Born into a musical family, my first contact with music that I can remember is hearing classical music when my mother was listening to it on the stereo system, when I was around four years old. At some point my family got a hold of a tape of a famous violinist, and we listened to it. At this moment I told my parents that I want to be a violinist. I was so in love with the instrument that my parents gave me a real-scale violin, and my brother even made a model violin out of paper for me. At seven I took my tests for music school and with one of the highest scores I got accepted and started learning violin.
When I was 16 years old I switched to viola which, I can say with 10 years of perspective, was a better choice for me. After school I did my bachelor’s degree in Poland, then decided that I needed a change of environment and moved to UK for my master’s degree.
Since I can remember, my dream was to play music. But the character of that dream changed along the way. Firstly I wanted to be a famous solo violin star. Then, at the age of 13 I took part in my school’s symphony orchestra. This was a life changing moment. I remember as we were rehearsing the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.8, I was sitting in my first rehearsal and couldn’t do anything but smile, I was so amazed by the sound and the feeling of playing together in such a massive ensemble. A few years later I was introduced to the world of chamber music which I love no less than orchestral music, but there’s something special for me about playing in an orchestra. Also as a listener, I enjoy orchestral music the most.
In my free time I like to listen to music (not only classical, I greatly enjoy broad range of electronic music), play video games and watch some films (film and game music have a special place in my heart). When I’m home I love to spend my time with my family and my two lovely cats. I also like hot baths and am a little bit crazy about tea.
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
London, UK
Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk
Gdańsk, Poland
Where’s your favourite place to listen to music and why?
My favourite place would be at home when nobody’s around. I like to do some funny things while listening to music like whistling, singing, conducting and dancing. I love to feel music with my whole self but I’m also very shy and not comfortable enough to do it even next to my closest ones.
How would you persuade someone who has never heard ‘classical music’ before to come with you to a concert?
I would encourage them to listen and enjoy different sounds and colours of the instruments in the orchestra. Also maybe to imagine a story which would suit the character of the piece.
If you weren’t a musician, what would you be?
I probably would be an English/German/Polish translator because of my love for languages. Before I started my bachelor’s in music I was about to start a degree in German language studies.
Anna is a member of the 2020-2021 fellowship.