She is a harpist born in Poland who earned her Master of Music degree at the Warsaw Academy of Music and her Master of Arts degree at the City University of New York’s Queens College of Music where was she was affiliated with teaching and awarded a full scholarship. She has also been a student at the International Academie D’Ete in France.
After moving to the United States she became the youngest member of the New York Harp Ensemble, which disbanded in 1997 after it’s founder, Aristid von Wurtzler, died.
She has been a winner of Artists International Audition in New York, was a first-prize winner of the International Harp Competition in Italy and has performed in concerts nationally and internationally including several European and American international music festivals, at the White House and for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. She also performs music for other concerts and occasions such as weddings and parties.
Recordings she has performed on include her own Harp of Elegance, The Golden Harp at Christmas, Masterpieces for Harp and Orchestra and Festival of the Classical Harp along with A Pastoral Christmas, Eva Marton, Christmas with the New York Harp Ensemble & Hungarian Virtuosi and An Evening with the New York Harp Ensemble with the New York Harp Ensemble and Best of Hungaroton Classic 1995 by various artists.
On screen she she has performed the harp in two episode of The Sopranos in 2004 and was featured as a guest on Good Morning America.
In the field of musical education she assisted in the organisation of International HarpMaster Class and Festival in Hungary for 10 years and has given master classes at many other International Harp festivals.
Sources:
- https://harpistsylvia.com/biography/
- https://harpistsylvia.com/
- https://www.thebash.com/classical-harp/sylvia-kowalczuk
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1603989/
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/5214919-Sylvia-Kowalczuk?type=Credits&filter_anv=0
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sylvia-kowalczuk-mn0002199081/credits