prof. dr hab. Mariola Cieniawa-Puchała
Outstanding Polish pianist, chamber musician and teacher. Professor at the Piano Department of the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Cracow. In 2020-2022 the Head of the Piano Department.
Graduate of Academy of Music in Kraków in a class specializing in piano under the tutelage of professor Tadeusz Żmudziński. She is postgraduate of the Academy of Music in Warsaw under the direction of professor Andrzej Jasiński, and later under the direction of Karl-Heinz Kammerling in piano soloist class of the Hochschule of Music and Theatre in Hanover (Germany).
She won the first prize and the special award in the piano competition of the First Polish Karol Szymanowski’s Piano Competition in Łódź (1983). Mariola Cieniawa was also granted the Frederic Chopin Artistic Scholarship twice, in a competition organized by Frederic Chopin Association in Warsaw (1983, 1984). In 1985 she represented Poland at the XI International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. In 1989 she received the special Jury prize in the 3rd International Piano Competition in Palm Beach – Florida – USA (for the winners of piano competitions). In 1990 she took 2nd prize at the 5th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). She took 3rd prize at the National German Chopin Piano Competition in Cologne (1991).
As a solist she has been performing at numerous Polish and international music festivals, among other: International Chopin Festivals in Naples, Marianske Lazne, Duszniki, “Settembre Musica” Festival in Turin, International Art Festival in Phenian, International Piano Marathon Madrid-Bilbao.
In 1994 she initated Piano Master Classes in Krynica (Poland). She was the artistic director and teacher together with the famous american pianist – Kevin Kenner. In years 2002 – 2012 she has been the artistic director of the Summer Music Festival in Krynica. In 2025 Mariola Cieniawa was made the Artistic Director of the Janusz Olejniczak’s Festival ‘Chopin in Ojców’.
Mariola Cieniawa has been giving public concerts all over the world; Austria, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Spain, North Korea, USA, Egypt.
The pianist recorded for the Polish Radio, Polish Television and „Polish Records“. She has also recorded numerous CD-s:
– “Danza Iberica”- solo CD with the Spanish Music (“Castello” – 2008)
– Trios of Mendelssohn and Shostakowich – Kaja Danczowska – violin, Dorota Imiełowska – cello
(“CD Accord” – 2003) – nominated to the “Fryderyk” Prize
– two CD-s with the modern 20th-century chamber music – with Dorota Imiełowska – cello
(“Koch Classics” – 2001 )
In 2007 Mariola Cieniawa won the special prize „Mosty Starosty“ for an outstanding achievements in piano playing and popularization of music culture. She got many state awards from: Polish Ministry of Education. Polish Ministry of Culture and Heritage, President of Polish Republic.
Mariola Cieniawa is very active teacher. She conducted many piano master courses in Poland and abroad.
She is invited to be the head or the member of the jury of many piano and chamber music competitions in Poland and abroad (among others – juror of the Egyptian Chopin Piano Competition in Cairo (Egypt)
Since 1986 she has been running her own piano class in the Piano Department in the Academy of Music in Kraków.
Godmother of the Polish train “Nikifor” running on the relation: Kraków – Krynica-Zdrój.