Szymon Michalik was born in the city of Nowy Sącz. He began to play the bassoon at the age of 11 in the Fryderyk Chopin Primary & Secondary Music School in Nowy Sącz in the class of Jan Słowik. In 2010-2013 he studied in the Fryderyk Chopin State General Secondary Music School in Cracow under the direction of Zdzisław Bogacz. He is currently a 1st year student at the Fryderyk Chopin Music University in Warsaw in the bassoon class of dr Artur Kasperek. Under the Erasmus programme, Szymon has studied with Professor Ole Kristian Dahl in the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Mannheim.
In 2016–2017 he was the bassoon soloist in the National Music Forum in Wrocław. He has also worked with the following orchestras: Sinfonietta Cracovia, Sinfonia Iuventus, I’ Culture Orchestra, the baroque orchestra of the Opera Academy of Teatr Wielki – the National Opera and with the orchestra of the Warsaw Chamber Opera.
Szymon Michalik received numerous scholarships, including the “Young Poland” scholarship (2017), the scholarship of the Sapere Auso Foundation (2015/2016), the John Paul II scholarship of the capital city of Warsaw (2015/2016), the Minister of Culture and National Heritage scholarship for outstanding academic achievement in 2014/2015 and 2011/2012 and the Pro Musica Bona scholarship (2013/2014, 2012/2013).
Szymon took part in the Scharoun Ensemble der Berliner Philharmoniker Summer Music Academy in Lusławice (2014) and performed in a concert in Berlin, invited by the Scharoun Ensemble, made up of musicians of the Berlin Philharmonic (2014).
