dr hab. Justyna Duda-Krane
Graduate of the Academy of Music in Kraków 1997; in 1993, along with her friends, she founded DAFO quartet. In the years 1997–2004, she studied along with the quartet in Stuttgart, in Melos Quartet’s master class, continuing also individual studies in the class of violin led by Professor Wilhelm Melcher. Her artistic activity is connected mainly with DAFO Quartet. The ensemble has participated in numerous master classes with Kwartet Śląski, Quartetto Italiano, Melos Quartet, Borodin Quartet and Tokyo Quartet; it has been awarded in many international competitions, including the First Prizes in the K. Bacewicz Chamber Music Competition in Łódź (1995), the V. Bucchi International 20th-century Music Competition in Rome (1995), the D. Shostakovich International String Quartet Competition in St. Petersburg (1996), the K. Penderecki International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music (1997), the String Quartet Competition in Katowice (1998). DAFO Quartet is often invited by the organisers of renowned music festivals such as the Schleswig Holstein Festival, Kissinger Sommer Festival, Obersdorfer Musiksommer Festival, Warszawska Jesień, Kwartet Śląski i Jego Goście, Sachsen Musikfest, Accademia Chigiana, Boden See, Ludwigsburger Musikfestspiele and the festival of Krzysztof Penderecki’s music in Armenia. For many years, the ensemble played 18th– and 19th-century French instruments from the Baden-Württemberg collection of string instruments. The phonographic output of DAFO Quartet consists of a double album released by the Bosch Foundation featuring the cellist of Melos Quartet Peter Buck, two CDs from the series “20th-century Polish String Quartets” recorded for Polish phonographic label DUX / PWM. Another important experience was the Quartet’s participation in the European tour of American rock band LAMBCHOP. Since 2005, Justyna Duda-Krane has been collaborating with the Sinfonietta Cracovia orchestra conducted by Robert Kabara. Since 2007, she has been employed at the Academy of Music in Kraków at the Faculty of Chamber Music.