Karolina Stalmachowska - NOSPR

The first oboist and soloist of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice. Together with the orchestra, she has appeared in hundreds of symphonic concerts in Poland and abroad. She has also participated in making a wide range of commercial albums and archival recordings.

In 2021, she released her debut chamber music album featuring works by Jean Françaix (DUX). Two years later, she appeared as a guest on an album by the Silesian String Quartet (Chandos) with a quintet by Joachim Mendelson. The same year, she premiered an oboe quintet written especially for her by Adrian Robak, having premiered “The Girl” by Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa for oboe and mixed choir the year before. 

As a soloist, she has performed repeatedly with the NOSPR, the Polish Radio Choir, the Sinfonia Varsovia, and the Zielona Góra Philharmonic, taking part in symphonic concerts and festivals in Poland and abroad. Her festival appearances include La Folle Journée in Nantes (2009), the Ostrava Days Festival (2017), the XII Tarptautinis Šv. Jakubo Festival (the 12th International St. James Festival) in Vilnius (2022), the 10th edition of the City of Derry International Choir Festival (2022), and the 13th Leo Festival in Wrocław (2022).

Her work has been recognised with a nomination for the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA 2024) as well as two nominations for the Fryderyk Award (2023, 2024).

She is a member of a wind quintet formed by soloists of the NOSPR.

Between 2008 and 2012, she worked closely with the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra as the first oboist. Later, she also co-founded the LutosAir Quintet (2019–2023) with whom she performed numerous premières and released an album of new music written especially for this ensemble (2022).

The musician gives concerts with, among others, the AUKSO Chamber Orchestra of the City of Tychy, the Silesian Quartet, and the Sinfonietta Cracovia Orchestra.

She graduated from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, in Prof. Tomasz Miczka's class of oboe. In 2019, she completed her doctoral studies at the same institution and was granted the title of Doctor of Musical Arts.

Awarded the Second Prize at the 7th National Competition for Wind Instrument Ensembles in Warsaw in the reed trio category, she went on to receive the Third Prize (while no First or Second Prize was granted) as well as two Special Prizes at the International Academic Competition for Oboists and Bassoonists in Łódź in 2008.