Breath, Tone, and Truth: The Musical Path of Diamond Prize Winner Anna Naróg
- WOMCO
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
An exclusive interview with the rising Polish flutist at the World Exceptional Musicians Competition — Anna Naróg, awarded the Diamond Prize and the Precision Virtuoso Special Award in the Advanced (Age 18–22) Category (Flute) of the 2025 Season 3.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your music training journey, and your goals for the future in music?
My name is Anna Naróg (everyone calls me Ania), I’m 21 and I’ve been playing the flute for 15 years. While music is a central part of my life, I also love books, dogs, baking, tennis and Formula 1 — and I blame my two older brothers for my love of video games. I grew up in Rzeszów, Poland: at six my mum signed me up for recorder lessons at a local music centre, and at seven I began flute studies at the music school in my city. I spent twelve formative years there, studying with three wonderful teachers to whom I owe a great deal.
In 2023 I graduated from music school with honours and later that year I joined the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Cracow, where I currently study with Dr. Magdalena Margańska-Dec. In 2024 I also began a degree in Medical Computer Science at AGH University of Cracow — that programme has helped my practice routine by making me more efficient with my time and sharpening my analytical approach to technique. In June 2025 I passed my academy finals and completed my second year at the Academy – those two years were intense and incredibly productive: my technique and musical interpretation developed a lot, and I’m now much more satisfied with my sound and tone.
Short- and medium-term, I plan to complete my bachelor’s degree in flute performance and continue into second-cycle studies. I was recently invited to play a concert in Paris, which I’m extremely excited about. I would also love to keep playing chamber music with my wind quintet — chamber repertoire is something I truly enjoy. In the longer term I dream of playing in a symphony orchestra, and ideally in an ensemble that performs music for films and video games, combining orchestral colour with storytelling.
Could you walk us through your approach to preparing and interpreting your award-winning video performance? What were some of the artistic or technical considerations that shaped the final result? Were there any moments during rehearsals that stood out to you?
The recording day itself was quite hectic: I’d had an exam earlier that ran longer than expected, and the room we’d booked at the Academy caused some last-minute problems, so there was a lot of rushing and nerves. It was one of the first hot days in Cracow, I was hungry, and we only had about an hour to record the programme I’d worked on that semester. We went through Mozart’s Concerto in G (which wasn’t used for the competition), then Schulhoff’s Sonata, and finally Henri Dutilleux’s Sonatine — the latter two were the heart of the recording.
Artistically I treated each piece with a different intention. Schulhoff’s Sonata is playful and witty in many places, but its third movement carries a deep, aching intensity; my aim there was to keep the expression honest and avoid anything that felt theatrical. Dutilleux’s Sonatine pushed me in different ways — its irregular meters (including stretches of 7/8) and its coloristic language meant I had to move from counting to feeling the pulse, and then let phrasing and colour guide the line. At first I was so focused on the rhythm that the phrase suffered; as the rhythm became internalized the music opened up and the line began to sing. I remember when my Professor first told me that I would play this piece that semester – I was shocked and said "isn't it too hard for me yet?" – but she had no doubt that I could do it. This piece brings a lot of emotions in me. I feel like it's a storm of anger mixed with a pinch of confusion and I wanted to really convey all of that.
A concrete influence on my approach to music came in October 2024, when I attended a masterclass in Wrocław led by Emmanuel Pahud as a listener. Hearing his coaching — his attention to breath placement, phrasing, and subtle colour shifts — gave me very practical ideas that I used in rehearsals.
When I make a recording I try to approach each take as if it’s the only one I’ll ever have — that mindset sharpens focus and encourages presence. I also avoid listening to other performers’ recordings until I’ve made the piece my own; that helps me develop a personal interpretation instead of copying someone else. I’m still learning to allow vulnerability in performance, but when it works I pour my emotions and my story into the music — and I hope that sense of honesty comes through in the video.
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Participating in your competition was an inspiring and very rewarding experience. The regulations were clear and application process was easy and intuitive. I have participated in many online competitions, but yours stands out as a very solid, professionally run event that puts artistic integrity first. Thank you for such an encouraging and well-executed event — it has been a meaningful step in my artistic development, and I look forward to following and (hopefully) taking part in future editions.
I would also like to thank a few of my closest people, without whom I wouldn’t win this competition. First of all, my parents, who always encourage me, support me and are proud of me no matter what. If you didn’t always support my participation in different competitions first in Poland, then abroad, I wouldn’t be a musician that I am today. Thank you to my brothers, for not going insane with my practicing all these years and for always having my back.
Big thank you to my Professor Magdalena Margańska-Dec for teaching me everything, for her steady guidance, belief in me and always pushing me towards new opportunities, that sometimes feel scary, but are always rewarding. Thank you for always being my biggest supporter.
I cannot not mention my wonderful accompanist, Professor Monika Gardoń-Preinl. Playing with you is an honour and the greatest pleasure. Thank you for this year of working together and for your valuable advice, which has helped me to better understand playing with the piano and become a better flutist.
Thank you to my former teachers at the music school in Rzeszów — each of them laid the technical and musical foundations I still rely on.
I would also like to thank all my professors at the Academy. Your feedback, encouragement, and dedication have not only helped me become a better musician, but also inspired me to strive for excellence and to grow as an artist.
And last but not least, thank you to all my friends and family who support me, go to my concerts and are always cheering on me. It all always makes more sense when I can share my work with others, so thank you for being here.
Biography
Anna Naróg (born in 2004) - student at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Cracow, in the flute class of Dr. Magdalena Margańska-Dec, and an engineering student majoring in medical informatics at the AGH University of Krakow. She began her artistic education at the age of 6. In 2023, she graduated with honors from the Second Degree General Music School at the Karol Szymanowski Music School Complex No. 1 in Rzeszow, under the tutelage of Mrs. Karin Prajsnar. From an early age, she participated in competitions and festivals, achieving numerous successes. Among the most important of these are: 3rd place at the 10th National Jupiter Wind Instruments Competition in Cracow (2016), 1st place at the 12th World Open Music Competition in Serbia (2021), 1st place at the 13th World Open Music Competition in Serbia (2022), 2nd place at the 6th Świętokrzyskie Festival of Classes of Wind Instruments of Music Schools of the 1st and 2nd degree in Kielce (2022), 2nd place at the 4th National Woodwind Instruments Competition in Błażowa (2022), Third place at the 5th National Woodwind Instruments Competition in Blazowa (2023), Second place at the 7th National Flute Competition in Bielsko-Biala (2023), Third place at the London Classical Music Competition (2024), Second place at the American International Music Competition (2024), First place at The New York International Music Competition (2024), Third place at the MEDICI International Music Competition (2024), First place at the New York Classical Music Competition (2025), First place at the 12th International Youth Music Competition Nouvelles Etoiles (2025). She also participated in many courses, perfecting her technique under the guidance of outstanding Polish flutists: Urszula Janik-Lipinska, Ph.D., Ewelina Zawiślak, Ph.D., Magda Morus-Fijałkowska, Ph.D., Wiesław Suruło, Ph.D., Łukasz Długosz, Ph.D., Dr. Łukasz Zimnik, as well as foreign ones: Anne-Cathérine Heinzmann, Ivica Gabrišová and Paolo Taballione. She has repeatedly received scholarships from the Mayor of the City of Rzeszow in the field of artistic and scientific creativity, and has also received the scholarship of the Prime Minister three times. In 2024 she received Rector’s scholarship for 2023/2024 year. Since 2023 she played several times in Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music’s Symphony Orchestra at the Kraków Philharmonic. In July 2024, she participated in an orchestral project as part of the 20th Conference of the WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensambles) organization in South Korea, where she played as the first flutist.
