Preselection Jury Member

JOANNA MARCINKOWSKA

Poland

Dr. Joanna Marcinkowska, who is a professor at the I. J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań, is one of Poland’s renowned pianists. She finished her piano studies with honours in Prof. Waldemar Andrzejewski’s class at the Poznań Academy of Music.

She is a laureate of many international and national piano competitions and festivals, including 1st prize at the International Piano Competition ‘Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam’ in Bydgoszcz (1996), 1st prize at the 7th European Chopin Competition in Darmstadt (Germany – 2002), 2nd prize and a special prize for the best performance of Karol Szymanowski’s works at the 5th International Karol Szymanowski Piano Competition in Łódź (2001). She was also awarded the 2nd prize and the special prize for the best performance of works by Karol Szymanowski at the 5th International Szymanowski Piano Competition in Łódź (2001), 3rd prize and the audience prize at the 5th International Piano Competition in Cologne (Germany – 2001), the main prize at the 30th Polish Piano Festival in Słupsk (1996).

She has performed in recitals, as a chamber musician, and as a soloist in symphonic concerts in Poland, as well as in many other European countries, the USA, China, and Vietnam. She has performed at over 40 distinguished international music festivals in Poland and other countries. These include: Warsaw, Duszniki-Zdrój, Vienna (Mozarteum-Saal), Gaming, Hanover (“Outstanding laureates of piano competitions”), the Polish Piano Festivals in Slupsk, “Chopin w barwach jesieni” in Antonin, the “Piano Passion” Festival in Saint Etienne, as well as music festivals in Sofia and Plovdiv.

She has collaborated with over 40 renowned Polish and international conductors, performing as a soloist with many distinguished music ensembles and symphony orchestras, including nearly all the philharmonic orchestras.

The artist has a substantial discography. This year, she has recorded three albums of Polish music, including a two-CD album featuring works by F. Chopin, I. J. Paderewski and K. Szymanowski, as well as an album of piano works by contemporary composer W. Czepiel. She also has recorded works by W. A. Mozart, J. Haydn, R. Schumann, P. Tchaikovsky and C. Debussy. On the occasion of the 187th birthday of the composer, she recorded a Chopin recital for Polish Television. She has also recorded recitals of Chopin’s works for the Polish Radio “Mercury” in Poznań and the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw.

In recent years, the artist has premiered three piano concertos: Krzesimir Dębski’s Piano Concerto No. 4 “Oxygenophilic Sounds” with the CoOperate Orchestra under the composer’s baton; Zbigniew Kozub’s Piano Concerto with the Sinfonietta Pomerania Orchestra under the baton of Tadeusz Dixa; and Janusz Stalmierski’s Piano Concerto “Witraż czasu” (composed for the 100th anniversary of the Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań) with the Poznań Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jakub Chrenowicz.

Joanna Marcinkowska is a chairperson and jury member for many piano competitions. She has conducted numerous masterclasses and piano workshops both domestically and internationally, with locations including China, Texas and Vietnam. Her students and pupils have been awarded first prizes at national and international piano competitions, including those held in China, Germany, Russia and Italy.

In recognition of her accomplishments, she has been honoured with several prestigious awards, including Medal Młodej Sztuki (the Young Art Medal), Zasłużony dla Kultury Polskiej (Merit for Polish Culture) and Srebrny Krzyż Zasługi (the Silver Cross of Merit). Furthermore, she was the proud recipient of the Marshall of Wielkopolska Region prize, as well as awards bestowed by the Rector of the Academy of Music in Poznań.