She was Titular Professor of hors-classe at the National Conservatory in Versailles and doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Aesthetics of Plastic and Musical Arts at the Sorbonne. She is the author of books on music pedagogy and Director of the Art Collection in France ; a painter ; long-term President of the Association of Polish Musicians in France and Artistic Director of the Festival European Art Meetings in Bydgoszcz in Poland.

She was awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland for her contribution to the development and promotion of Polish culture abroad with the distinctions: Meritorious for Polish Culture in 1986 and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic and Poland in 1997.

From 1972 to 1981, she gave concerts in many countries around the world with the „Warsaw Trio” (winner of the international competition in Belgrade in 1972).

In 1977, Barbara Marcinkowska received a scholarship from the French Government and left for Paris, where she studied for several years under André Nawarra, a French cellist, and one of the most outstanding soloists and educators in the world. For the artist, this was an extremely rich period of exploration, development and improvement. In addition to studying music, she also studied painting at Beaux Arts de Paris and drawing at the American Academy of Painting.

Her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris (1979-1986) at the Faculty of Aesthetics of Plastic and Musical Arts were awarded with a PhD on André Navarra and his teaching method.

Since 1977, Barbara Marcinkowska has given concerts as a soloist in many countries around the world. made numerous CD recordings and been invited to many festivals. She bas also carried out teaching activities.

In 1992 she was appointed Titular Professor at the National Conservatory of Versailles. She was invited to participate in many master classes, including in Łańcut, Pont Saint Esprit in France, South Africa and Taiwan.

For several years she was also a Professor at the Académie Internationale de Musique au Pays de George Sand.

In 1988, she represented France and Europe at the First International Congress of Professors of String Instruments in Taipei, Taiwan. Apart from the classical repertoire, an important place in Barbara

Marcinkowska’s concert activity is occupied by contemporary music. Many composers dedicated their works to her and they were world premieres in her interpretation. Extremely valuable and enriching for the artist’s work, were her collaborations with fellow composers, including A. Tansman, K. Penderecki, W. Lutosławski, H. Dutilleux, P. Moss, Y. Taira and others.

Barbara Marcinkowska is the author of the following books:

• „Je commence le Violoncelle” 1994, [I begin to play the cello],
• „Nous Jouons du Violoncelle” [We play the cello].
• „Une rencontre avec André Navarra et SA méthode d’enseignement le violoncelle”, [A Meeting with André Navarra and his method of playing the cello] published in France by the Armiane publishing house.

She is also the creator and director of the collections: „Autour du Violoncelle”, [Around the Cello], „Violoncellemons”, [The Cello My Friend”], a collection for young people, with the same publisher. Barbara Marcinkowska has made many CD recordings, including: 6 suites by J.S. Bach solo cello, Complete works by A. Tansman, cello and piano, Cello ART. 2000 – works for solo cello: Britten, Cassado, Moss, Three Records for G.J. International Record’s, Works for solo cello – Kodaly, Bach, Campo, Cello and Kora (harphaafrican).

In 2004, Barbara Marcinkowska founded the 'Rencontres Europeennes’ at L’abbayes de Saint Arnoult in France.

Since 2006, Barbara Marcinkowska has been the Artistic Director and initiator of the Festival of European Art Meetings in Bydgoszcz, which continues to this day.

In 2020, she created the Association „Les Arts Passionnements”, which aims to create opportunities for poor children in South Africa to learn music.

In 2022, Barbara Marcinkowska’s last book, intended for the youngest children, being an initiation to music and cello, „Je veux jouer du violoncelle” [I want to play the cello], was published in France by the Martine Betremieux publishing house. The book is illustrated by the author.

In the same year, the artist’s biography was published in Britishpedia entitled „Encyclopedia of Personalities of the Republic of Poland”.