the british school - Nord Anglia Education

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
Arkadiusz Aries Niezgoda - guitar and piano teacher
Arkadiusz Aries Niezgoda is an experienced guitar and piano
teacher, composer with many years of experience in teaching.
Arkadiusz graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Musicology at the
University of Warsaw and then went on to teach music at aprivate
music school in Los Angeles for three years. He has been teaching
guitar and piano for the last 2 years in Warsaw. His main
teaching philosophy is to support students in reaching their goals
by having fun and developing a passion towards music. Arek
(short for Arkadiusz) offers lessons on : electric guitar, classical
guitar, acoustic guitar and piano.
Arkadiusz Aries Niezgoda is a composer whose music has been released on albums, broadcast on
TV stations (Opener for Business Information on Polsat News) and in print as musical scores.
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.
www.thebritishschool.pl
THE BRITISH SCHOOL
Warsaw, Poland
Antonina Golachowska - oboe teacher
Antonina Golachowska is a student at the Frederic Chopin
University of Music in Warsaw. She graduated from the Grazyna 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 Lutosławski Płock Symphony Orchestra’ and ‘The Band of the
Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of Warsaw University’. Playing 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 departments 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 thorough 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) containing 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 musician with major Polish artists such as Maryla Rodowicz, Kasia Kowalska, Natalia Kukulska, Wojtek 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 market 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
THE BRITISH SCHOOL
Warsaw, Poland
Jan Harasimowicz - trumphet 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 Varsovia Orchestra. Teaching and working with
children gives him satisfaction and pleasure.
Dorota Jankowska - cello teacher
Dorota Jankowska has played cello for 18 years, after being inspired by her
parents who are also musicians. She completed her secondary studies at a specialist music school and has since been playing in a string quartet for the past 5
years. She enjoys playing classical music, film music, jazz and pop, but particularly likes chamber music. She has recently completed a degree in Cultural
Studies at The University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
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 saxophone 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
Anna Kowalik - piano teacher
Ms. Anna Kowalik is a piano and harpsichord player. She graduated from the F. Chopin Academy of
Music in Warsaw and went on to study at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. She was also
awarded the Fondation des Treilles scholarship, in France and has received awardes at Festival of Polish
Piano Music in Słupsk.
Ms. Kowalik is an experienced and competent piano teacher. She has completed post-graduate studies in
piano pedagogy at the F. Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. She says: “My work at the British School
began in 1999. With my students I put emphasis on mastering good piano technique and developing musical imagination and sensitivity. I successfully employ the Oxford Piano Method for beginners. I prepare
my students for the ABRSM examinations (more than 20 diplomas have been obtained under my guidance).”
Ms. Kowalik is a certified music teacher. She works at the Warsaw Ballet School and at a primary music
school. Her great passion is early music and Renaissance and Baroque dances.
Magdalena Lapinska - flute teacher
Magdalena Lapinska is a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of
Music in Warsaw. She has participated in numerous masterclases led by
eminent flutists including Prof.P-LGraf, Prof.B Garner, S.Louvion and
Dr.M Nastasi. Magdalena is the laureate of a number of nationwide and
regional contests including the Nationwide Flute Festival in Sochaczew,
Woodwinds Musical Meetings in Warsaw and the Nationwide Young Instrumentalists Contest in Jaslo. She appears regularly as a soloist and
chamber musician in Poland and abroad and she regularly collaborates with
the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
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 students. 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 (Sweden) 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