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Anna Banaś, cello
Anna Banaś is a distinguished cellist, acclaimed both as a soloist and chamber musician. She earned her Master's degree with the highest distinction, receiving top marks and honorary recognition, and in 2023 she was awarded a Doctorate from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice.
She has refined her artistry under the mentorship of renowned pedagogues, including Kazimierz Michalik, Arto Noras, Ivan Monighetti, Mischa Maisky, Miklós Perényi, Rohan de Saram, Michael Flaksman, and Wolfgang Mehlhorn.
Anna made her solo debut at the age of 15 with the Polish Youth Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Poland and Denmark, and has since performed extensively across Europe and South America. She has collaborated with prestigious orchestras such as the Silesian Philharmonic, Łódź Philharmonic, Zabrze Philharmonic, AUKSO Chamber Orchestra of Tychy, Orquesta Sinfónica de Loja, Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca, Orchestra da Camera "Città di Fondi," Orchestra da Camera di Venosa, and Orquesta Sinfónica Municipal de Mar del Plata.
During her artistic career, she has received numerous prizes at international competitions. Her achievements include multiple solo and chamber music awards in competitions held among others in Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań, Dąbrowa Górnicza, as well as in Italy and Canada, which have earned her scholarships and distinctions, including the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage "Young Poland" Scholarship, the Special Award of the Marshal of the Łódź Voivodeship, the Artistic Award of the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, the Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, and the "Wena" Award.
Throughout her artistic work, she has collaborated with recording labels and media such as DUX, Brilliant Classics, Ars Sonora, Radio RAI, and Radio Szczecin, recording in Studio S1 and with PR Katowice.
She has also performed at prominent festivals, including the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Aurora Chamber Music Festival, Szczecin Classic Festival, Tracce Festival, and Rome Chamber Music Festival.
Since 2018, she has been a cello lecturer at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. Her pedagogical talent is also highly regarded in the context of masterclasses, which she regularly conducts both in Poland and abroad.