Piotr Lato
clarinet
Piotr Lato graduated with distinction from the Academy of Music in Kraków, where he studied clarinet in the class of Andrzej Godek. He has received numerous prizes and distinctions in music competitions, including First Prize at the National Auditions for Secondary Music Schools (woodwind category) in Olsztyn (1996), Third Prize at the 11th Karol Kurpiński Academic Clarinet Competition in Włoszakowice (2000), and Third Prize at the 4th International Johannes Brahms Chamber Music Competition in Gdańsk (2006). In 2002 he was a semi-finalist of the Prague Spring International Clarinet Competition, and in 2003 he qualified for and participated in the prestigious ARD International Music Competition in Munich.
In recognition of his artistic achievements, he was awarded the Scholarship of the Polish Minister of Culture (2000–2002) and the Creative Scholarship of the City of Kraków (2003). He has appeared at numerous festivals in Poland and abroad, including the International Music Festival Eurosilesia, Music in Old Kraków International Festival, the International Festival of Contemporary Music Borderlands, the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, Young Euro Classic Festival, the International Festival of Contemporary Music – 12 Days of Kraków Composers, Musica Polonica Nova Festival of Polish Contemporary Music, and the International Chamber Music Festival Music on the Heights, among others.
He has participated in numerous clarinet masterclasses and courses, including an interpretation and composition course led by Karlheinz Stockhausen. He has made numerous recordings for radio, television and record labels in Poland and abroad, including DUX, Centaur Records, Le Foxx Music and Universal Music.
Since 2004 he has served as principal clarinet of the Beethoven Academy Orchestra. As a guest musician he collaborates with numerous orchestras and ensembles while maintaining an active career as a soloist and chamber musician.
In addition to his performing career, Piotr Lato is active as a pedagogue at the Władysław Żeleński State Secondary Music School in Kraków. From 2006 he served as assistant in the clarinet class of Andrzej Godek at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków, where in 2011 he obtained a doctoral degree in musical arts (instrumental performance) and was appointed assistant professor. In 2016 he received the degree of habilitated doctor of arts, and in 2024 he was awarded the title of professor.
He currently serves as Head of the Department of Woodwind Instruments and Accordion at the same institution, as well as Vice-Rector for Artistic and Academic Affairs.