The Fortepiano Atelier Ensemble performs piano chamber music on historical instruments. It was founded in 2022, and its first concert featured piano quintets, a genre that has remained central to the ensemble's repertoire. However, the musicians also perform duets, trios, quartets, and septet.
The ensemble is part of the Fortepiano Atelier Society that provides a concert platform for musicians performing on period instruments. This year, the Society launched a period piano festival, which will take place in October in Wiśnicz.
The history of the ensemble is also tied to travel; they have performed at events such as the Bach Festival Świdnica, the Young Early Music Festival, the Early Music Festival in Utrecht and in venues like Fortepianarium and the Kraków Philharmonic. The changing lineup of the ensemble stimulates growth. Over time, the following musicians joined the ensemble: Szymon Strzelczyk, Katarzyna Anna Olszewska (violin), Natalia Reichert (viola), Aleksandra Buczyńska-Kusak, Julianna Vinci, Anna Cierpisz, Matylda Adamus (cello), Tami Krausz (traverso), Alvaro Iborra (clarinet), Gilles Vanssons (oboe), Krzysztof Stencel (natural horn) and the ones performing today:
Bartłomiej Fraś
A laureate of many violin competitions and a two-time scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (in 2016 and 2020), as well as a scholarship holder of the „Młoda Polska" scholarship in 2021. His current work focuses on historical performance practice. He performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician. He regularly collaborates with {oh!} Orchestra, the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra and Capella Cracoviensis. He performed at festivals such as Bach Festival in Świdnica, Actus Humanus, Chopin and His Europe and the Early Music Festival in Utrecht. This year, his album featuring violin duets by Duranowski and Lolli, recorded together with Martyna Pastuszka, was released.
Dymitr Olszewski
“When he was studying, together with Aureliusz Goliński, the founder and head of Arte dei Suonatori, they decided that they were only interested in Baroque music, and since they couldn’t learn it at the Music Academy, they simply dropped out and studied musicology, formed a group, and educated themselves with invited guests from the music world.” - Dorota Szwarcman, POLITYKA.
“A phenomenal violist” - Maja Korbut, Dziennik Bałtycki.
Dymitr Olszewski is currently primarily associated with the {oh!} Orchestra.
Krzysztof Karpeta
Krzysztof Karpeta - cellist, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, cultural animator. The musician conducts extensive concert activities, performing repertoire from the Renaissance to contemporary music and jazz. He specializes in playing stringed instruments - he plays both contemporary and historical cellos, as well as viola da gamba, violone and bass guitar. The artist's interests are very wide, he is active in parallel on all levels, which means that he is often invited to cooperate in various projects both in Poland and abroad. Krzysztof Karpeta holds a PhD in art and conducts intensive teaching activities, both at school and university level. His knowledge and teaching methods are appreciated by a wide range of teachers. In 2023, he received the „Badge of Merit for Polish Culture”. The artist teaches cello and chamber music at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław.
Rafał Gorczyński
A graduate of the Music Academies in Katowice and Kraków, he also refined his skills at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He plays the early double bass, modern double bass, viola da gamba, and violone. He regularly collaborates with Capella Cracoviensis and the Kore Orchestra. With Capella Cracoviensis, he recorded an album featuring works by Adam Jarzębski and music from the Polish court of the Vasa dynasty. Since 2018, he has co-organized the Music in Old Kraków Festival. He also shares his passion for music as an educator.
Eliza Pawłowska
Pianist and founder of the Fortepiano Atelier Society and its Festival of Period Pianos. She owes her interest in historical performance to Katarzyna Drogosz, Petra Matějová, and Marek Toporowski. An enthusiastic admirer of square pianos. Today she performs on her 19th-century Broadwood, which often accompanies her on concert tours.
