
KARINA
SOSNOWSKA
VIOLIN

-
EDUCATIONMaster of Music (2021-2023) Conservatorium van Amsterdam prof. Eliot Lawson, Shunske Sato, Antoinette Lohmann Bachelor of Music (2017-2021) Conservatorium van Amsterdam prof. Eliot Lawson, Johannes Leertouwer, Antoinette Lohmann I and II Grade Music School (2004-2017) Gdynia, Poland prof. Małgorzata Skorupa, Agnieszka Świątkowska, Marzena Termen
-
EXPERIENCEORCHESTRAS/ENSEMBLES Luthers Bach Ensemble - Replaçant (2024) Holland Baroque - Samama Fellowship (2023-2024) Orchestra of the 18th Century - Replaçant (2023-now) Zemlinsky Chamber Orchestra (2020, 2023 concertmaster) Jong Metropole (2022) Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra (2022) Utrecht Company of Music - Replaçant (2022) Nationaal Jeugdorkest (2020-2021) Neue Philharmonie Munchen (2020) Baltic Sea Philharmonic (2019) Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht (2018-now) CHAMBER MUSIC Merla String Quartet (2022-now) Quartet with a Twist (2020-now) duo with Michał Skowronek (piano) (2011-2016)
-
ACHIEVEMENTS3rd Prize on Primuz International Strings Competition in category IV 2021 Multiple awards on national and international solo and chamber music competitions in Poland 2011-2016
-
LANGUAGESPolish English Dutch
Karina Sosnowska (1998) is a Polish violinist currently based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Studying from the age of six, she completed 13 years of musical education in Music School in Gdynia, including several years with prof. Małgorzata Skorupa. Karina then pursued her Bachelor and Master’s degree in Conservatorium van Amsterdam, with prof. Eliot Lawson, Antoinette Lohmann and Shunske Sato.
She became involved in the historical performance of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music already as a teenager, with early music ensembles Erato and Incalzando in Gdynia. Having studied both modern and historical violin, she specializes in the historically informed performance practice of 18th and 19th century music and performs with various early music ensembles based in the Netherlands. She received coachings from Johannes Leertouwer, Alexander Janiczek and Clive Brown.
Karina has won awards in many international and Poland-wide competitions for solo and chamber music performances. Her most recent achievement was 3rd Prize in the Primuz International Strings Competition 2021. She has received five scholarships for artistic achievements from the Mayor of the city of Gdynia.
As a lover of diversity in music performance, Karina has performed with the Baltic Sea Philharmonic, an orchestra which plays their entire programs from memory and currently works with Quartet With A Twist, a group that focuses on pop and jazz string quartet arrangements, bringing warmth and
entertainment to their audiences.
Karina plays a Johannes Theodorus Cuypers violin from 1767 on a generous loan from the Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds.

CONCERTS

QUARTET WITH A TWIST
Quartet With A Twist is a string quartet based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, composed of an international group of young professionals. Forming in 2020, the quartet saw a gap in the market for specialised live event and wedding music.
The ‘Twist’ in Quartet With A Twist’s name stands for their unique instrumentation – instead of the standard two violins, viola and cello, the cello has been replaced with a double bass! As a result, Quartet With A Twists sound is unique and sets them apart from other string quartets.

MERLA QUARTET
Merla Quartet was established in 2022 and comprises master students of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. The ensemble features members of three different nationalities–Katarzyna Denkiewicz-Stawujak and Karina Sosnowska from Poland, Jonas Krebs from Switzerland and Xander Baker from England.
They have received coaching from Viola de Hoog and Johannes Leertouwer. Connected by their love for historically informed performance practice, they are approaching 18th & 19th Century repertoire and looking for their own fresh interpretations. In May 2023 they performed concerts during “Festival de Saintes” organised by Abbaye Aux Dames.