PhD Monika Kruk

She graduated from piano studies with a specialization in vocal coaching at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław. In 2012, she obtained a diploma in piano performance in the class of Dr. Michał Szczepański and in the chamber music class of Prof. Magdalena Blum. She is also a graduate of the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Song Studies in Warsaw. In 2019, she defended her doctoral thesis at her alma mater.

She is a laureate of many awards in both national and international chamber music competitions. She received the “Chopin 2010” award for the best chamber pianist during the 2nd Summer Singing Academy in Sopot and diplomas for outstanding accompaniment during many vocal and flute competitions (including the 4th National Vocal Competition in Drezdenko, the 17th Ada Sari International Vocal Art Competition in Nowy Sącz, the 1st Prof. Halina Słonicka International Vocal Art Competition in Suwałki, during the 9th and 11th National Vocal Competition named after L. Różycki in Gliwice, the 13th National Vocal Competition named after Franciszka Platówna in Wrocław, the International Competition “Stonavská Barborka” in the Czech Republic, the 6th National Vocal Competition named after Krystyna Jamroz in Kielce, the International Competition Pisňová soutěž B. Martinů in Prague, and during regional and macro-regional auditions for second-level music schools. She is also a laureate of many solo piano competitions. She honed her skills by participating in courses in instrumental, vocal, and chamber music interpretation in Poland and abroad under the guidance of outstanding professors, including Jerzy Marchwiński, Tomasz Herbut, Maciej Pikulski, Olga Pasiecznik, Jadwiga Rappe, Stephen Drury, Esther de Bros, and Ronan O'Hora.

Monika Kruk currently works as a pianist and accompanist at the Vocal Department of the Ryszard Bukowski State Music School in Wrocław and at her alma mater in the flute and singing classes. The pianist is invited as an accompanist and chamber musician to the Winter Vocal Courses in Duszniki-Zdrój and the Wratislavia Cantans Festival. For several years she collaborated with the National Forum of Music as part of the Polish National Youth Choir project. She has performed in the most important concert halls in Poland: the National Philharmonic, the National Forum of Music, the Łódź Philharmonic, the Częstochowa Philharmonic, the Lower Silesian Philharmonic and other important cultural institutions. In 2021, in collaboration with Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk (soprano) and Anna Bernacka (mezzo-soprano), she gave the world premiere of Mieczysław Wajnberg's songs to poems by Julian Tuwim and Adam Mickiewicz. She has collaborated with leading European flutists, including Aldo Baerten (Belgium), Mario Carollim (Freiburg), Paolo Taballione (Salzburg) and Carlo Jans (Luxembourg). The pianist is a member of the Association of Polish Chamber Musicians and vice-president of the Association of Artistic Initiatives “Mosty Kultury” (Bridges of Culture).