Antonia Zgółka

Antonia Zgółka (b. 2007) is a Polish violinist, singer, composer, and conductor whose work spans classical, historical performance, jazz, and contemporary genres. She began studying the violin at the age of four, and her musical talent has since been recognised in numerous national and international competitions, including the Rotary Young Musician title (2025) and Platinum Award at the Quebec International Competition. Antonia is active as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral violinist, composer, and conductor, performing in youth and professional ensembles across traditional and historically informed performance practices. At the age of twelve, she composed her first work, which received the Grand Prix at a National Chamber Music Competition in Poland. In 2020, she began jazz studies and released her debut EP the same year, blending classical, electronic, and jazz influences into a distinctive sound world. She is currently working on her first full-length album inspired by Greek mythology. She commenced conducting studies in 2024 and has since conducted both symphony and chamber orchestras, including performances at St George’s Bristol and the Verbier Festival. She has been a member of the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (2024–2025) and the European Youth Orchestra Academy (2024). Awarded a place on the prestigious Polish Scholarship Scheme, Antonia has studied since September 2023 at Clifton College, Bristol, pursuing A-levels in Philosophy, English Literature, and Music, alongside studies at the Birmingham Royal Conservatoire under Professor Martin Owen. In 2025, she was accepted to Oxford University and awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music. Her artistic focus lies in concerto and recital repertoire, with a particular specialisation in Impressionism, alongside chamber music by composers including Ravel, Debussy, Fauré, Schubert, Brahms, and Dvořák. Her most notable concerto performances with orchestras include H. Wieniawski’s Faust Fantasie at the Rising Polish Music Stars Festival in Gdańsk (2024); Ravel’s Tzigane (2024) and Dvořak’s Violin Concerto (2025) at the Summer Serenade Festival in Bristol; Bach’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Orchestra (2025); and Sarasate’s Navarra (2024) and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante (2025) at the Clifton College Chapel. She has performed on various scenes from New York to Iceland, oftentimes in support of charitable causes. She currently studies with Bartosz Bryła, Małgorzata Skorupa, and Mikołaj Zgółka, and has participated in masterclasses with Philippe Honoré, Mathilde Milwidsky, Gaby Lester, Alexander Janiček, Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch, Julien Szulman, Tomasz Tomaszewski, and Monika Urbaniak-Lisik.