The Sinfonia Varsovia String Quintet includes an entire family of string instruments: two violins, a viola, a cello, and a double bass. The ensemble is made up of concertmasters and the leaders of the string section of the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra: Anna Maria Staśkiewicz (1st violin), Kamil Staniczek (2nd violin), Katarzyna Budnik (viola), Marcel Markowski (cello), and Michał Sobuś (double bass). The ensemble was formed in 2015. Since then, it has performed both in Poland and abroad, including at the International Festival of Contemporary Music “Warsaw Autumn,” as well as abroad: in Niigata and Tokyo in Japan, at the the Festival de la Vézère, and at the Festival Chopin in Nohant, France. It has also collaborated with renowned soloists, including Alexandre Kantorow, François Dumont, and Miroslav Kultyshev. In 2019, Warner Classics released the debut album of the ensemble, entitled Sinfonia Varsovia String Quintet.
The artists navigate with ease a varied repertoire of classical, Romantic, and contemporary music. The works of Polish composers of the 20th and 21st century, especially by Krzysztof Penderecki – the musical and artistic director of Sinfonia Varsovia between 1997 and 2020 – occupy pride of place in the ensemble’s repertoire. Audiences and critics alike appreciate the harmonious sound, fresh interpretations, and musical imagination of the quintet.
