Award-Winning Violinist Alma Błońska-Trapero Brings Harnasie’s Highlands to Life
- WOMCO
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
Polish-Spanish violinist Alma Błońska-Trapero was awarded the Platinum Prize and the Distinguished Technique Special Award at the World Grand Prix International Music Contest 2025, Season 3, in the Modern B (Over Age 17) category for her performance of Karol Szymanowski’s Harnasie, Op. 55. The competition took place from 28 May to 28 August 2025, with results announced in September 2025.
Could you share the background of your award-winning violin performance Karol Szymanowski - Harnasie Op. 55? When and where did you record it, and what led you to choose this piece for your performance?
Alma Błońska-Trapero:
"I recorded Harnasie during this summer at my previous music school, which was named after Karol Szymanowski. I studied there before starting my studies in Poznan with Professor Bartosz Bryla. You can see a portrait of this Polish composer in my video right behind me.
I've chosen this composition because from the first moment when I heard it, the passion and the amount of intensity had a big impact on me. That was when I decided to perform this piece in the future. Listening to various performances of this exceptional piece I realised that none of them fully satisfied me. I think no recording reflects the potential I felt with my whole being in this stylized highland music."
Could you walk us through your approach to preparing and interpreting your award-winning video performance for the online music competition? What were some of the artistic or technical considerations that shaped the final result, and are there any tips or points you think are important when submitting a performance video?
Alma Błońska-Trapero:
"This composition is a transcription of fragments of Szymanowski ballet Harnasie. In my opinion it's a very diverse masterpiece which inspires me a lot. Every time I played it I wanted to make it more and more perfect. Technical difficulties (it wasn't composed originally for violin) combined with delicate phrases and the vigorous character create a full range of possibilities for every professional violinist. There is a big contrast between the first calm part which introduces the listener to the magical world of elves, and the second one's very rhythmical and flaming character."
Could you talk to us about yourself, your journey in music, and your future goals? Could you also share your perspective on what defines a great violinist in today’s digital age, and what you consider to be the most significant artistic or professional challenges facing musicians today and in the coming years?
Alma Błońska-Trapero:
"I'm a Polish-Spanish violinist and therefore my education took place in Spain and in Poland. My personality has been shaped by these two countries. In some performances you can notice my spanish temperament, also in some polish pieces which demand expression and individuality. As for my future goals I will continue my studies under such an excellent professor as Bartosz Bryla and I will keep participating in competitions.
In my opinion, what distinguishes the best world violinists is a flawless intonation and their vision of each composition. As a result, the audience can perceive the richness of the entire interpretation.
Regarding the artistic or professional challenges, first of all, there is a huge competition nowadays compared to previous centuries. It is also necessary to maintain classical pieces and at the same time to introduce more contemporary repertoire that is rarely played during music education, so you are not prepared to face the difficulties associated with it."
Biography
Alma Błońska-Trapero was born in 2006 in Madrid where first she
studied violin under Katalin Karacsony and then under Anna Baget at the Conservatorio Profesional “Adolfo Salazar”. Later she continued her musical education in Wrocław (Poland) under Tomasz Stocki at the Karol Szymanowski Music School where she graduated performing her diploma with the symphonic school orchestra. Currently she is a student of Professor Bartosz Bryła at the “Ignacy Jan Paderewski” Academy of Music in Poznań.
Alma is a winner of several national competitions. In Spain she tookpart in master classes with Miguel Borrego, Peter Lissauer and Zenón Díaz. She also attended courses with Tatiana Samouil, Karina and Marta Gidaszewska, Bartosz Bryła, Tomasz Tomaszewski, Soojin Han, Mariusz Patyra and Kinga Augustyn.
