THE BRITISH SCHOOL Warsaw, Poland Instrumental and Vocal Teaching Programme, staff biographies Ritchie Palczewski - guitar teacher The ability to play the acoustic, electric and classical guitar, composing, arranging, gaining self-confidence, dealing with stage fright, developing teamwork in the studio and on the stage. These are all the valuable things you can learn with me. My knowledge comes from 20 years of music experience in the studio and on stage. I have been working as a peripatetic music teacher at The British School, Warsaw since 2005. I specialize in teaching guitar to children and teenagers between the ages of 6 and 18. In 2004, I received a Master’s degree in Philosophy at the Jagellonian University and I completed additional pedagogical studies, which provided me the skills to work with children and teenagers. Besides teaching the guitar, I also teach philosophy in middle school and high school.Visit me on: www.facebook.com/ritchie.palczewski Keep rockin‘ ;) Ritchie Palczewski Karina Gorka - piano teacher Karina Gorka has been playing the piano since the age of 7. She spent 12 years in ZPOSM im. G.Bacewicz no.3 in Warsaw before attending the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Karina studied the piano under the guidance of prof. J.Romaniuk and prof.E. Wolanin. Karina has a passion for chamber music and was a student of prof. K. Borzykowska – Jankowska. She is still an active pianist and soloist. She has played as a member of the orchestra with Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra and twice won the 1st price in IV and V “Spotkania Kamerlne w Sochaczewie” in duo with clarnettist P.Zawadzki. Karina is also interested in playing with double bass and has preformed with the most popular polish contrabassists, D.Mizera (the 1st double bassist in Opera in Zurich), Karina has been teaching music for several years. She has worked with a variety of age groups ranging from 5 to 30 years old. She currently works at a primary school in Warsaw. Karina recognizes that students learn differently and tailors her methods depending on the student’s needs. She also employs the use of a new method “The color notes” – which is an alternative way to learn notes, especially for the beginners. www.thebritishschool.pl THE BRITISH SCHOOL Warsaw, Poland Roberto Cura - piano teacher Roberto Cura has been playing the piano since the age of 11. As an ex-student of The British School, he passed both GCSE and IB Music. Roberto is currently a student at Warsaw Politechnica, and although classically trained with a particular love of Chopin, Roberto is an accomplished jazz pianist. As a result he can teach in a variety of styles. Roberto is keen to pass on his love of piano playing to others. Rafal Krauze - trombone teacher Rafal Krauze is a talented trombone player of many years’ experience. He is a Principal member of the Filharmonia Warminsko-Mazurska in Olsztyn and has appeared as a soloist with Torun Symphony Orchestra. He graduated at the Academy of Music in Cravoc with prof. Stolarczyk. Krauze is a laureate of several international competitions and the winner of a number of :Polish music competitions including; 2nd Price on Brass Competition in Brno (Czech Republic), 2nd Price on International Brass Festival in Mielec, 1st Price on Festival in Torun, 2nd Price on International Etuda Festival in Szczecin. Rafal is an active member of the Philharmonic, his work also includes collaborations with : Sir Neville Marriner, Krzysztof Penderecki, Gabriel Chmura, Antoni Witt, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Christian Lindberg. Piotr Zawadzki - clarinet teacher Piotr has been playing the clarinet for 15 years and he is eager to install the same passion for music to his stu- dents. He graduated from ZPOSM im. G.Bacewicz no.3 in Warsaw with diplomas in both clarinet and piano. He went on to study at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, University of Gothenburg (Swe- den) and Music Conservatory of Nice (France). He has also worked with prominent professors from around the world during summer courses. He now performs as a soloist, for the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra and teach at several schools. Piotr am particularly fond of playing in chamber groups (duos, trios). In private, he loves listening to jazz and contemporary classical music, learning new languages and reading shelves of books. www.thebritishschool.pl THE BRITISH SCHOOL THE BRITISH SCHOOL Warsaw, Poland Warsaw, Poland Antonina Golachowska - oboe teacher Antonina Golachowska is a student at the Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. She graduated from the Gra- zyna Bacewicz Music School in 2011 and has played the oboe for eight years. She is also an experienced piano player. Antonina currently works with several orchestras and ensembles including ‘The Witold Lu- tosławski Płock Symphony Orchestra’ and ‘The Band of the Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of Warsaw University’. Play- ing the oboe is Anotonina’s passion and she cannot imagine life without her instrument. She hopes to encourage children to play the oboe and teach them how to create amazing music on this instrument. Jolanta Pawlik - piano teacher Ms. Pawlik is a graduate of J. Elsner Secondary School of Music and the F. Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. She studied in the de- partments of piano and chamber music. Ms. Pawlik is the recipient of the F. Chopin Scholarship five years in a row. She is currently a lecturer-pianist at the F. Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and a piano teacher at The British School since 1993. Her specialisation is in the ABSRM piano examination system. Her pupils have obtained 23 ABSRM certificates. As an active concert pianist, her album with F.Schubert’s songs was nominated for the “Fryderyk 2013” award. Filip Rakowski - drum teacher Filip Rakowski is a drummer, educator, composer, arranger and lyricist. Filip graduated from music schools with diplomas certifying his thor- ough education in the piano and the classical drums classes. So far Filip has recorded and published two solo albums. His debut album titled “Autorytet” (released by Bertelsmann Music Group in year 2000) con- taining the hit single “Przesilenie” was nominated for Fryderyk 2000. His playing can be heard on over thirty albums of various Polish artists. During his artistic adventures Filip has cooperated as a session musi- cian with major Polish artists such as Maryla Rodowicz, Kasia Kowalska, Natalia Kukulska, Wo- jtek Pilichowski, Urszula Dudziak, Reni Jusis, Kaja Paschalska, Sidney Polak, Krzysztof “K.A.S.A.” Kasowski, Halina Mlynkowa, Kuba & Maciek Molęda, Paweł Mykietyn or Super Girl & Romantic Boys. He has also been involved in a number of advertising campaigns for some of the biggest mar- ket giants, such as McDonald’s, Nestlé or Coca Cola. He composed the music and wrote lyrics for the theme song used in the Polish commercial of Koral ice cream. Filip has given his performance at several prestigious national festivals, and as a popular “session musician”, is frequently invited to collaborate in a variety of artistic projects. www.thebritishschool.pl www.thebritishschool.pl THE BRITISH SCHOOL Warsaw, Poland Jan Harasimowicz - trumpet teacher Jan began playing the trumpet at the age of ten. He soon decided to dedicate his life to music and trumpet. After graduating from secondary school, Jan moved to United Kingdom where he studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire. During his studies, Jan worked with numerous orchestras and ensembles from the West Midlands, such as City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Royal Shakespeare Company. After graduating in 2007 from Birmingham Conservatoire , Jan moved to Warsaw where he finished his Master Degree and began working with a number of major Polish orchestras as well as started his teaching career. In 2010 Jan became a soloist of the Sinfonia Var- sovia Orchestra. Teaching and working with children gives him satisfaction and pleasure. Grażyna Mażys - Jankowska - cello teacher Grażyna is a graduate of cello at the Music Academy in Warsaw. She was on annual scholarship in France, playing and performing in the chamber orchestra Ensemble Instru- mental Andree Colson and has 35 years of professional artistic career, solo and ensemble, as well as 20- years of teaching. Grażyna has toured Europe and Asia, and made a number of recordings as a solist, chamber and orchestral musician. Currently, she is a teacher and manager of the String Instruments in ZPSM No 1 ( I and II degree Music High School) teaching students of all levels. Grażyna always wanted to learn to play chamber music and realised this dream by playing in numerous chamber orchestras as a solist and concertmaster. She is also passionate about jazz music, as a result of which she has played for many years in the piano trio Classic Band Trio which combines jazz with classical music. Rubén López Fernández - saxophone teacher Rubén López Fernández was born in 1988 in Seville. He started to play the saxophone at the age of 8 and later from 2000 until 2006 he studied at the Conservatory of Music Cristobal de Morales in Seville. He has participated in many masterclasses with distinguished saxo- phone players including Jose Antonio Santos Salas, Alfonso Padilla López, Miguel Garrido, Jesús Javier Librado, Miguel Romero Morán, Antonio Torres Zamora. From 2001-2006 he was a saxophonist in Wind Orchestra The Red Cross in Seville and from 2006-2009 he was conductor of this orchestra performing concerts in Andalusia and also Portugal. From 2009-2012 he was a saxophonist in the distinguised Banda de Música del Maestro Tejera and played a number of concerts throughout Spain with huge repertory from classical music, march’s to popular music like pasodoble. www.thebritishschool.pl THE BRITISH SCHOOL Warsaw, Poland Magdalena Lapinska - flute teacher Magdalena Lapinska is a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.