Paulina Pietras is a Polish percussionist who has achieved remarkable success, winning 17 competitions before the age of 19. Her musical journey began at the age of 7, and she graduated from the Karol Szymanowski State Secondary Music School in Katowice, studying under Michał Żymełka.
Currently, Paulina is in her third year of undergraduate studies at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she is mentored by Dr. Ksenija Komljenović. Her presence at UNCSA is supported by the prestigious Kenan Excellence Scholarship.
Paulina is a laureate of numerous national and international awards. She earned the Grand Prix at the 13th Bernard Lewański National Percussion Competition, was an award winner at the National Percussion Competition of the Center for Artistic Education and received an award for the Best Interpretation of Krystian Skubała’s "The Source of Everything," granted by the composer himself. Her international accolades include 1st place at the Australian Marimba Competition and the 9th International Marimba Competition in Opole.
She is a recipient of multiple scholarships, including from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the National Fund for Children, and three-time scholarship awards from the Mayor of Katowice. In 2024/2025, she was awarded the Rafał Brzoska Foundation Scholarship. In 2024, Paulina was a finalist in the nationally televised "Young Musician of the Year" competition, known as the Eurovision for musicians in Poland.
For Paulina, music is more than a career—it is a profound means of self-expression, a way to channel her deepest emotions, and a constant source of support, especially through life's most challenging moments.