Joanna Gutowska is an internationally active cellist recognised for her expressive artistry, refined sound, and distinctive approach to contemporary repertoire. As both a soloist and chamber musician, she has performed across Europe and beyond, collaborating with leading artists and appearing in a wide range of concert settings. Her playing combines technical precision with a strong sense of musical narrative and colour.

Her debut album Saariaho: Works for Cello (DUX) was nominated for the International Classical Music Awards 2023 in the Contemporary Music category and received international critical acclaim, including the prestigious Diapason 5distinction from the French classical music magazine Diapason. The recording, based on her doctoral research, explores the rich and complex sound world of Kaija Saariaho, including works for cello and electronics as well as multi-layered recordings performed entirely by Gutowska.

Joanna is a member of the Bukolika Piano Trio, formed at the Royal Academy of Music with pianist Anna Szałucka and violinist and conductor Gabriela Opacka-Boccadoro. The trio has performed at venues including Wigmore Hall and St John’s Smith Square, appeared on BBC Radio 3, and was selected for the St John’s Smith Square Young Artists’ Scheme. They were finalists in the St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition and have participated in major mentorship programmes. With the trio, Joanna recorded the album Bucoliques.

She holds a PhD in Music from the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków, where her research focused on contemporary cello repertoire and new approaches to sound and expression. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and further specialised in chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, as well as through the Erasmus programme in Stuttgart.

Alongside her artistic work, Joanna has also completed training in integrative counselling skills and performance coaching, including the IAFPD Certificate in Stress Management and Performance Coaching. These areas of study continue to inform her reflective and holistic approach to working with musicians and performance-related wellbeing.

In addition to her concert work, Joanna collaborates on a wide range of creative projects, including recording music for film, video games, and interdisciplinary artistic productions.

Alongside her performing career, Joanna is a dedicated educator, working with students of all ages and levels. Her teaching focuses on building strong technical foundations while supporting confidence, awareness, and individual musical expression.

She is the founder of Mind for Stage, a platform exploring the psychological and emotional aspects of performance, and the creator of Mind for Strings, a programme for young musicians combining musical development with creativity and engagement in a supportive group environment.

Through both her performance and teaching, Joanna is committed to expanding the expressive possibilities of the cello and fostering a deeper, more connected experience of music.