Soprano Iwona Sobotka garnered international acclaim as Grand Prix winner of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium in 2004.  The recipient of numerous awards, including first prizes at the East and West Artists International Auditions in New York, the Warsaw Polish Art Song Competion, and in the Bydgoszcz Paderewski Competion, Ms. Sobotak has performed all over Europe, in the Americas and Japan. Notable venues include the Wiener Konzerthaus, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Palais de Beaux Arts in Brussels, the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, Suntory Hall in Tokyo and at the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.  Currently, she studies with renowned artist and pedagogue Tom Krause at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid. 

 

Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wor is no stranger to audiences in the Washington, D. C. area, performing on numerous occasions with The Washington National Opera and in previous performances with the National Philharmonic.  This past season Ms. Wór’s performances included Cherubino in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with the Ashlawn Opera Festival, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with the National Philharmonic, Handel’s Messiah with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, title role in Bizet’s Carmen with the Palm Beach Opera and a concert in London celebrating Chopin’s 200th Birth Anniversary.  Ms. Wor is originally from Poland and has lived in the United States since 1991. She received her Bachelor and Masters degrees in vocal performance from Georgia State University and studies with Magdalena Moulson-Falewicz.

 

 

The National Philharmonic and Chorale is the result of a merger of the National Chamber Orchestra and Masterworks Chorus.  Stan Engebretson, currently National Philharmonic’s Chorale Artistic Director, was appointed Masterworks’ Music Director.