Malwina Sosnowski is undoubtedly an extraordinary artist whose passion for music knows no bounds. With her unparalleled virtuosity and unique charm, she has secured a firm place in the international music scene.
At a young age, Malwina Sosnowski performed as a soloist with the renowned Basel Symphony Orchestra, captivating audiences in prestigious concert halls in China, the Berlin Philharmonie, and the Tonhalle Zurich. However, she is also known for her exceptional performances in unconventional locations, whether it be on the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s traveling concert bus or in the mesmerizing live-electronic rendition of Pierre Boulez’s solo piece “Anthemes 2” in Hellerau Dresden.
Her musical journey has taken her throughout Europe, with highlights including appearances at the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Verbier Festival, and a live concert at the Festival de Radio France Montpellier. She has also performed in countries as distant as Japan, China, and the United States. As a sought-after concertmaster and soloist, she has collaborated successfully with renowned orchestras such as the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the German Chamber Orchestra Berlin, Swiss and U.S. university orchestras, and the Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingolstadt. Her repertoire spans from film music to classical works, showcasing her versatility and commitment to championing compositions by lesser-known female composers.
Malwina Sosnowski has also demonstrated her exceptional skills in the world of film. She recorded the violin parts for the films “Shana – The Wolfsmusic” (2014) and “972 Breakdowns” (2020), showcasing her versatility and sensitivity to different musical styles.
Music and nature are her true passions. With her project “Garden Concerts – by and with Malwina Sosnowski,” she has performed in over 70 gardens across Switzerland, bringing her violin directly into people’s homes. Hundreds of listeners have experienced these unique garden concerts and have been captivated by the distinctive atmosphere and intimacy of these events.
Her CD project “Sakura: Spring!” (Genuin/SWR), an album featuring Malwina Sosnowski and Benyamin Nuss, brings together the Japanese and European spring, showcasing captivating music by composers such as Germaine Tailleferre, Lili Boulanger, Benyamin Nuss, and Masashi Hamauzu. The recording was nominated in two categories at the 2022 Opus Klassik Awards.
Extended version
Classical music is her tradition – experimentation is her passion.
Journalist Werner Theurich from SpiegelOnline describes Malwina as “one of the most distinguished soloists in Switzerland.” Peter Fröhlich from New-Listener describes her playing as “an unburdened and curious approach to each individual phrase.” Her latest CD, “Sakura: Spring!” featuring works for violin and piano, was named CD of the week on Klassik-heute.de and has received recommendations from WDR Tonart, Radio France, and Swiss Radio and Television.
Youth
Born in Switzerland with Polish roots, Malwina entered the music academy in Basel as a young student. As a teenager, she won the Swiss Youth and Music Competition, the International Postacchini Violin Competition, and received awards from Credit Suisse, the municipality of Riehen, and the Verbier Festival Academy. At the age of 18, she embarked on a tour of China as a soloist with the Basel Symphony Orchestra and became a finalist in international violin competitions in the following years.
Education
She began her music studies at the Music Academy of Cologne/Aachen. In 2009, she obtained her bachelor’s degree and a special prize from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She completed her master’s degree, including the Tschumi Prize for the Best Graduation of the Year, at the Bern University of the Arts. This experience had a lasting impact on her: her teacher Benjamin Schmid, a renowned soloist and jazz violinist, is equally at home in various styles.
Experimental
Malwina explores new artistic realms. She recorded the violin part for the film “Shana – The Wolfsmusic,” which received the SUISA Film Music Award in 2015. She performed Pierre Boulez’s piece “Anthemes 2” for violin and live electronics with dancers (Hellerau Dresden, directed by Claudia Wagner). She improvises with the poet Jürg Halter in joint performances at prestigious music and literature festivals. In 2021, she played the violin part in the film “972 Breakdowns – auf dem Landweg nach New York.”
Tradition
However, classical music remains her mainstay. She performs as a soloist and passionate chamber musician in Europe and abroad. Highlights include solo performances of J.S. Bach’s violin concertos with the German Chamber Orchestra Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie and in Magdeburg. She has toured with youth symphony orchestras in Chile, Colombia, and Argentina. She has also performed with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, playing Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons” and C. Hartmann’s “Concerto funèbre 1949” at the Tonhalle Zurich. She enjoys chamber music performances at festivals such as Montpellier (Radio France), the Podium Festival Esslingen, and with Trio Schmuck in Germany.
Outlook
In 2021, in co-production with SWR and Genuin, the duo CD “Sakura: Spring!” was released. Together with pianist Benyamin Nuss, the violinist recorded pieces by L. Boulanger, L. van Beethoven, M. Hamauzu, B. Nuss, and composer G. Tailleferre. The Japanese cherry blossom, “Sakura,” was merged with the European spring.
If you would like to publish this CV or parts of it, please contact the artist via email: contact(at)malwinasosnowski.com
AWARD WINNER
- Transformation Grant for the Garden Concerts (Federal Office of Culture and City of Basel) 2023
- Grant from the Rahn Cultural Fund Zurich 2022
- Winner of the Rahn Cultural Fund Competition for String Players, 2013
- Milka Award for Hopefuls from the Curtis Institute of Music, Tschumi Prize Winner, Best Graduation from HKB/BFH, 2009 + 2012
- Verbier Festival Academy, Violin Award, 2009
- 3rd Prize at the International Tibor Varga Competition “Sion 2009”, under the patronage of Schlomo Mintz
- 1st Prize at the International “Andrea Postacchini” Violin Competition
- 3rd Prize at the International Violin Competition “Torun 2011”
- Scholarship and Loan from the PE-Förderkreis für Studierende Mannheim
- Support from Baumann Bank Basel and Dr. Baumann
- Fellow of the Pirolo Foundation
- Scholarship and Cultural Outreach from the Migros Kulturprozent
- Scholarship from the Ernst-Göhner Foundation
- Credit Suisse Maturandenpreis (High School Graduate Award)
COLLABORATIONS
Louis Schwizgebel-Wang, Nicolas Altstaedt, Kai Wessel, Marie Heeschen, Patrick Demenga, Vogler Quartet, Linus Roth, Lucie Horsch, Martin Klett, Graziella Contratto, Johannes Schläfli, Jürg Henneberger, Simon Gaudenz, Schlomo Mintz, Marco Letonja, Benjamin Nuss, Benjamin Nyffenegger, Bartek Niziol, Christian Altenburger, Benjamin Schmid, Sasha Rozdzestvensky, Moran Katz, Elena and Emmanuel Graf, Lisa Schatzmann, Robert Kolinsky, Lionel Cottet, Ramon Jaffe, Jan Szultesz, Nicolaj Gerassimez, and more
adcsound.ch
Benjamin Schmid
The Curtis Institute of Music
Christian Palm – Photographer
Jürg Halter
Zurich Chamber Orchestra
Benyamin Nuss
Davos Festival: Young Artists in Concert
Ida Kavafian
Louis Schwizgebel-Wang
Roman Lerch
Musik & Public Relations: Kathrin Hauser-Schmolck
Migros Kulturprozent Talentvermittlung
PE-Förderungen für Studierende der Musik e.V., Mannheim
Sussie Ahlburg – Photographer
Vogler Quartett
Rudolf Kelterborn
Shana – The Wolf’s Music (Movie)
