germany and appears at nat. and int festivals. Recordings for Swiss and Polish labels.

Mateusz Doniec

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. A recipient of Gloria Artis medal.

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 master classes 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 and Dean of the Department of Instruments of the the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. He teaches master classes in Europe and Japan. Received a Frederic award from the Polish Record Industry, the Gold Cross of Merit, the Culture Minister’s Award Gloria Artis and the Cross Polonia Restituta.

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 Art Education Centre for a notable contribution to artistic education in Poland, in 2018 he received a Distinguished Services to Polish Culture award

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 (2^nd 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.

Dorota Sosnowska

violinist, solo ans chamber musician, teacher. Graduated with distinction from Warsaw’s Chopin Academy of Music (S. Kawalla’s class), advanced her violin playing with prof. W. Marschner. Performed as member of Polish Chamber Orchestra under J. Maksymiuk and the K. Teutsch Ensemble. Currently a violinist with the Basel Symphony Orchestra, leader of the string trio KADMOS and member of the piano trio Fennica. A dedicated teacher, organizes concerts for talented young Polish musician in Germany, Switzerland and France.

Zuzanna Małgorzata Budzyńska

a soloist and chamber musician, Young Promoter of Poland 2023, Coryphaeus of the Polish Music 2019, laureate of many international competitions. The founding member of Cuore Piano Trio, which performed in most of the European countries, in North America and Asia. She performs regularly in Musikverein Wien, Warsaw Philharmonic, NOSPR and others. She gave concerts alongside Ch. Altenburger, R. Latzko, K. Makowska-Ławrynowicz, J. Wawrowski or G. Skrobiński and she performs as a baroque violinist and guest concertmaster in Austria and Poland as well. She studied at the F. Chopin Univ. of Music (Summa cum Laude 2021) and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and her teachers included Ch. Altenburger, E. Zienkowski, A. Gębski, D. Smolarski and A. Szymczewska. She also took lessons from W. Marschner, H. Beyerle, E. Feltz or R. Fain. She conducts masterclasses in Poland and Canada.

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

Grażyna Paciorek-Draus

music theorist, composer, methodologist, coach. She specializes in musical neurodidactics (techniques of learning and remembering music), the development of hearing and musical imagination, as well as mental and physical preparation for stage performances. A graduate of the Academy of Music. F. Chopin in Warsaw (composition and theory of music) and the School of Coaches of the SET Academy. Assistant professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, teacher at ZPSM No. 1 in Warsaw, lecturer at workshops and music courses. Juror of solfege and composition competitions for young people. Lecturer at scientific conferences, author of publications in the field of theory, philosophy, perception and interpretation of music and music of the 20^th century. She received numerous artistic, scientific and didactic achievements, among others for arrangements and poetry.