Biogram
Legend Piano Trio was founded in 2017 by students and graduates from Academies of Music in Kraków and Katowice. Currently the ensemble is studying at Kunstuniversität in Graz in the chamber music class of Prof. Chia Chou. Trio won the 1 st prize at 26 th International Johannes Brahms Competition in Pörtschach in 2019, the 2 nd prize at 17 th International Johannes Brahms Chamber Music Competition in Gdańsk in 2018 and received the honourable mention at 2 nd International Stanisław Moniuszko Competition of Polish Music in Rzeszów in 2021.
Read more
The ensemble took part in masterclasses led by Guarneri Trio Prague (during Mendelssohn Musikwoche in Wengen in Switzerland and Landeskunde Musikakademie in Schlitz in Germany). Musicians also worked together under the tutelage of Ulrich Koella, Stephan Goerner, Ida Bieler, Charles Richard-Hamelin, François Dumont, Maria Szwajger- Kułakowska, Wiesław Kwaśny, Kaja Danczowska. During the pandemic they performed on-line recitals (within Polish Music Experience and Partnership for Music 2.0 projects, ÖHome Kunstuniversität Graz concert series and at 30th International Festival of Young Music Competition Laureates ). Thanks to the musical versatility and passion of the artists, the concert offer of Trio Legend is diverse and varied. The repertoire of the ensemble consists of music from various periods, both Polish and foreign.
Who we are?
Members of Trio Legend
Piano
Violin
Cello
Agnieszka
Agnieszka Zahaczewska-Książek graduated from Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków in 2015 (in the class of Prof. Stefan Wojtas). She completed postgraduate studies in Prof. Wojciech Świtała’s class and doctoral studies in the chamber music class of Prof. Maria Szwajger-Kułakowska at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. She has been a doctor of arts since 2022. She was developing her skills in chamber music under the tutelage of Prof. Kaja Danczowska, Prof. Justyna Danczowska and Prof. Sławomir Cierpik. In 2015 as a member of piano quintet she got the 3 rd prize at 3 rd National Chamber Competition in Bydgoszcz. She is a member of Książek Piano Duo (together with Krzysztof Książek). In 2021 the ensemble won the 1st prize at 2 nd International Stanisław Moniuszko Competition of Polish Music in Rzeszów. In 2019 they won 2 nd prize and special prize at 21 st International Schubert Competition for Piano Duos in Jesenik. They were also finalists and got a special prize at 3 rd S. Szörenyi International Duo Competition in Bucharest. In 2020 the first CD of the ensemble was released (with suites for two pianos by Arensky and Rachmaninoff). The pianist was a holder of Młoda Polska scholarship. She is currently working as an accompanist at Violin and Viola Faculty at the Academy of Music in Kraków.
Krzysztof
He has won prizes at several dozen competitions, as a violinist, a chamber musician as well as a pianist. Graduated with honours from Music School in Bielsko-Biała with Krzysztof Stolarz and Professor Wiesław Kwaśny’s class in the Academy of Music in Kraków. His education was complemented by master classes with J. Stanienda, T. Tomaszewski, R. Baldini, R. Honeck and A. Margulis. Work in ensembles with Professor Kaja Danczowska took an important role in the artists development. Recognition of the musicians work was reflected in the granting of a scholarship by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and a scholarship from the Młoda Polska programme for the year 2021 for the recording and release of the debut album by Trio Legend. Krzysztof Katana moves freely between genres of classical and popular music. He enthusiastically promotes Polish music – he performed Juliusz Zarębski’s Piano Quintet at the Aurora Chamber Music Festival in Sweden (as part of the “Polish culture worldwide” programme), as well as Karol Szymanowski works at the Music in Old Lviv festival. He undertakes premieres of contemporary music on the occasion of the “Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music. Since November 2021 he works as a musician of the 1st violin group in the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. He has also started his pedagogical work by serving as an assistant trainee at the Department of Chamber Music of the Academy of Music in Cracow.
Monika
Laureate of the Młoda Polska scholarship programme of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. In 2017, she graduated with distinction from the master’s studies in the class of prof. D. Połonski at the K. Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków. She developed her skills at masterclasses, working under such cellists as M. Jerie, W. E. Schmidt, W. Boettcher, D. de Williencourt, M. Zeuthen, A.Meneses, K. Heidrich. In 2018 she started her doctoral studies at the Academy of Music in Cracow under the supervision of prof. J. Kalinowski. Then she also started her teaching activity giving the cello class at her alma mater. As a chamber musician and soloist, she has taken part in numerous festivals, including the Warsaw Autumn Festival, Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw, Emanacje Festival in Lusławice, Guimaraes Classico Festival in Portugal, Aurora Chamber Music Festival in Sweden, Sacrum Profanum in Krakow. In 2016, she was qualified to participate in the Academy of G. Mahler in Bolzano, while a year later she worked with the Scharoun Ensemble (Berliner Philharmoniker) during the Summer Academy of Music at the K. Penderecki European Music Centre in Lusławice. She has performed with such orchestras as Sinfonietta Cracovia, Beethoven Academy Orchestra. NFM in Wrocław, Polish Art Philharmonic, Baltic Neopolis Orchestra performing under the baton of such conductors as Sir N. Marriner, K. Penderecki, M. Pintsher, J. Axelrod, J. Maksymiuk, A. Wit.