- titular professor, holding a position of associate professor at The Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdansk

- the Artistic Director of the Gdansk Ensemble of Early Music - Cappella Gedanensis.

Academic, didactic and artistic activities

Academic career

Born 10.06.1948 in Bydgoszcz, where she graduated from Musical High School in 1967. After graduating with flying colours from Composition and Theory of Music Faculty (Theory section) of Academy of Music in Gdansk, she received her Master of Arts degree in 1972, and took a job as an assistant lecturer.

In 1980 she gained a doctor’s degree in Surdologopaedics on the Humanities department of University of Maria Curie-Sklodowska in Lublin. Doctoral thesis concerned Research of musical pitch hearing among hearing-impaired people, and practical application of this research.

In 1981 she founded the Gdansk Ensemble of Early Music - Cappella Gedanensis, and since 01.04.1992 she is employed by the President of Gdansk as the Artistic Director in then newly appointed cultural institution of Cappella Gedanensis.

In 1990 she graduated with distinction from postgraduate studies on the faculty of Vocal and Acting (Vocal Pedagogy section) of Karol Lipinski Academy of Music in Wroclaw.

In 1995 she realized a registration and conferment procedure for the second degree in Arts, and she gained second degree qualification in Musical Art of Conducting the Vocal and Vocal-Instrumental Ensembles.

Since 1997 she is holding a position of associate professor.

In 2001 (12.12.2001) she received academic title of Professor of Musical Arts.

She was appointed the post of dean of the faculty of Composition and Theory of Music for two terms during 1999-2005 (01.10.1999-31.08.2005).

Since 2006 she holds the position of director of the Department of Ear Training of the Institute of Theory of Music in the Academy of Music in Gdansk.

Subjects lectured

Ear training, Methodology of ear training, Voice emission, Cantata and oratorio ensembles (The Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdansk).

Visiting lectures at other Polish Universities

• University of M.C.Sklodowska in Lublin (Voice emission lectures at Logopaedics Faculty – 1980-1981)
• Gdansk University – Voice emission lectures at Logopaedics specialization
• The K.Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice – open lecture, concerning Vocal technique and interpretation of early music (14.03.2002).
• The F.Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw (in the academic year 2004/2005 lectures on Methodology of ear training for Postgraduate Studies of Pedagogy of Ear Training).
• The F.Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw (in the academic year 2004/2005 lectures on Methodology of ear training for Postgraduate Studies of Pedagogy of Ear Training).

Academic and didactic activities

Academic interests encompass issues of ear training, vocal pedagogy and interpretation of renaissance, baroque and early classical music. The result of these interests is a number of publications on pedagogy of ear training and vocal pedagogy in national and foreign prints (among other - methodology textbook Linear hearing training. From tonality to atonality, AM Gdansk 2000).

Moreover, she authored a number of academic articles (among other – A work with students on duophonic atonal dictation. Music dictation in research and methodology, The Academy of Music in Lodz 2004, pp.77-91).

In her academic and pedagogic practice she also participates in debates and academic and methodological conferences: 3rd academic and methodological solfeggio conference of Silesian region (1997); for pedagogues of ear training in F.Nowowiejski Music School in Szczecin (2001); for music schools teachers of Gdansk region in Music Schools of 1st and 2nd degree (Gdansk 2001); presentation of the original method and textbook, Ear training in the process of school education, selected methodological issues (2006).

She is a supervisor of master’s theses on the first faculty and she is also an internal reviewer of master’s theses and publications of CEA. She is a member of Intercollegiate Department of Ear Training with its seat in The F.Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw..

She inspects assistant lecturers’ classes and she controls the academic research works of The Department of Ear Training of The Academy of Music in Gdansk.

Since 2003 she is a member of a jury of National Solfeggio Competition for music schools of the 2nd degree (Bielsko-Biala 2003, 2005, 2007).

Since May 2008 Alina Kowalska-Pinczak is a full professor.

Artistic activities

The founder and creator of the Gdansk Ensemble of Early Music Cappella Gedanensis specializes in the interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque music and especially she focuses on continuing the tradition of Town Councillors Cappella which was established in 16th century in Gdansk. Cappella Gedanensis is a professional vocal-instrumental ensemble of Baroque make-up. They perform on a regular basis in Poland and abroad, they make CD records and they also beautify with their presence important public events in Gdansk.

Since 2001 the group conducted by Alina Kowalska-Pinczak performed over six hundred concerts. They collaborated with such big names as Reinhard Goebel (Musica Antiqua Köln -2001), Wanda Wilkomirska (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004), K.A. Kulka (2004-2007), Mirel Jancovici Vc (2001, 2002), Andriej Bielow - Vno (2004), Roman Jablonski - Vc (2005), Bozena Harasimowicz-Haas - soprano (continuous collaboration), Takashi Yamamoto - piano (prizewinner of the 15th International F.Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw - 2007), Lukasz Dlugosz - flute (prizewinner of the ARD Competition in Munich – 2007).

Cappella have in their repertoire the world-famous pieces of music literature – instrumental and solo compositions as well as great vocal-instrumental works (among other: G.F. Haendel, Messiah – performed in 2007; A. Vivaldi, Gloria, Magnificat, Dixit Dominus; J. S. Bach, St.John’s Passion, St.Matthew’s Passion, Weinachtsoratorium, and numerous cantatas; W.A. Mozart, Coronation Mass; F. Schubert, Mass in G Major, and other).

The group conducted by prof.dr Alina Kowalska-Pinczak have also made some first performances. They took part in numerous significant national and international music festivals. They gave several concerts in The National Philharmonic Hall, in the Royal Castle in Warsaw and in the Silesian Magnate Castle in Pszczyna.

Prof.dr Alina Kowalska-Pinczak works with the Artistic Education Centre at the Ministry of Culture as a jury member at national solfeggio competitions and as an internal reviewer of academic publications on ear training. She was also appointed by the Ministry of Culture to give lectures at the Postgraduate Study of Pedagogy of Ear Training in the Academy of Music in Warsaw.

Fist Performances

Music festivals

(discography)

Cappella Gedanensis conducted by Alina Kowalska-Pinczak have made numerous recordings published throughout the span of their career:

• 30 CDs,
• 2 analogue records (LPs),
• 1 cassette with music of English Renaissance. renesansu.

Work as a juror

• Juror of the competition for Gdansk’s bugle call (2001).
• Juror of preliminary elimination rounds in Pomorskie Province for 25th,26th,27th and 28th National Festival of Junior Early Music Groups Schola Cantorum in Kalisz (2002-2006).
• Juror of 3rd-8th Metropolitan Festival of Religious Song in Jastarnia (2001-2007).
• Juror of The International Violin Competition being a part of 7th and 8th Gdansk Spring of Music Festival in 2005 and Lotos Mozart Prize in 2006.
• Juror of The International Choral Competition Mundus Cantat in Sopot (2006).

Honours, awards and distinctions (2001-2007)

Associations and committees membership