Behind the Music: Joanna Filus-Olenkiewicz Shares Her Journey to an Award-Winning Performance of Karol Borsuk's Fantasie for Viola and Orchestra
- WOMCO
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Joanna Filus-Olenkiewicz was awarded the Diamond Prize in the F: Best Professional Musician (No age limit) Category, at the 2025 Season 2 Best Classical Musicians Awards.
Biography
Joanna Filus-Olenkiewicz was born in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, and has been living in Berlin since 2010. She is a violinist and violist and completed her studies at the music academies in Katowice, Kraków, Gdańsk, and the University of Szczecin in Poland, as well as at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz (Austria), the University of Music and Theatre in Rostock, and the University of Potsdam in Germany.
She is a finalist and laureate of numerous international solo and chamber music competitions, including as a member of Duo de Soleil.
Joanna Filus-Olenkiewicz received scholarships from the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała in 2000, the California South University in Los Angeles, USA, in 2001, and the Polish artists' association ZAiKS in Warsaw in 2021. As both concertmaster and tutti player, she has performed with many renowned orchestras, including:
Staatstheater Kassel
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Staatstheater Oldenburg
Symphony Orchestra Münster
Philharmonic Orchestra Freiburg
Hofer Symphoniker
Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt
Berliner Symphoniker
Philharmonic Orchestra Wernigerode
National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR) in Katowice
Gorzów Philharmonic
Toyohashi Symphony Orchestra in Japan
Symphoniy Orchestra Neubrandenburg
She also performs regularly as a chamber musician and soloist.
She has participated in numerous radio recordings, including with the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, and has been involved in world concert tours. Joanna is the recipient of many international music awards, both as a soloist and chamber musician, especially with Duo de Soleil.
In addition, she teaches viola as part of a Young Talent course in Toyohashi, Japan. Since 2012, she has been closely affiliated with the music school in Berlin-Reinickendorf, where she teaches violin and viola. She has been working for several years with contemporary composer Karol Borsuk, actively promoting his work through recordings, premieres, and public performances.
As a member of the International Beethoven Society in Berlin, she also plays an active role in organizing the Young Ludwig Young Music Competition, initiated by the IBG. Joanna is an engaged member of the European Forum for Polish Music in Berlin, where she coordinates music projects and concerts involving various artists under the name Filus Music Moments.
In addition to her musical career, Joanna Filus-Olenkiewicz is also committed to special education for people with intellectual and visual impairments. She works as a conflict coach, mediator, and communication trainer, having completed her training at the Business Trend Academy in Berlin.
What inspired you to choose 'Borsuk Fantasie for Viola and Orchestra' for the performance, and how did you approach interpreting the piece as a soloist?
The inspiration to perform this piece came from my long-standing friendship and collaboration with composer Karol Borsuk. Our musical paths have crossed for many years in various contexts — concert performances, chamber music, and publishing projects. As a doctoral student, one of my key goals is to promote his work and to inspire other musicians to explore his compositions.
In interpreting this piece as a soloist, I was guided not only by the written score but also by personal conversations with the composer, which gave me insight into his emotions and artistic intentions. This music demands deep concentration from the performer, courage in exploring tone color and space, and an openness to emotional dialogue with the orchestra.
Could you share the background of this music performance? How did the collaboration with the orchestra and conductor unfold, and were there any memorable moments during the shoot?
The orchestra was conducted by my dear friend Jacek Piotr Kujawski — conductor, double bassist, and composer. We have known each other for many years, and one of the highlights of our collaboration was the performance of his composition for viola and double bass with orchestra at the Koszalin Music Festival a few years ago. Each of our projects together is a great pleasure and a source of artistic inspiration.
The Koszalin Philharmonic Orchestra, led by the wonderful concertmaster Agnieszka Tobik, is a passionate, highly motivated, and professional group of musicians. Their commitment and musical sensitivity created a unique atmosphere during rehearsals and the concert itself.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Robert Wasilewski, Director of the Koszalin Philharmonic, for making this extraordinary project possible.
The post-concert photo session was filled with unforgettable moments — shared laughter, spontaneous shots, and that special energy that lingers after the final note has been played. I’m happy to share a few photos from those moments.
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and thank anyone (such as mentors, collaborators, or supporters)?
Taking part in this competition was a beautiful experience for me. It was not only an opportunity to present my work but also to meet and be inspired by other artists.
I want to sincerely thank my mentors, friends, collaborators, and audience for their continuous support and encouragement. Special thanks go to Karol Borsuk, Jacek Piotr Kujawski, and the entire Koszalin Philharmonic Orchestra — without you, this project would not have had such a special character.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Sylwia Fabiańczyk-Makuch, conductor of the Maritime University Choir in Szczecin, for preparing the choir and kindly sharing the choral parts in the form of recordings for Fantasy for Viola, Choir and Orchestra by Karol Borsuk.
I would also like to mention my publishing project with great joy. I had the honor of editing two Duets for Violin and Viola, Op. 14 and Op. 15, by the Polish composer Joachim Kaczkowski. The sheet music was published by the Polish music publisher EUFORIUM.
I have had the pleasure of performing these noble and expressive works on several occasions — including in Berlin as part of the Duo de Soleil, as well as with my longtime musical friend, the outstanding flutist Cornelia Gehlmann-Dinca.