Piotr Szumieł, viola, born in 1977 in Warsaw, is one of the most versatile violists of his generation.
From a young age he won numerous prestigious prizes at international competitions including 1st prize at the Jan Rakowski Viola Competition in Poznan in 1998, 2nd prize at the 9th International Johannes Brahms Competition in 2002 in Pörtschach (Austria) and 3rd prize at the Vienna International Viola Competition in 2004.
Between 2002 and 2008 Piotr Szumieł was a member and principal violist of the Dresden Philharmonic and the Dresden Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.
He has been intensively involved in educational work – as a lecturer at the “Carl Maria von Weber” College of Music (since 2005), at the “Karol Szymanowski” Academy of Music in Katowice (2013-2018) and as professor of viola and head of strings at the University of Music and Drama in Rostock (since October 2019).
Piotr Szumieł has played at prestigious venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall, Berlin
Philharmonie, Wiener Konzerthaus and Wiener Musikverein, Carnegie Hall, the Cologne Philharmonie, Citè de la musique Paris, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Tonhalle Zurich, Palais des Beaux Arts Brussels, Konserthuset Stockholm, Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Warsaw Philharmonic.
In addition to his solo and didactic activities, he is intensely devoted to the Apollon Musagète Quartet, founded in 2006. Within two years, the ensemble earned outstanding recognition from jurors of the most prestigious chamber music competitions and critics alike. Winning international music competitions in Vienna and Florence, the quartet quickly established itself as a fixture on the European music scene after receiving the 1st prize and almost all special prizes at the 57th ARD International Music Competition.
As a soloist, Piotr Szumieł has performed with numerous orchestras including the Dresden Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Dresden, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Piotr Szumieł studied at the Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy in his hometown with Stefan Kamasa and later with Wolfgang Klos and Johannes Meissl at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Piotr Szumieł is the recipient of the “Young Poland” scholarship program of the Minister for Culture and National Heritage and the “Burletti Buitoni Trust Award” (2014) for outstanding artistic achievements with the “Apollon Musagete Quartet”.