Biography
My earliest memories from childhood are about me dreaming to play the flute. I come from a non-musical family, so my parents didn’t know exactly how to direct me into it, but when I was five I got my first recorder. All plastic, red with a white mouthpiece. Of course I had no idea about fingerings, but I was running all over the place making those squeaking noises!
At the age of 12 I started my flute lessons, but after one year my teacher told me that I had no predisposition to become a great flautist in the future. I was truly heartbroken, as that was an instrument I always dreamt about! She suggested I choose a different instrument and after trying an oboe, I decided to go with a bassoon – even though I had no idea what it looked like or what sound it made.
And that’s how I started to play bassoon, in 2002. After my education in Częstochowa I moved to Wrocław for my bachelor’s studies. Later on I lived in Poznań where I completed my master’s.
Through all those years I had never dreamt about moving to UK and living in London. I made up my mind when I met my MA studies teacher – Arek Adamczyk (2005 Southbank Sinfonia member). He was and still is my biggest inspiration in terms of music and life in general. After the Royal College of Music, I found it really hard to get into freelance work, and I was really close to giving up, but Arek encouraged me to focus on myself and practising. I am truly grateful to him as now, I am a member of Southbank Sinfonia 2018, and I have had two trials since my graduation, with Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
In my free time I like to discover London and local markets; also I am passionate about coffee and food.
EDUCATION
Royal College of Music
London, UK
Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music
Poznań, Poland
Karol Lipiński Academy of Music,
Wrocław, Poland
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
What do you think concerts of the future should look like?
It would be nice to connect music with other forms of arts and technology. Also, I love concerts where musicians play from memory like Aurora Orchestra during their Proms concerts – that’s something unforgettable! Oh, while talking about Proms – I love to sit/lie down on the floor in the Arena or Gallery, close my eyes or look up to the ceiling and feel the music with all my senses. Could we have more of those throughout the whole year please?
What is your favourite piece of music, and why do you love it?
It is so hard to choose only one out of thousands of them! But I think it’s Henryk Mikołaj Górecki Symphony No.3 ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’. It’s an absolutely incredible piece, especially when you know a story behind each movement. It might seem to be a simple piece but when you listen to it carefully, it touches your soul deeply.