User:Polishmusic

'ALICJA SMIETANA'

Alicja Smietana (Born 9 August 1983) is a Polish Violinist, currently based in London.

Education:

Alicja was born in Krakow, Poland. Coming from musical family (Her father being a famous jazz gitarist Jarek Smietana) she started playing the violin at the age of 5 studying under Leszek Srobacki. and later with Bogdan Wozniak. She moved on to study at the Krakow Academy of Music with Prof. Mieczyslaw Szlezer and at the age of 21 moved to London to study first with David Takeno and later with Ofer Falk at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she finished In 2009 she joined prestigous Kronberg Academy where she studies with Christian Tetzlaff.

Career:

Winner of numerous competitions and awards Alicja was quickly recognized as one of the most interesting violinists of the young generation. At the age of 19 she's been invited for the first time to play with Kremerata Baltica - a chamber orchestra led by Gidon Kremer, which gave her opportunity to work closely with worlds finest musicians. Since then she has played with Kremerata on number of other occasions. As a soloist she made her international debut performing a Mozart concerto under direction of sir Neville Marriner with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician together with Nigel Kennedy, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Martha Argerich, Ivan Monighetti Boris Pergamenshikov and others. Attending many international masterclasses Alicja got artistic guidance from many musicians including Hagai Shaham, Dorothy DeLay, Tabea Zimermann, Michael Frischenshlager, Erich Gruenberg, Albrecht Breuninger, Zvi Zeitlin and most recently Itzhak Perlman. She is a co-founder of Nigel Kennedy's new Orchestra of Life. Following her successes she has played concerts and recitals in major venues all over the world.

External links:

Official website www.alicjasmietana.com Kronberg Academy www.kronbergacademy.de