The Karkowska
Sisters Duo
A nationally and
internationally acclaimed ensemble, has been praised by the press for
performing “Virtuoso pieces with virtuoso accompaniment” (Union Journal, Chicago) and “telling fantastic stories with music
that literally takes ones breath away” (Fairmont Chamber Music Society). The
sisters have performed both in North America and Europe, always meeting with
raving reviews and standing ovations. Their debut at Carnegie Hall, a tribute
to benefit victims of the national tragedy at the World Trade Center on
September 11, was an unmitigated success crowned with standing ovations and
encores.
The sisters have recorded
several programs for Polish and American TV and radio (Pegaz, Written by the
Bow, Harmonia Mundi, Karkowska Sisters Duo, Polvision Talk-Show). They also
appeared on PBS (Buffalo) and won many prestigious prizes and awards, including
top prizes at the National Competitions in Poland, the First Prize at the
International Competition at the Aspen Music Festival, Colorado, and at the
WGUC International Radio Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The duo has performed at some
of the most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York City,
Gusman Center for Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, the Ford Community and Performing
Arts Center in Dearborn, Michigan, and many others. They held concerts at the
special request of the Governor of Kentucky (Henry’s Clay Award Ceremony) and
His Imperial and Royal Highness Prince Henri Constantine Paleologue. They also
performed at the special event organized by UNICEF to raise funds for the
children of Guatemala.
The Karkowska Sisters Duo is also playing an active role in music education. They have already performed and lectured for more than one hundred thousand young listeners in United States to a great success
the violinist “destined for stardom”. Anna described by Daniel Barenboim as “a very
gifted young violinist” was born in Lodz, Poland, and made her successful solo
debut at the age fifteen at the prestigious String Masters Festival with
Zielona Gora Philharmonic playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. Among her many
prizes and awards are: the First Prize at the International
Competition at the Aspen Music Festival, Colorado, the First
Prize at the WGUC Radio Station International Competition (twice) and
one of the most precious awards for a violinist: a loan of Guarneri del Gesu,
"Sennhauser" from the elite Stradivari Society.
Anna is the only violinist born in Poland to be awarded by this prestigious
organization whose previous laureates have been Sara Chang, Gil Shaham or Maxim
Vengerov. She has also received the Dorothy Starling Foundation Scholarship,
Satterwaite Scholarship, G.M. Grunin Prize and J.S. and Barbara P. Johnson
Scholarship, as well as Top Prizes at the National Competitions for Young
Talented Violinists in Poland (Lodz, Lublin, Elblag, Olsztyn, and others).
Anna
has already performed as a soloist with many orchestras including the
Penderecki Festival Orchestra, the Lexington Philharmonic, Sinfonia Cracovia,
the Polish-American Symphony Orchestra, the Deaborn Symphony Orchestra,
Paderewski Symphony Orchestra, the Fairmont Chamber Orchestra and the Starling
Orchestra, and in many prestigious venues including the Carnegie
Hall, Lincoln Center, the Gusman Center for Performing Arts and the Ford
Performing Arts Center (to mention only few) to a great success.
A
special chapter in her career are the following performances: the concert for
the Fulbright Foundation Gala at the National Grand
Theater in Warsaw, Poland, with the Penderecki Festival Orchestra, for the Eightieth Birthday of Pope John Paul II in Chicago, IL,
with the Polish-American Symphony Orchestra, for the governor of Kentucky at
the celebration of Henry Clay Award, for the UNICEF as a benefit for children
in Guatemala, Miami, Fl, for His Imperial and Royal Highness Prince Henri
Constantine Paleologue, and for the Panasonic Foundation Conference, Colorado
Springs, CO. Her performances have won the hearts of audiences and press.
Anna
is a graduate of Wieniawski Music Highschool. Lodz Poland (the violin class of
Zenon Ploszaj), College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, OH (Bachelor of
Music, recipient of a full scholarship and a special award in the form of a
stipend for living, the violin class of Piotr Milewski), and of the prestigious
Juilliard School of Music in New York City (Master
of Music, recipient of full scholarship, the violin class of Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang).
She
has recorded several programs for Polish National
Television and Radio (Pegaz, Harmonia Mundi, Karkowska Sisters Duo, Written by
the Bow), appeared on PolVision (Chicago) and PBS Buffalo
Her
talent was recognized and aided by letters of recommendation from the famous
musicians of our times : Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, and Krzysztof
Penderecki
Kasha “a superbly talented young pianist,” so exclaimed David Mulbury, DMA, FAGO, University of Cincinnati. Kasha was born in Lodz, Poland. After graduating at the top of her class from Wieniawski Music High School, she studied shortly at the Lodz Academy of Music. However, Bronislawa Kawalla invited Miss Karkowska to continue her studies at Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, and Kasha earned her Masters of Arts majoring in piano solo performance from this prestigious institution.
While at the Chopin Academy,
she won awards for her music and scholastic achievements. In Warsaw, besides
studying solo piano, she became an avid chamber music player, playing in a
variety of chamber music groups. She also participated as an accompanist at the
prestigious international music summer festivals in Zagan and Lancut, Poland.
She has become an acclaimed chamber music performer. Kasha has appeared on Polish and American TV and radio as a part
of the Karkowska Sisters Duo.