Polina Tarasenko

Ukrainian trombonist Polina Tarasenko was born in Kherson in 2001. She began her musical journey as a member of the children’s jazz band “Dixieland” in her home country, before continuing her studies in classical trombone at the Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music from 2013 to 2018.

Polina studied at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover with Professor Jonas Bylund from 2018 to 2022. She then continued her studies at the University of Arts Bern under Professor Ian Bousfield, graduating with highest honours in July 2024.

She is currently a member of the Mendelssohn Orchestra Academy at the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, one of Europe’s leading orchestral training programmes.

Polina has received numerous scholarships and prizes throughout her career. She is a prize winner of the International Aeolus Wind Competition 2023 and was awarded three special prizes at the International ARD Competition in 2022. In addition, she has won awards at international trombone competitions across Italy, France, Germany, and the United States.

As a soloist, Polina has performed with orchestras including the NDR Radio Philharmonie Hannover, Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt (Oder), Baden-Badener Philharmonie, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Symphony Orchestra Münster, Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra.

She has appeared in major concert venues such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Tonhalle Zürich, Nikolaisaal Potsdam, and Konzerthaus Dortmund.