Krzysztof Smietana was born in Poland and studied at the Cracow Academy of Music, later moving to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where he himself now teaches. He won most of the national awards in Poland and has been a prize-winner in several major international violin competitions.

He appears as a recitalist and concerto soloist throughout Britain and abroad and is regularly heard on BBC Radio 3. Broadcasts include highly-acclaimed performances of the two Szymanowski's Concertos with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and his recording of the Panufnik Violin Concerto with London Musici for Conifer became the CD of the month in CD Review magazine. Krzysztof has played the Panufnik Concerto throughout Europe, prompting The Strad to comment on his "beautifully controlled slow bowing and languorous vibrato". He has recorded Fauré's Sonatas for Meridian, the Brahms Sonatas for ASV and recently Stravinsky's Violin Concer

to with the Philharmonia conducted by Robert Craft for Music Masters.

He has been given master classes throughout Britain as well as USA, Poland and Germany. Adding to his activities as a soloist and chamber musician, Krzysztof has appeared as guest leader of several British orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and London Sinfonietta. He has also performed as a soloist at the BBC Proms Festivals with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

"'¦ a violinist with robust sound, played with empathy, and character'¦one was struck by how expressively and vividly Smietana was able to mould his sound'¦and produce his tone from every fibre of his body."  The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung