mgr Malwina Tkaczyk
Graduate of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice in the viola class of Professor Piotr Szumiel and postgraduate studies in the chamber music class of Professor Arkadiusz Kubica and Assistant Professor Marek Moś.
She has performed several times as a soloist, including with the Silesian Philharmonic – in 2011 under the direction of Miroslaw Jacek Blaszczyk and in 2016 under the baton of Massimiliano Caldi. In November 2014, as part of the ‘Środa Młodych’ series, she performed a recital with piano accompaniment at the Chamber Hall of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice. Two years later, she performed again on the same stage, presenting Sofia Gubaidulina’s chamber repertoire.
She is a laureate of many auditions and competitions, both national and international. Her most important achievements include 2nd prize at the National Violin and Viola Class Auditions in Warsaw (Poland, 2010), 2nd prize and the special prize ‘Musica Arvensis’ at the 14th International Competition of Bohdan Warchal in playing the bow string instruments in Dolny Kubin (Slovakia, 2010), 1st prize at the 2nd International String Instruments Competition in Elbląg (Poland, 2011), 1st prize at the 16th International Competition of Bohdan Warchal in playing the bow string instruments in Dolny Kubin (Slovakia, 2012), 2nd prize at the XV International Chamber Music Review in Jawor (Poland, 2013), 1st prize at the 15th Valsesia Musica Juniores International Competition Monterosa – Kawai Prize in Varallo Sesia (Italy, 2014), 1st prize at the 10th International Musica Insieme Competition in Musile di Piave (Italy, 2015), Finalist title at the 2nd Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music 2021 in Rzeszów (Poland, 2021).
She has received numerous awards and scholarships for her achievements, including the OFAM (2008-2009, 2010-2011), the Scholarship of the Mayor of the City of Świętochłowice (2009-2017), the Rector of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice (2012-2016), the Minister of Science and Higher Education (2012-2014), the Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2014) and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage’s scholarship programme for young artists “Młoda Polska 2020”.
Since 2019, he has been a co-founder of the Airis String Quartet, which is the winner of the prestigious programme for 38 string quartets from all over Europe, MERITA Project 2023-2025. The ensemble is actively touring, performing at many renowned festivals, such as the 36th Krakow International Festival Of Composers (2024, premiere of Maciej Jabłoński’s work ‘Festina lente. Hommage à Érasme de Rotterdam for two accordions and string quartet‘), the Silesian Tribune of Composers 2023 Festival (Katowice, 2023, premiere performance of Adam Potera’s composition ‘Love without Tomorrow’ and Bartosz Witkowski’s ‘Es gab stille satze’), the 8th Music Festival TRZY-CZTE-RY. Contexts. Contrasts. Confrontations. (Warsaw, 2023, premiere of Anna Ignatowicz-Glińska’s work ‘Suite for clarinet and string quartet’ with clarinettist Krzysztof Zbijowski), Creator’s Labyrinth – Krzysztof Penderecki in memoriam as part of the Krzysztof Penderecki Festival in Warsaw (2023), 40th International Festival Przemyska Jesień Muzyczna (2023, premiere of Przemysław Scheller’s piece Sensation of an Elusive Observation), concerts from the series HEAR, SEE, FEEL, EXPRESS – mindfulness journey as part of the MERITA programme 2023-2025 (e.g. Megchelen, the Netherlands; Quartetissimo Festival in Fehérvárcsurgó, Hungary), XXXIV International Festival of Young Laureates of Music Competitions in Katowice (2022), XXXII Adam Didur Festival in Sanok (2022, premiere of the composition ‘Clouds’ by Jakub Borodziuk with mezzo-soprano Magda Niedbała-Solarz), 11th EMANATIONS Festival (2022), KaTonacje Festival 2022, 44th Karol Szymanowski Music Days in Zakopane (2021), Opera Rara Festival (2021), 7th Kraków Musical Autumn (2020), 20th International Salesian Summer Festival in Przemyśl (2020), XXIX International Festival of Young Laureates of Music Competitions (Zakopane 2019, premiere of ‘Mistic Circles’ by Miłosz Bembinow with saxophonist Bartłomiej Duś).
The quartet has a diverse phonographic output. Among others, it co-produces the album Déjà vu, which includes the compositions Ludvig van/Ludvig Fun by Renāte Stivriņa and the organ concerto Hommage à Haendel by Henryk Jan Botor (organ – Daniel Prajzner). In 2022, the quartet made a recording of Anders Koppel’s work ‘Concerto for Mandolin and String Quartet’ with mandolinist Alon Sariel, and also collaborated with the artist on Clark Nichols’ doctoral album, featuring the composition “Invocation and Verses” for string quartet and mandolin (2022). Together with the duoAccosphere, the ensemble also recorded Wojciech Ziemowit Zych’s piece ‘The Ray of Ultimate Whiteness’, which was included on the album ‘Accosphere – new accordion chamber music’ (2022).