Born in 1969 in Wadowice. Graduated with honors from the High School of Music in Bielsko-Biała, in the percussion class of MA L. Sojka. In 1994 he graduated from the Academy of Music in Cracow, in the percussion class of Dr. S. Welanyk. As a graduation recital, he performed, accompanied by the Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra, "Concertino" for marimba and orchestra - by P. Creston (first performance in Cracow).
As a chamber musician, he participated in significant festivals of contemporary music. Between 1990 and 2000 he collaborated with the Krakow Percussion Group (Festivals of contemporary music: Krakow - Days of Krakow Composers, Opole - Days of Percussion Music, Poznan - International Festival "Poznan Musical Spring", Warsaw - International Festival of Contemporary Music "Warsaw Autumn", Bratislava - Festival "Melos-Etos", Prague - New Music Marathon ,Berlin - Inventionen).
As a member of the jazz ensemble "Overtime" he won the second prize at the Jazz Juniors Festival in Krakow (1990). He participated in the International Percussion Workshop in Bydgoszcz (1989, 1991) and worked under the guidance of outstanding artists such as J. Beck, S. Schick, A. Otte, N.J. Živković, J. M. Collet, K. Szymanowski and J. Pomianowski. For many years he collaborated with the contemporary music ensemble MW2.
Since 1992 he has been a member of the Capella Cracoviensis chamber orchestra. He is a co-founder and member of chamber ensembles: Barock Tune and Alta Cappella (historical wind and percussion instruments).
Tomasz Sobaniec collaborates with early music ensembles: Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, Arte Dei Suonatori, {oh!} Historical Orchestra, La Tempesta, Estravaganza Consort, Diletto, Harmonia Sacra, Consortium Sedinum, Trondheim Barokk, Concerto de Bassus, Musica Aeterna Bratislava, Musica Florea Praha, Il Giardino D'Amore, Capella di Ospedale Della Pieta Venezia.
He collaborates with the orchestras of the Krakow Philharmonic, the Beethoven Academy and the Sinfonietta Cracovia orchestra. He has performed under the baton of prominent Polish conductors , among them: J. Maksymiuk, J. Krenz, K. Kord, J. Kaspszyk, T. Strugała, G. Chmura, A. Wit, G. Nowak, W. Michniewski, T. Wojciechowski, W. Rajski, M. Pijarowski, M.J. Blaszczyk, S. Krawczynski, M. Dworzynski, M. Nesterowicz and foreign conductors: H. Rilling, A. Parrott , P. McCreesh, P. Goodwin, Ch. Rousset, V. Dumestre, A. Spering, P. Esswood, F. Bonizzoni, M. Gester, A. Moccia, F. Hauk, H. Max, Ch. Eschenbach, J. N. Axelrod, K. Zehnder, M. Valdes, L. Wicki, M. Caldi, V. Ponkin, M. Zilm, P. D. Ponelle, Ch. O. Munroe, E. G. Jensen , E.Pidò.
Tomasz Sobaniec has given numerous premieres, including works written for him. His compositions were dedicated to him by M. Mengjiqi, D. Eddleman, N. Housni, H. Ayanbod, K. Kruk, J. Płonka and P. Sarnecki. Among the premieres are works by Polish composers: K. Moszumańska-Nazar, K. Penderecki, M. Stachowski, B. Schaeffer, K. Meyer, Z. Bujarski, A. Kaczynski, H. J. Botor, M. Jablonski, Sz. Tesarowicz, A. Dudzinska, M. Pomianowska, and foreign composers: N. van De Vate, K. Lamont, K. Y. Chin. He participated in premiere recordings of works by: K. Moszumańska-Nazar, K. Penderecki, A. Walaciński, Ł. Farcinkiewicz, B. Hobson, T. Bräm, H.G.F. Pflüger, J. Bartley, S. Kmotorka, B. Frost & D. Bjarnason, G. Donizettieg, A. Benda, A. Melani.
He has given concerts in most European countries and also in the USA, Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan. In 2000, he performed at the Asian Culture Festival in Niigata, together with world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, as well as Maria Pomianowska and Michał Kulenty in the "Silk Road" project.
He was twice nominated for the Fryderyk Award for his recordings of compositions: O. A. Ivanschiz - {oh!} Historical Orchestra in 2017 and M. Gomolka - Opera Omnia vols 3&4 - Polish Radio Choir in 2020. He has made dozens of recordings for record labels: Polskie Radio, DUX, Musicon, CD Accord, Dalmafon, MTJ, Angelus Silesius, Channel Classics, Naxos, Vienna Modern Masters, Arion, Enchiriadis, Cadenza, Avi-music, Bedroom Community, Ëvoe Records, Equinox Music, IMC Music Publisher or SACEM.
Since 1995, he has worked at the Academy of Music in Cracow in the Department of Contemporary Music, Jazz and Percussion. In 2011, his research paper entitled" Percussion as a hallmark of Krystyna Moszumańska-Nazar's music" was published by his alma mater.
He was a lecturer at the International Percussion Master Classes "Cross Drumming on the Nile" in Kolbuszowa in 2012 and 2013, the Summer Art Manufaktura - Niepołomice 2017, and the Percussion Seminars organized by the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz in 2014 and 2017. He has sat on the jury of percussion competitions as well as auditions organized by the CEA.
He has repeatedly been a reviewer of doctoral and postdoctoral theses in the field of percussion and jazz percussion.
Tomasz Sobaniec is also involved in social activities in the field of culture. He is a co-founder and member of the board of the Malopolska Manufaktura Sztuki Association, established in 2013 . He also participates in the organizational work of the "MOSTY" series, which takes place annually at the AM in Krakow. Since 2020, he has been the artistic director of the project "Hebdowskie Encounters with Art".
For his work to date, he has been honored with: the Medal of the Commission of National Education, the badge of Honoris Gratia (of the President of the City of Krakow) and the award of the Rector of the Academy of Music in Krakow.
In 2020, he received the title of Professor of Musical Arts.
The artist plays Polish marimba by MIDO, Swiss cymbals and gongs by PAISTE, and uses American Pro-Mark batons.
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