I grew up in Ruda Śląska, which is a city in Poland, close to Katowice. That is where I started my journey with cello. When I was seven, during a music lesson in primary school, my teacher asked if I would like to audition for a music school. I was very excited about that idea, as I have always loved music, and asked my parents to go to the audition with me. Before the auditions, at the local music school there was a concert, where student were presenting all instruments to the candidates. Before that concert I wanted to play a guitar or drums, but after hearing the cello at the concert I wasn’t interested in any other instrument, just cello! It was a love at first sight : )
I grew up in Ruda Śląska, which is a city in Poland, close to Katowice. That is where I started my journey with cello. When I was seven, during a music lesson in primary school, my teacher asked if I would like to audition for a music school. I was very excited about that idea, as I have always loved music, and asked my parents to go to the audition with me. Before the auditions, at the local music school there was a concert, where student were presenting all instruments to the candidates. Before that concert I wanted to play a guitar or drums, but after hearing the cello at the concert I wasn’t interested in any other instrument, just cello! It was a love at first sight : )
After eight years of taking cello lessons in my hometown, I enrolled in the Karol Szymanowski Music School in Katowice. During my time in Katowice I was a member of Polish National Youth Orchestra and that is when I realised that I would love to become an orchestral musician.
In 2017, I moved to London to start my Bachelor of Music degree at the Royal Academy of Music with Josephine Knight. The Academy gave me many opportunities to develop my orchestral and chamber music skills. Some of my favourites include a side by side concert with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by Semyon Bychkov and performing Schönberg’s
Verklärte Nacht at Snape Maltings. During my undergraduate studies in London I was also awarded prizes at the competitions in Poland, Italy, Czech Republic and Sweden and for four years I was a member of the Bernstein Piano Trio.
After my undergrad at RAM, I have fulfilled one of my biggest dreams and moved to New York to study with David Geber at Manhattan School of Music. While living in the United States, I had an active freelance and teaching career and had a pleasure to perform in Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall, as well as I was a principal of Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra and performed a side by side concert with members of New York Philharmonic. In the summer of 2022 I was fortunate enough to be part of the Music Academy of the West festival in California, where I shared the stage with such great artists as Eugene Izotov, Ide Bieler, Hannu Lintu, Speranza Scappucci, Stéphane Denève and Daniela Candillari.
In my leisure time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, learning new languages and playing tennis, so if not in a practice room you will most likely find me on the tennis court or in the park!
I am really grateful that I can be part of Southbank Sinfonia and really excited to make music with fantastic musicians and share it with audiences in my favourite city, London!
EDUCATION
Manhattan School of Music
New York, USA
Royal Academy of Music
London, UK
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
How would you persuade someone who has never heard ‘classical music’ before to come with you to a concert?
I have done it many times before, as a lot of my friends are not musicians, but luckily all of them were very happy and excited to listen to a classical music concert for a first time!
If I had to try harder, I would say that classical music is very diverse and everyone will find something to their taste in every concert.
Sometimes people become discouraged when they hear the term “classical music”, but we are surrounded by it every day while watching movies, TV shows etc! Attending a classical music concert is also a fantastic experience, where you can not only hear and see musicians perform, but it is amazing to feel the vibration coming out of the instruments!
What’s your most memorable moment as a musician?
Since I remember, one of my biggest dreams was to perform in Carnegie Hall. During my studies in New York I had the opportunity to perform on a main stage of Carnegie Hall, and I was delighted with the hall and acoustics of the Stern Auditorium and I will for sure remember this concert forever.
