ABOUT
‘The fearless champion of contemporary music for baroque violin.’
New music + period instruments. It’s not rocket science.
Described as 'the new wave wizard' (South West Londoner), Ada Witczyk has inspired over 200 new works for baroque violin and counting.
Relentless in her drive to create a ‘New Baroque’, breaking out of endless cycles of Bach partitas and Vivaldi concerti and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
In the 2023-24 season, Witczyk premieres 3 brand new concertos for baroque violin and orchestra, written by An Vedi, Isidro Albarreal Delgado and Klaus Miehling (RCC 2023 winners), performed in London and recorded live by Swiss film director Simon Helbling.
She also appeares as a soloist with Ashby String Orchestra to perform Bach's E major and A minor violin concertos, as well as and Viktor Kalabis Violin Concerto No.1 with Orchestra Vitae in London. Showcasing new works by young contemporary composers on period instruments, she makes her Italian debut during the Ruvo Coro Festival and returns as to lead period ensemble the Consort of 12.
'Judiciously chosen, Witczyk's repertoire is impeccably executed.'
- BBC Music Magazine (Instrumental Choice)
Singled out by BBC Music Magazine as their 'Instrumental Choice' and receiving a 10-star review, the 2023-24 season also marks the release of her new album of contemporary music 'New Baroque' on First Hand Records (available on all platforms).
Radio broadcasts with the BBC, Radio Soest (Netherlands), Argentina Classic National Radio,
Radiotelevisione Svissera, KGLT-FM (US) and Poznan Radio Klasyka (Poland) have all featured Witczyk’s many new recordings, but it’s her bold music videos that have captured the imagination of composers, musicians and new audiences across the world from Peru to Thailand.
MMA cages, underground carparks, glamourous historic buildings, gothic churches; forget pretentious, this is for the new wave of classical audiences.
Presenting her latest commissions, on show during her 2023 USA tour, Witczyk took audiences in Seattle and Portland by storm, encouraging frenzied discussion at the annual New Music Gathering (keynote by Caroline Shaw) and prompting countless entries to her revolutionary composition competition named after Czech harpsichordist and fellow new music-enthusiast Zuzana Ruzickova.
Collaborations with acclaimed period ensemble Florilegium, and a new solo album, have come thick and fast, receiving invitations from the likes of São Paulo Contemporary Composers Festival for future seasons.
Other recent highlights have included appearances at the BBC Proms, solo performances of Viotti’s Sinfonia Concertante with Simon Standage at the English Haydn Festival amongst others.
Born in Poland in 1993 Ada attended Gorzow Music School, POSM in Poznan, the Royal College of Music (studying with Itzhak Rashkovsky, Michal Cwizewicz and Catherine Martin), and she is a postgraduate of the Royal Academy of Music (studying with Levon Chilingirian and Simon Standage for Historical Performance). Recipient of the Henry Wood Award, Star Award by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, the Margot MacGibbon Award, the Anthony Edward Brookes Award, Ada has also received Honourable Mentions at both the Greater Poland Music Competition, Polish National Forum of Young Instrumentalists and 3rd prize-winner of the Rising Stars Grand Prix in Berlin amongst countless other competition honours.
Ada was also kindly supported by Help Musicians and the Harrison Frank Foundation.
As both a modern and baroque violinist, Ada has performed at many of the UK’s most prestigious venues and festivals including Buckingham Palace, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields and the Royal Opera House, including performances with the Gabrieli Consort, The English Concert, The Academy of Ancient Music, The Sixteen, St James' Baroque and Florilegium.
DISCOGRAPHY
NEW BAROQUE is an album of contemporary music, pushing the boundaries of creativity and what is possible on baroque violin. All works commissioned by violinist Ada Witczyk from former winners of the Růžičková Composition Competition (established in 2020).
Released 26 January 2024
NEW BAROQUE – SONATAS is an album filled with brand new sonatas for baroque violin(s) and harpsichord by the winners of the 5th Růžičková Composition Competition (2024). Each sonata explores baroque instruments in lots of creative ways, their unique sonorities and distinctive gut string colours, and pushes the boundaries of what we would expect to hear from them.
Released Spring 2025
GET IN TOUCH
General Management
Ewelina Mikluszka
ARTem Künstleragentur Frankfurt am Main
e.mikluszka@artem-agentur.de