Violinist Romana Szczepaniak was born in Poznan, Poland where she studied at the Padarewski Music Academy. She than continued her musical journey at the Guildhal School of Music and Drama with Krzysztof Smietana and the Royal College of Music in class of Prof. Maciej Rakowski. During her studies in UK Romana was a holder of Scholarship by Prof. Barry Ife, Denis and Sylvia Forbes Scholarship and Baring Foundation Award. She is very grateful for the generous support of Zetland Foundation. Romana enjoys her career as a soloist, chamber musician, teacher and session orchestra player. She took part in many Music Festivals and Masterclasses in Europe and in the UK, having pleasure to perform in such a venues like Cadogan Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, St Johns Smiths Square, Kings Place. Romana is a winner of numerous competitions and awards – Musicians Benevolent Fund Postgraduate Performance Award (London, 2012,2013), a special award for outstanding performance of W. Lutoslawski Subito at the Kenneth Page Foundation (United Kingdom, 2011), 1st prize at the International Violin Competition in Pontivrea (Italy, 2007), 3rd prize at the International Violin Competition Premia Rok Jakaj (Italy, 2007) and 1st prize at the National String Competition in Poznan (Poland, 2003). As an orchestral musician she has played under the baton of Sir Colin Davis, Sir Roger Norrington, Peter Stark, Rowan Baker, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Jan Krenz, Jerzy Salwarowski, Karl Veen, Jan Holtrop, James Gaffigan, Grzegorz Nowak. She had a pleasure to be a member of London Symphony Orchestra, the Polish National Shymphony Orchestra, Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra and she regularly performs also as a soloist with SIlk Street Sinfonia. Romana has worked and received masterclasses from artists such as Leonid Kerbel, Peter Schuhmayer, Carole Presland, Mark Messenger, Hannah Dawson, Charles Owen, Caroline Palmer, Madeleine Mitchell, Martin Roscoe, Balcea Quartet and Sacconi Quartet. In May 2015 Romana started running new concert series St Johns Music together with her friend Joanna Jaga Klimaszewska.
Grzegorz Mania graduated with distinction from the Music Academy in Krakow, where he studied piano under Professor Stefan Wojtas. He is also a graduate (distinction) of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he was tutored by Martin Roscoe, Charles Owen and Caroline Palmer. Grzegorz is also a graduate of the Jagiellonian University, where he read law and recently obtained a PhD for a dissertation about music and copyright.
He works as a soloist, with orchestra, as an accompanist and chamber musician, as well as regularly duetting with Alicja Smietana, Romana Szczepaniak, Maria Slawek, violinists and Piotr Rozanski, pianist. He is a member of the Extra Sounds Ensemble – the group has recently recorded a CD for Solo Musica, Munchen with pieces by Corelli, Vivaldi, Schnittke and Kreisler.
Grzegorz played in many important halls and during many national and international festivals in Poland and abroad – UK, France, Austria, Italy, Norway, Iceland, Vietnam, Israel, USA. Performing at the International Chamber Music Workshops in Pulawy (Poland, 2003-2005), he has also been a finalist in a number of international solo and chamber competitions from 2002 to the present. He won numerous awards for an outstanding accompaniment during national and international instrumental competitions.
He has played in master-classes by, among others, Jerome Rose, Victor Rosenbaum, Wolfgang Redik, Tadeusz Gadzina, Anthony Spiri, Peter S. Buck, Piotr Reichert; and has received coaching from Alexander Baillie, Ewa Bukojemska, Krzysztof Smietana, Wieslaw Kwasny, Altenberg Trio, Alisdair Beatson, Carole Presland, Krzysztof Chorzelski and Jan Janski.
Grzegorz is a co-funder and president of the Polish Chamber Musicians’ Association. He is also a co-author of an innovatice sight-reading handbook for pianists published by prestigious PWM Edition, famous from its Chopin edition.
Free recital (retiring collection)