Karol Gajda

Karol Gajda, born in Poland in 1991, studied trombone with Prof. Zdzisław Stolarczyk at the Academy of Music in Kraków and at the Chopin Academy of Music, later continuing his studies with Prof. Jonas Bylund at HMTM Hannover. Winner of numerous national and international competitions, he received 1st Prize at the Markneukirchen International Competition (2010) and at the “Città di Porcia” Competition (2011), 3rd Prize at the “Prague Spring” Competition (2011), and 2nd Prize at the Budapest International Tenor and Bass Trombone Competition (2016). He was a finalist in the 2009 Young Musician of the Year competition, linked to the Eurovision selections, and in the same year was awarded the “Young Poland” scholarship by the Ministry of Culture.

As a soloist, he has performed with major orchestras, including the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Polish Radio Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, and the Vogtland Philharmonie. He has given recitals at notable festivals such as Slide Factory, the ITA Festival, and the IPV Symposium. An active chamber musician, he regularly performs with Trombone Unit Hannover. After serving as principal trombone of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic in 2016/2017, he has held the position of principal trombone of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice since 2017. He also teaches at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw.