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OUR TEAM
GET TO KNOW OUR TEAM
At the heart of our foundation is a team of experienced professionals and enthusiasts who work daily to achieve our mission and goals. The Foundation Board, composed of distinguished leaders and specialists in their fields, provides strategic direction for our projects and ensures their effective implementation. The Foundation Council, made up of seasoned experts and advisors, serves an oversight role, guaranteeing adherence to the highest standards of ethics and transparency in our operations. The Executive Manager, acting as the liaison between the board and the council, leads the entire team with unwavering commitment, vision, and a strategic approach that are critical to our success and ongoing development.
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Our team is made up of passionate individuals whose knowledge and experience contribute to the development of culture, art, education, and most importantly, support for the local and international community of violin makers. Together, we create a space open to innovation, dialogue, and partnership, which allows us continually to push the boundaries of what is possible and to realize our projects with increasing precision and effectiveness.
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Foundation Board:
prof. Honorata Stalmierska, PhD – president
Jan BartoÅ›, PhD
prof. Alina MÄ…dry, PhD
Jacek Steczkowski, PhD
Marta Panfil, PhD
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Foundation Council:
Joanna Szurka-Baranowska – chairwoman
Marta Zuzanna Huk
Anna Biadasz-Dolińska
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Founders:
SÅ‚awomir Smól, MD, PhD
Jan BartoÅ›, PhD
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Executive Manager:
Mateusz Smól
HONORATA STALMIERSKA
President of the Board
Professor Honorata Stalmierska, PhD, a luthier, professor of violin making at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in PoznaÅ„, president of the Board of the WÅ‚odzimierz KamiÅ„ski and Helena Harajda Art of Violin Making Foundation. She has been running her own violin making workshop for over 30 years. In her portfolio, she possesses over a hundred works, including violins, violas, viola d’amore, viola da gamba, as well as classical and historical guitars.​
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As a professor of artistic violin making, Honorata Stalmierska educates future generations of luthiers and conducts advanced research on Polish violin making of the 17th and 18th centuries. She is a co-author of the significant publication "The Polish School of Violin Making: The Instruments of Groblicz and Dankwart Masters," published in 2016 by the National Museum in Poznań, which serves as an important source of knowledge about the history of Polish violin making.
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Her commitment to promoting the art of violin making extends to the international arena. As a member of the Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers, the Association des Luthiers et Archetiers pour le Departement de la Facture Instrumentale, and the British Violin Making Association, she regularly participates in seminars, conferences, and exhibitions throughout Europe. Her instruments have repeatedly won awards for the best sound.
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In 2019, Honorata Stalmierska served as the artistic director of the 6th Włodzimierz Kamiński Violin Making Competition, and her initiative opened the competition to the international luthier community. Continuing her efforts, in 2023, she organized the first Włodzimierz Kamiński Art of Violin Making Festival, attracting numerous sponsors and participants from around the world, solidifying the festival as an internationally significant event.
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One of Honorata's most pioneering achievements is the initiative to create a European agreement of violin making schools aimed at improving the flow of information and educational resources between institutions. In 2023, during the Art of Violin Making Festival, she initiated the first official meeting of representatives of violin making schools from France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Poland. This meeting, focusing on cooperation and experience exchange, concluded with a declaration of further cooperation and the formalization of a group that will support the development and innovation of violin making on a European scale.
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Honorata Stalmierska is a true ambassador of Polish and European violin making, constantly striving to raise educational standards and strengthen international cooperation in this field.
JAN BARTOÅš
Founder, Member of the Board
Jan Bartoś, PhD, is a renowned luthier and researcher, a graduate of the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. He specializes in the construction, restoration, and expertise of string instruments.
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After completing his studies, Jan BartoÅ› took on the role of workshop manager at Eric Blot's workshop in Cremona. For eight years, he played a crucial role in creating new instruments, as well as in restoring and providing expert appraisals for the most significant works of European luthier art. His works were presented and praised throughout Europe, cementing his reputation as one of the leading contemporary luthiers.
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In 2007, Jan BartoÅ› moved to Paris, where he opened his own workshop in the heart of French violin making. This allowed him to further develop his passion and skills, as well as to expand his activities to new, innovative projects. His workshop quickly became known for producing high-quality instruments that not only reflected the rich tradition of violin making but also introduced modern acoustic solutions.
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As a member of the Association des Luthiers et Archetiers pour le Département de la Facture Instrumentale and the British Violin Making Association, Jan actively participates in international conferences and symposia, sharing his knowledge and experiences with the global violin making community. His works are often presented as examples of artistry and innovation.
Jan is also a co-author of the catalog "The Polish School of Violin Making: Instruments by Groblicz and Dankwart Masters," which is considered a fundamental source of knowledge about the history of Polish violin making. His latest research, confirming the Polish origin of an instrument in the collections of the Musée de la Musique in Paris and leading to an official change in its attribution, was a significant achievement in his career.
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In 2023, Jan Bartoś took on the prestigious role of a director of the Włodzimierz Kamiński International Violin Making Competition, where he successfully promotes the talent of young luthiers and contributes to the development of the global artistic community. His influence on the world of classical music is significant, both as a creator of instruments and as an educator and promoter of violin making.
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In 2020, he obtained his doctoral degree at his Alma Mater. He continues his research work, developing new methods in instrument creation that transform traditional techniques into modern solutions, meeting the needs of contemporary musicians.
photo credits: K. Szymkowiak
ALINA MÄ„DRY
Member of the Board
Professor Alina Mądry, PhD, is a prominent musicologist. She holds the position of associate professor at the Institute of Musicology at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. She is esteemed for her deep commitment to research in early music, focusing on the period from the late 17th to the early 19th century.
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Alina MÄ…dry serves as the secretary of the Musicological Commission of the PoznaÅ„ Society of Friends of Sciences and is a member of the Scientific-Editorial Team of the Jasna Góra Musicology. She also collaborates with the Archdiocesan Archives in PoznaÅ„ and is the founder and president of the Musica Patria Association, which she leads with passion and dedication. Additionally, as the originator and substantive supervisor, she has developed the Fundamentum online portal, providing valuable knowledge about early music.
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From 2012 to 2016, she was a curator at the Museum of Musical Instruments in PoznaÅ„, a branch of the National Museum. She is the author of three monographs that have significantly contributed to research on the aesthetics and stylistics of music: "Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Aesthetics – Stylistics – Work," "Baroque, Part 2: 1697–1795 Religious Music and Its Baroque Modus Operandi" in the series "History of Polish Music," and "Music in the Norbertine Convent in Strzelno," co-written with Tomasz Nowak. Alina MÄ…dry has also published numerous source-critical editions, as well as scholarly and popular science articles that eloquently combine academic depth with accessibility to a wider audience.
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She is also an active participant in international and nationwide scientific conferences, presenting the results of her research at over fifty events. Her research project, supported by numerous grants, focuses on the compilation of Poznań musicological sources, which is crucial for preserving Polish cultural heritage.
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She is also active internationally, collaborating with organizations such as RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales), thereby enhancing the significance of Polish early music on the global cultural stage. Thanks to her passion and dedication, she continuously inspires students and the general public, imparting to them the values and richness of musical culture.
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Alina MÄ…dry is not only a scholar but also a guardian of Polish musical tradition, as evidenced by her numerous research and educational initiatives, which contribute to fostering interest in early music both in Poland and beyond its borders.
JACEK STECZKOWSKI
Member of the Board
Jacek Steczkowski, PhD, luthier, a graduate of the Department of Artistic Violin Making at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. His professional education was enriched by a one-year internship at the prestigious violin workshop "Maison Bernard" in Belgium, where under the guidance of masters Jan Strick and Pierre Guillaume, he honed his skills in building and restoring string instruments.
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After completing his studies in 1994, Jacek Steczkowski moved to Belgium, where he founded and ran his own violin workshop in Leuven until 2000. He then relocated to the United States, where for the next ten years he collaborated with "Kenneth Warren & Son," a three-generation American violin making company located in Chicago. During this time, he specialized in complex repairs, restorations, and the authentication of instruments.
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Jacek Steczkowski has also collaborated with many other significant workshops and institutions worldwide, including those in Belgium, France, the United States, and China, developing global contacts and exchanging experiences with leading experts in the field of violin making. In 2010, he permanently returned to Poland and opened a violin workshop in Kraków, where he continues the tradition of creating, conserving, and authenticating string instruments according to the highest global standards.
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In 2018, at his alma mater in Poznań, Jacek Steczkowski defended his doctoral thesis on "Copies and Forgeries in Artistic Violin Making," which was the culmination of his many years of research into the authenticity and methods of identifying string instruments.
MARTA PANFIL
Member of the Board
Marta Panfil, PhD, luthier, is a graduate of the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań, where under the guidance of Honorata Stalmierska, she acquired the knowledge and skills that allowed her to achieve a high level of mastery in the field of violin making.
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As a member of the Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers and the British Violin Making Association (BVMA), Marta Panfil actively participates in the artistic and scientific life of the violin making community both in Poland and internationally.
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In 2018, she defended her doctoral dissertation entitled "Stylistic concepts of f-type resonance holes in the work of the Amati family." Her research has contributed to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the construction techniques used by this legendary family of violin makers, which is of significant importance for the development of modern instrument building methods.
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She specializes in making violins and violas inspired by and based on models of Italian master violin makers. She is particularly interested in the work of the Amati family and inlaid and polychrome instruments, which distinguishes her work from other master violin makers. Marta Panfil is also an active participant and lecturer at international violin making exhibitions and seminars, where she presents the results of her artistic and research work.
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Supporting the Foundation's initiatives, Marta plays a pivotal role in promoting the art of violin making and organizing international events. She serves as the secretary of the Włodzimierz Kamiński International Violin Making Competition, contributing to elevating the standards of the craft in Poland and worldwide.
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Marta Panfil continues her passions and research, constantly seeking new methods and inspirations that can further perfect the art of violin making.
MATEUSZ SMOL
Executive Manager
Mateusz Smól, a violinist, economist, and cultural manager, is a graduate of Bartek NizioÅ‚'s violin class at the University of the Arts in Bern and Erasmus University in Rotterdam, where he studied cultural economics. Continuously striving for professional development, he is currently pursuing an MBA degree at EAE Business School in Madrid.
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Mateusz began his artistic career as a violinist, earning accolades at numerous national and international competitions. He also completed the prestigious Orchestra Academy of the Zurich Opera, performing major operatic works for two years. His musical passion and performance excellence have garnered him international recognition.
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As an economist, he specializes in analyzing the string instrument markets, focusing particularly on the historical context of Polish violin making during the 17th and 18th centuries. His research efforts play a vital role in enhancing comprehension and advancing the market for violins, essential for safeguarding cultural heritage and aligning it with modern market dynamics.
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As a cultural manager, Mateusz excels not only as a proficient organizer and promoter of artistic events but also a visionary actively advancing the development of classical music and violin making internationally. His innovative initiatives serve to enhance the accessibility of classical music and lutherie to diverse audiences.
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Mateusz Smól plays a key role in managing and coordinating international cultural projects. His ability to create strategies that effectively integrate art with business enables the implementation of initiatives that not only promote culture but also bring tangible economic benefits. As the executive manager of the WÅ‚odzimierz KamiÅ„ski Art of Violin Making Festival, he successfully contributes to the development and promotion of violin making heritage, cementing his reputation as an outstanding specialist in this field.
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Mateusz Smól is a professional whose work at the intersection of art, science, and management not only enriches the cultural sector but also inspires others to perceive classical music as a dynamically evolving art form. His contribution to the development of culture is valued by both colleagues and the international audience.
