Bio
Dr Małgorzata Anna Mokrus is a distinguished pianist, scholar, and interdisciplinary artist whose work epitomizes the synergy between musical performance, academic research, and visual arts.
The year 2025 marked a pinnacle in her career, highlighted by the prestigious ‘Golden Parnassus’ award, two Grand Prix prizes at international competitions, and the ‘Young Poland’ (Młoda Polska) scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. Her status as a leading artist of her generation is further cemented by highest accolades from numerous national and international festivals, standing as a testament to exceptional musical prowess and cultural significance. This highly versatile career encompasses concert performances across Europe, including national premieres and collaborations with distinguished orchestras. In the artist’s extensive repertoire, a particular emphasis is placed on works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, French music, contemporary compositions (including works for piano and electronics), jazz and improvised music. Holding a PhD in Musical Arts, she specializes in the works of Rachmaninoff, with a main focus on his Études-Tableaux – her research culminated in the publication of a monograph on the subject, notably featuring a CD recording of the complete cycle (the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice). Additionally, her academic contributions comprise several scientific articles on the subject of ‘correspondance des arts’, which have been published in Poland and abroad. Her interdisciplinary approach is further showcased in the video podcast, Musical Pictures with Chopin in the Background, broadcast on Polish Radio Chopin. Beyond the stage, she is an active piano educator and a self-taught painter with a profound passion for visual arts, exploring the synthesis of music and colour through her original works, which she presents during concert performances, thereby creating a unique artistic value.
„Małgorzata plays with skill, maturity and intelligence. Her artistic abilities allow her to feel at ease both on stage in a wide repertoire as well as in other spheres of musical activity.”
— Philippe Giusiano
Polsh Radio Chopin
Since autumn 2024, Małgorzata Anna Mokrus has been the creator and host of her original video podcast, entitled Musical Pictures with Chopin in the Background, on Polish Radio Chopin. The series explores piano literature rooted in the Chopin tradition through the lens of broadly defined correspondence between the arts. By bridging musicology with media, she offers a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on classical repertoire.
A recital from the series
Enter the PIN for Chopin
Music
SERGIUSZ RACHMANINOWÉtudes-Tableaux
„This recording is of ranks among the best recordings of this set of etudes that I know.”
— prof. Kevin Kenner University of Miami
„Małgorzata Mokrus, a figure of a genuinely Renaissance character, stands as a rarity within the landscape of modern Polish humanities […]"
— prof. Marcin GmysAdam Mickiewicz University Poznań
Paintings
The artistic practice of Małgorzata Anna Mokrus also encompasses painting and drawing, focusing primarily on landscapes, seascapes, nocturnes, and still lifes. Her inaugural exhibition was held in 2022 in conjunction with the concert Dwa światy – sztuka bez granic. In August 2025, utilising a diverse range of painterly techniques, she opened her solo exhibition Miscellanea, at the invitation of the Podkarpacka Foundation for the Development of Culture. Her interdisciplinary versatility is perfectly evidenced by her illustration Golden Domes, which features on the cover of her monograph, bridging her musical and visual worlds.
Publications
Małgorzata Anna Mokrus specialises in the study of intersemiotic relations and the artistic intersection of music, literature, and the visual arts. Her scholarly output includes numerous articles published in collective volumes by renowned national publishers (such as Chopin University Press and Bernardinum). The central focus of her research is the piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff. This inquiry culminated in a monographic book dedicated to the illustrative and symbolic elements of the Études-Tableaux, a seminal work in the concert étude genre within piano literature. This publication is unique in its character, as the author's theoretical insights find a direct complement in her interpretations of both cycles (Op. 33 and Op. 39), captured on the CD recording included with the book.
„Dr. Małgorzata Anna Mokrus is a distinguished figure among the performing artists of her generation, simultaneously engaging in extensive scientific activity. [...] She is the author of the remarkable monograph titled Illustrationism and Symbolism of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Études-Tableaux, accompanied by a CD featuring her recordings of the cycle. This dualistic approach to music interpretation – both in practice and theory – is an absolute phenomenon within artistic research circles. It showcases her creative and deeply insightful musical exploration and stands as a testament to her immense potential –not only scientifically but, above all, artistically.”
— Professor Joanna Cieślik-KlauzaFryderyk Chopin University of Music
„I believe Dr. Mokrus offers a valuable contribution to the arts and in particular to Polish Culture. Her book, Illustrative and symbolic elements in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Études-Tableaux, has greatly benefited me as a piano teacher when teaching these works.”
— prof. Kevin Kenner University of Miami