Joya: AiR / Anna Szalucka / POL
photo Simon Beckmann
Joya: AiR / Anna Szalucka / POL
“My time at Joya: AiR, though brief, felt incredibly full. It felt like stepping into a space where time stretches just enough to let things settle into place.
I arrived carrying a project that’s been on my mind for months, and in that stillness I’ve found space to complete it. The silence at Joya isn’t empty; it holds you in a way that makes it easier to listen to your work, to your thoughts, to the small details that often get lost in the pace of a big city life.
As a pianist, I found myself reconnecting not just with the music, but with the surrounded by nature and, free from distraction, allowed for a kind of focus that felt both grounding and expansive. There was a clarity to the days structured by light, the rhythm of shared meals and solitary work.
What stayed with me just as much was the sense of community. The other artists brought such dedication and openness to their work, and even in quiet moments, there was a shared understanding and a collective commitment to being present and engaged. It didn’t feel forced or overly social, just a natural coexistence of practices unfolding side by side.
Simon and Donna have created something very special here. Their care is in every detail, from the warmth of their welcome to the incredible food and strong but subtle presence. I still think about the drive from Vélez-Rubio with Simon, how that simple gesture of being picked up from the station set the tone for everything that followed: generous, thoughtful, human.
Joya: AiR feels like a place where artistic practice and environment are in constant conversation. You become more aware of where you are, not just geographically, but creatively. It’s rare to find a space that encourages both deep introspection and meaningful exchange without pressure. It allowed me to listen more closely, to think more deeply, and to make work that feels connected - to the people, to the place and perhaps something beyond myself”.
Anna Szalucka
Anna Szałucka is a Polish pianist and collaborator based in London. Her discography to date includes eight albums recorded for Naxos, Linn Records, Ulysses Arts among others and were highly acclaimed by The Gramophone Magazine and BBC Music Magazine. Anna’s recent exploration of music production marries the neoclassical art of piano playing with subtle preparation, ambient electronica and synthesis as well as field recordings of the natural environment. She’s also expanding her classical collaboration into the world of jazz and orient, recently working with Bernhard Schimpelsberger, an eclectic jazz percussionist and Konnakol performer, on a new arrangement of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
Anna is a co-founder of Piano Phase Project, an ensemble bringing music installations to contemporary venues helping people from all walks of life to connect with and make music. She recently wrote a new soundtrack for Sound Meditation – a non-narrative, artistic film shot with Piano Phase Project in the Canadian forests of the Sunshine Coast, BC. The film premiered in Kaunas and Vilnius (2024) as well as London and Glasgow (2025).
