Katarzyna Lassak is an American-born Polish virtuoso violinist and a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (2020), where she studied under the guidance of Professor Janusz Wawrowski and Professor Agata Szymczewska. She successfully defended her doctoral thesis with distinction in 2022, under Prof. Wawrowski's supervision. She also honed her artistry under the tutelage of Professor Krzysztof Węgrzyn and Professor Marcin Baranowski. In 2025, the critically acclaimed album “Katarzyna Lassak. Roots and Inspirations” was released through Chopin University Press. The album features the world-premiere recording of Jan Adam Maklakiewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “Góralski” (“Highlander” Concerto), which Lassak recorded as a soloist alongside the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Warsaw under the baton of Paweł Kapuła. The album pairs this symphonic work with its original folk sources – traditional Podhale “tunes” performed by Lassak as lead violinist alongside her family's highlander ensemble, the Lassak “Helios” Family Ensemble from Zakopane. The recording also incorporates precious archival tracks of her great-grandfather and grandfather. For this groundbreaking project, Katarzyna Lassak was nominated for the prestigious 2026 Fryderyk Award in the category of Phonographic Debut of the Year – Classical Music.

She has performed as a soloist with numerous distinguished symphony orchestras, including the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin, the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz, the Oskar Kolberg Świętokrzyska Philharmonic in Kielce, the Tadeusz Baird Philharmonic in Gorzów, the Wojciech Kilar “Sinfonia Baltica” Polish Philharmonic in Słupsk, and the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw. She also performed alongside the Warsaw Players chamber orchestra, the Tatra Climate Orchestra, and the Atom String Quartet. Over the course of her concert career, she has worked under the baton of acclaimed conductors such as Łukasz Borowicz, Michał Klauza, Paweł Kapuła, Przemysław Fiugajski, Agnieszka Kreiner, Michał Krężlewski, and Norbert Twórczyński.

Lassak uniquely and successfully bridges the worlds of a classical virtuoso and a traditional-folk ensemble leader. On the stages of Poland’s major philharmonic halls, she presents a distinctive concert programme featuring three iconic 20th-century violin concertos deeply rooted in highlander lore: Jan Adam Maklakiewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “Góralski”, Grażyna Bacewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 3, and Karol Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 61. In these performances, she brilliantly contextualises the classical repertoire by preceding the symphonic works with live, traditional highlander melodies – the original sources of inspiration for the composers – performed alongside the Lassak “Helios” Family Ensemble.

She has performed at prestigious international music festivals, including the “Masters of Polish Violin Artistry” String Festival, “Emanacje”, “Gaude Mater”, “Muzyczne Przestrzenie”, “Ogrody Muzyczne”, the Piotr Janowski Festival, and the Wojciech Kilar Festival. She has performed in prominent venues such as the ROMA Musical Theatre, the Karol Szymanowski Museum at the Villa “Atma” in Zakopane, and the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.

Lassak is a prize-winner at numerous competitions; notably, at just 18 years old, she won the acclaimed “Let’s Remember Osiecka” Vocal Competition. Her recent achievements include earning 10 first prizes in national and international competitions, highlighted by the prestigious “Sabałowe Gęśle” Grand Prix for best instrumentalist at the International Mountain Folklore Festival and the “Dziadońcyn Smycek” Honorary Award. A recipient of the scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, her profound contributions to preserving regional culture were officially celebrated in 2023 when she was awarded the honorary title of “Wierchowa Orlica” (Mountain Eagle).

Roots and Inspirations is a remarkable album that uniquely and movingly bridges the world of classical music with the authentic tradition of Poland’s Podhale region. At the heart of the album lies the first-ever recording of the "Highlander" Violin Concerto No. 2 by Jan Adam Maklakiewicz—a work directly inspired by the musical folklore of the Tatra highlands, which the composer encountered firsthand in 1952 during a competition of traditional highlander bands in Zakopane.

The virtuosic solo part is performed by Katarzyna Lassak—a classically trained, excellent violinist and the lead fiddler (prymistka) of the multigenerational Lassak “Helios” Family Ensemble from Zakopane. Her musical "bilingualism"—the ability to move seamlessly between the realms of classical and traditional music—infuses her interpretation of the concerto with exceptional authenticity and expressive depth.

The second part of the album features recordings of traditional góralskie nuty—from marches and lyrical nuty uozwodne to lively zbójnickie dances—performed by the Lassak Family Band in the classic four-person ensemble. Unique sounds of traditional instruments such as piszczałki (wooden flutes), złóbcoki (carved fiddle), and shepherd’s bells, along with archival recordings of the artist’s grandfather and great-grandfather, serve as a living source of inspiration that clearly resonates in Maklakiewicz’s composition.

Recorded with the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw under the baton of Paweł Kapuła, this album is not only a tribute to Polish folk tradition and Maklakiewicz’s artistry, but also a deeply personal narrative from Katarzyna Lassak—an artistic story of identity, heritage, and a musical passion passed down through generations. It is a recording that captivates with its authenticity, cultural richness, and artistic finesse.

~ Chopin University Press