Bianka Szalaty
Born in Wrocław in 1994, Bianka Szalaty is considered one of the most promising young guitarists of her generation. She is currently preparing for her Konzertexamen with Tomasz Zawierucha at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, having previously completed her Master’s degree at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań under Łukasz Kuropaczewski.
Bianka has won numerous international competitions, including First Prize at the 10th J. S. Bach International Guitar Competition in Tokyo, and has received scholarships from both the Ministry of Culture and the Prime Minister of Poland. Her repertoire reflects a balance of tradition and contemporary expression, ranging from John Dowland and J. S. Bach to works by Leo Brouwer, Stephen Dodgson and Pēteris Vasks.
A dedicated chamber musician, she performs in the Meninas Duo with lyric mezzo-soprano Ewelina Koniec, creating original transcriptions of works by Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten, Francis Poulenc, Manuel de Falla and Karol Szymanowski.
She has appeared at international festivals in Moscow, Brno and Copenhagen, performing both as a soloist and with her duo. Her orchestral debut took place at the age of thirteen, when she performed Vivaldi’s Concerto in D major with the Koszalin Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then, she has played major concertos by Joaquín Rodrigo, Manuel Maria Ponce and Heitor Villa-Lobos.
After winning the 1st Nürtingen International Online Guitar Competition, Bianka was named EuroStrings Artist 2021, confirming her position among today’s leading young guitarists.
Performing at Siccas Guitars
Every classical guitarist who performs at Siccas Guitars brings a distinct musical path to the instrument — shaped by years of study, competition experience, and the particular musical tradition they have chosen to inhabit. The classical guitar demands sustained technical commitment and a deep engagement with a repertoire that spans from the Renaissance through to works written for living performers. It is an instrument whose full possibilities only reveal themselves over time.
