prof. dr hab. Danuta Augustyn
Danuta Augustyn is a violinist and a chamber musician, as well as a Professor in the Department of Percussion and Contemporary Music at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow, Poland.
In 1998, she graduated with distinction from the Academy of Music in Kraków, where she studied violin playing under the academic supervision of professor Mieczysław Szlezer. In 2000, she was granted an honours degree at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Sienna under the professorship of Piero Farulli with the Quartetto Italiano. In 2004, she earned an honours degree in the master classes conducted by the Melos Quartet from Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart.
In 2011 she earned a degree of doktor in Musical Arts (Instrumental Studies) from Academy of Music in Kraków, in 2018 – the degree of doktor habilitowany, and in 2025 – the title of professor of musical arts.
Since 1997, she has also been a violinist with the Dafô String Quartet. The ensemble has received numerous awards for performing and recording contemporary music in national and international competitions (1999 – the Fryderyk Music Award for the CD album ‘The Polish String Quartets of the 20th Century, Part I, PWM/DUX,’ 2002 – the Fryderyk Music Award for the CD album ‘The Polish String Quartets of the 20th Century, Part II, PWM/DUX,’ an award from Supersonic Pizzicato for ‘Penderecki – String Quartets, String Trio, Clarinet Quartet’ containing the first registration of III String Quartet, Gold Record DVD and the Fryderyk Music Award for ‘CD/DVD Łukaszewski&Bembinow: Christmas carols and songs,’ 2009 – the Fryderyk Music Award in the category ‘Album of the Year Contemporary Music’ for ‘Paweł Mykietyn: Speechless Song’ recorded with the Dafô String Quartet).
The Dafô String Quartet has participated in numerous festivals in Poland and abroad, performing with the members of the Melos Quartet, the Silesian String Quartet, Olga Pasiecznik, Janusz Olejniczak, Andrea Nannoni, Krzysztof Meyer, Urszula Kryger, Agata Zubel, Jerzy Artysz, Andreas Higi, and David Krakauer.
Dr. Augustyn has toured Europe with the American band Lambchop and participated in the concerts of the Bester Quartet as well as various theatrical projects. Finally, she has been a violinist in the Sinfonietta Cracovia under the baton of Robert Kabara (2007-2014) and Jurek Dybał (since May 2014).
Since 2007, she has been a violinist and associate principal second violin in the Orchestra of Royal Capital City of Kraków Sinfonietta Cracovia, under the baton of Robert Kabara, followed by Jurek Dybał (Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera), and currently Rafał Kokot.