A new album of chamber works by Sergei Rachmaninov is in preparation by Divine Art for release in the late spring of 2023.  The recording is taking place at two venues in Poland: the Łódź Academy of Music, and the Czestochowa Philharmony, and is due to be completed in early November 2022.  The principal performer is pianist Barbara Karaśkiewicz who has made several highly praised recordings for Divine Art (and before that the esteemed Polish label Acte Preable). She performs two piano duos with her musical partner Michał Rot. The chamber works are played by the Huberman Piano Trio whose Divine Art recording of 20^th Century Chamber music was also acclaimed by critics. 

The Huberman Trio was formed at the initiative of Barbara Karaśkiewicz, named in honour of the great Polish artist Bronislav Huberman, famed for his performances and transcriptions of works by Chopin and others. The current line-up includes Polish pianist and violinist and a Ukrainian cellist.

Album details

• Recording made in September and November 2022 in Poland, Engineer/producer: Wojciech Marzec
• Release date Spring 2023 (to be confirmed)
• Label: Divine Art
• Catalogue number: DDA 25242
• Artists:
  • Barbara Karaśkiewicz and Michał Rot (piano duet)
  • Huberman Piano Trio:
    • Barbara Karaśkiewicz (piano)
    • Dagmara Swystun (violin)
    • Sergei Rysanov (cello)
• Works (all by Sergei Rachmaninov)
  • Piano Suite No. 1, Op. 5 (piano duet)
  • Piano Suite No. 2, Op. 17 (piano duet)
  • Trio Elégiaque No, 1 (piano trio)
  • Elegy, Op. 3 no. 1 (arranged for piano trio)
  • Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14 (arranged for piano trio)
• Album duration:  c. 71:00

Barbara Karaśkiewicz was born in Krynica, where at the age of 5 she began learning to play the piano, and continued her studies at music schools in Łódź and Katowice. She went on to study piano at The Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice under Prof. Monika Sikorska-Wojtacha, where she received a diploma with distinction in 1999; at the same university she partook of post-graduate studies under the guidance of the outstanding Polish pianist, Prof. Wojciech Świtała. In 2013, she obtained a doctoral degree, and in June 2018 a Postdoctorate honours, both awarded by The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.

As an artist Barbara has been honoured with awards in prestigious competitions in her own country and abroad. She has performed widely in Europe as well as in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay and of course in her native Poland, performing as soloist in symphonic concerts, in piano recitals and in chamber music; she is the founder of the Huberman Duo, Huberman Piano Trio, and the piano quartet 4Tpianos. Barbara has recorded the entire repertoire of piano compositions by Roman Statkowski, across three albums (the third was published by Divine Art: DDA 25129). She has also recorded the piano works of English contemporary composer Michael Garrett. Her fifth solo album, with music by Karol Szymanowski (Divine Art DDA 25151) was nominated for the Fryderyk 2018 Music Award in the category of Best Polish Album Abroad. Barbara is associated with The Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław. She actively participates in teaching activities and numbered among her pupils are international piano competition prizewinners. She is regularly invited to participate as a member of the jury in piano competitions, and she also conducts piano and chamber workshops.