Monika Dondalska is a violinist
Born in 1985 in Olsztyn. She comes from a family with musical traditions. She
began learning the violin under the guidance of her father, Jan Dondalski. At the
age of seven, she started studying at State Music School of 1st and 2nd Degree in
Olsztyn in the violin class of A. Hoffmann. Since 1996, she was a student of
Zdzisław Wylonka. From 2000 to 2002, she attended the State Music High School
named after Z. Brzewski in Warsaw, in the violin class of Mirosław Ławrynowicz. In
2004, she graduated from the State Music High School named after A. Rubinstein
in Bydgoszcz in the class of Bolesław Siarkiewicz, and six years later – from the F.
Nowowiejski Music Academy in Bydgoszcz in the class of Vadim Brodsky.
She is a laureate of many violin competitions, including winning the 4th prize and
a special prize for the youngest participant in the J. Garść Violin Competition in
Stalowa Wola (1993), 4th prize in the 1st National A. Januszajtis Violin
Competition in Gdańsk, 5th prize at the National Auditions of Students of Violin
Classes of 1st Degree Music Schools in Olsztyn (1995), 3rd prize in the G. Bacewicz
National Violin Competition in Wrocław (1996), 9th prize and a special prize for
the youngest participant, the National Fund for Musically Gifted Children award,
and the Lublin Philharmonic award at the S. Serwaczyński National Violin
Competition in Lublin (1996), 3rd prize in the Wielkopolska Violin Competition in
Poznań (1997), 3rd prize in the 2nd National A. Januszajtis Violin Competition in
Gdańsk (1997), 4th prize in the 4th National S. Serwaczyński Violin Competition in
Lublin (1999), 2nd prize in the National Bach Competition named after S. Hajzer in
Zielona Góra (2003). In 1998, she was a semifinalist of the International L. Spohr
Violin Competition in Weimar, and also a laureate of the National Auditions of
Students of Violin Classes of 1st Degree Music Schools in Olsztyn in 1997 (received
an honorable mention). In 2004, she participated in the Makroregional Auditions
of Students of Violin and Viola Classes in Toruń. In the same year, she obtained
the 7th place at the National Auditions of Violin and Viola Classes of 1st and 2nd
Degree Music Schools in Warsaw.
She participated in numerous violin courses, including those in Zakopane, Łańcut
(under the guidance of Prof. M. Ławrynowicz), in Goch, Germany (under the
guidance of Prof. R. Szreder), “Salons with the Master – towards Artur Rubinstein”
under the guidance of K.A. Kulka in Bydgoszcz, receiving an award for an
outstanding participant of the course. She was a scholarship holder of the
National Fund for Children and the Mayor of Olsztyn.
In the artistic season of 2009/2010, she started working at the Warmian-Masurian
Philharmonic. In 2012, she won the competition for the position of concertmaster
of this institution, where she collaborates with outstanding conductors and
soloists from around the world. Since 2015, she has been successfully engaged in
teaching activities at the F. Chopin State Music School of 1st and 2nd Degree in
Olsztyn. In 2023, she obtained the degree of a certified teacher. From the
academic year 2022/2023, she has been employed as an assistant at the Institute

of Music at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.
She is invited to conduct workshops and master classes. She is a member of the
Association of Polish Artists Musicians (SPAM).
Her interests include discovering works by forgotten composers. In December
2016, she recorded an album (released in March 2017) with works by Raul
Koczalski (world premieres) for the Acte Préalable label. In March 2017, she
performed the Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 8 by Joachim Kaczkowski (first
performance in over 150 years).
She has performed recitals as a soloist and chamber musician in Poland, Germany,
Switzerland, and with orchestras in Macedonia and Spain, successfully performing
both classical and popular repertoire. Currently, she performs with the Pro Musica
Antiqua ensemble, Bellarti Trio, and eQuantum String Chamber Orchestra. She has
performed as a soloist with the symphony orchestras of the Lublin, Olsztyn (later
Warmian-Masurian), and Białystok Philharmonics, conducted by Bogdan Olędzki,
Roman Zieliński, Jerzy Salwarowski, Janusz Przybylski, Zygmunt Rychert, Ewa
Strusińska, Jan Miłosz Zarzycki, Jerzy Swoboda, Miguel Salmon Del Real (Mexico),
Jesus Medina (Mexico), Massimiliano Caldini (Italy), Anna Sułkowska Migoń.