dr Mateusz Kowalski – viola da gamba
Mateusz Kowalski initially learned viola da gamba at Krakow Conservatory with Kazimierz Pyzik. In 2004 he started studies at the Academy of Music in Krakow in Marcin Zalewski’s class, obtaining M.A. with honors in 2009. As a part of his studies he spent one year in The Royal Conservatoire in the Hague studying with Philippe Pierlot and Rainer Zipperling. He participated in masterclasses with Mark Caudle, Paolo Pandolfo, Marianne Muller and Petr Wagner and orchestral projects with Jacques Ogg and Manfredo Cordes.
He performs as a soloist and chamber musician in Poland and abroad (Australia, Italy, Spain, Netherlands – fringe concerts at the Utrecht Early Music Festival, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia – Festival Brezice). He is a regular member of Floripariensemble from the Royal Castle Wawel in Krakow specializing in renaissance music and he works with other ensembles – Consortium Sedinum, Camerata Cracovia, Ars Cantus– all over the Poland. He cooperates also with early dance group Cracovia Danza andLithuanian Brevis Consort. With viol trio The Gambassy he was awarded the first price at the International Contest for Early Music Ensembles Żory 2012.
Apart from his activity as an instrumentalist he is also a director of early music vocal ensemble Perfugium that concentrates mainly on Polish religious repertoire of XVI and XVII centuries and traditional songs of the Church in Poland. With this ensemble he released five CD’s. He cooperates with Dominican Institute for Liturgy participating in recordings and leading workshops of liturgical music.
As a member of the vocal group The Lute Guild directed by lute player Antoni Pilch, he performed at many prestigious events – Festival Trialogos in Tallin, Festival d’Ile de France, Septembre Musical de l’Orne, Polish pavilion at the Expo Exhibition (Hanover 2000), concerts for the Polish Consulate in Barcelona among others.