Jury
Elżbieta Stefańska (Poland) Chair of the Jury
Alicja Kledzik (Poland)
Tigran Alikhanov (Russia)
Maurizio Barboro (Italy)
Wojciech Czepiel (Poland)
Martin Hughes (United Kingdom)
Bogdan Kułakowski (Poland)
Bogumił Nowicki (Poland)
Jan Popis (Poland)
Art director Alicja Kledzik
Secretary of the Jury Piotr Szychowski
Elżbieta Stefańska was born in Cracow, Poland, on September 7, 1943. Her extraordinary musical talent having become apparent already at an early age, she received her first piano lessons from her father Ludwik Stefański, professor at the Music Academy Cracow. In age of 19 she graduated from the National Music University Cracow in the harpsichord class. Her teacher was the famous German Professor Hans Pischner from Berlin. In the following years she improved her musical proficiency at various international master classes in Siena and Weimar, under the guidance of eminent European harpsichord player - such as Zuzanna Ruzickova or Ruggiero Gerlin. Her first two prizes were awarded to her at the Ancient Music Competition, Łódź, for her piano and harpsichord performance of baroque works. 1965 she won the First Prize at the International Music Competition in Geneva, where she was also honoured with the special Henri Ghez reward as the best harpsichord player. Among her awards and prizes are also the City of Cracow Prize for artistic achievements, awarded to the Baroque Trio of which she was a member and "LAUREL OF CBACOW MUSIC LOVERS" granted to her "in testimony of their gratitude and appreciation for having made classic music widely known". Elżbieta Stefańska frequently performs in Poland and abroad in Europe, Asia, America. She regularly plays as a soloist or a chamber music performer at prestigious music festivals, for example in Hanover, Halle (Haendel Festival), Leipzig (Bach Festival), Brno, Bratislava, Shiraz (Iran), Orvieto, Interlaken (Switzerland), Gaming (Austria), Paris etc. Her repertoire comprises solo music and chamber music works of the Renaissance, the Baroque and the Classic Epochs as well as the 20th century, including ancient and contemporary Polish composers. The artist has often played for radio and TV recording as well as for Polish and international Centres such as Polskie Nagrania, EMI, ELEKTROLA, DECCA, FONIT CETRA. From 1974 to 1982, she was appointed by contract as soloist with the Polish Broad- casting and TV Centre. Elżbieta Stefańska has often been invited to be on the jury of Polish and international music competitions such as the Wanda Landowska 1st Harpsichord Competition Cracow (1985) of which she was both the organizer and a jury member, the International Harpsichord Competition, Munich (1970), the Bach Competition, Leipzig (1992), the International Harpsichord Competition, Warsaw (1993), the Polish National Guitar Competitions (1986-1987) and the Piano Competition in Taipei (Taiwan) in 1990. Elżbieta Stefańska is a Professor at the Music University of Cracow where she leads the harpsichord class and where, from 1981-1990, she was Head of the Department of Clavecin and Ancient Instruments. Since 1990 she has frequently been invited to give concerts and to play for TV and radio recording in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. In the Mozart Year she played 18 Mozart sonatas (6 CDs) using an ancient Mozart piano for the Pony Canyon phonographic company in Tokio. For the same company she also recorded numerous works by J.S. Bach composed for clavecin. Since 1991 she has been playing with her mother – Halina Czerny- Stefańska. The duet’s programme includes pieces from the classical to contemporary composers. Her last cultural initiative is a music club and a music school.
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Alicja Kledzik was born in Poznań, where she completed with honours primary school and music secondary school and then graduated from Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Musk in the class of the piano run by Professor Waldemar Andrzejewski. After completing her studies in Poznań, she continued her education with Professor Dubravka Tomsic and Professor Wiktor Mierzanow in Peter Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. Professor Kledzik’s artistic and teaching career is related to the Academy of Music in Poznań. Soon after she finished her studies, she began to work there as an assistant professor in the Piano Department and later on she obtained the highest distinctions in academic career doctoral and postdoctoral degrees. In 1998 she became the Professor of the Academy and in 2003full professor degree granted to her by the President of the Republic of Poland. Alicja Kledzik has made a number of recordings for the Polish Radio and TV. She gave concerts in many cities in Poland among other, at the eminent music festivals such as the Festival of Polish Pianistry in Słupsk and Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój, as well as abroad: in Hungary, Austria, Germany, France and Sweden, to name but a few. Since 2005 Professor Alicja Kledzik has been holding the position of the Chief of the Piano, Harpsichord and Organ Department at Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. She is very committed to her intensive teaching work. Apart from the class of the piano at the Academy of Music in Poznań, Professor Kledzik runs the class of the piano in the prestigious Poznań School of Talents. Her students won over 100 prizes on many national and international piano competitions and they give concerts all over the world, including Japan and the USA. Alicja Kledzik sits on the jury panels of many national and international piano competitions and she is the Artistic Director of the European Piano Competition „Halina Czerny - Stefańska in Memoriam" in Poznań.
Tigran Alikhanov professor, Head of the Chamber ensemble and String quartet Department. Pianist. People’s Artist of Russia (2002). Rector of Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory (2005 - 2009). Winner of M. Long and J. Thibaud International competition in Paris (1967), laureate of the Hungarian Author’s Rights Agency for the promotion of music by Hungarian composers (1985). Was born in 1943 in Moscow. He got his initial musical education at the piano department of the Specialized Central School of Music with A. Sumbatyan (1950-1961) and then studied in Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with professor Lev Oborin (undergraduate training in 1961-1966, postgraduate course in 1966-1969). His graduation from the Conservatory launched both his performing and teaching careers. Since 1971 he got a teaching position at the Chair of chamber ensemble and quartet where he became an associate professor in 1989 followed by professorship in 1992. Since 1992 and up to date he is a Head of the Chamber ensemble and String quartet Department and also works at the Moscow Conservatory’s College of Music. Tigran Alikhanov gave numerous master-classes both in Russia (Moscow, Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod, and Petrozavodsk) and abroad (USA Universities, Spain etc.). A number of his students are the winners of USSR, Russian and international solo and chamber music competitions, and the majority of them are known not only for their performing skills but also for their teaching activities. Being a significant public figure Tigran Alikhanov became a jury member of number of competitions including Sergey Taneyev chamber music competition in Kaluga (1996), V. Safonov competition in Kazan (1997), International piano competition in Cincinnati, USA and took part in contemporary music festivals such as «Moscow Autumn», «Alternative», New Year festival in Sofia and in Music Festival in Trento, Italy. Concert appearances of Tigran Alikhanov which began since 1966 include both solo recitals and performances with orchestras in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia as well as abroad — in Austria, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, USA, Canada, China, S.Korea, etc. His programmes include solo piano and chamber works of different epochs — from J. S. Bach to the world or European premieres of music by the XXth century composers such as Igor Stravinsky, John Cage, George Crumb, Edison Denisov, Alfred Schnittke etc. Ensemble playing forms the significant part of his performances. Among his chamber partners there are such world known musicians as V. Ivanov, A. Lubimov, A. Melnikov, I. Monigetti, N. Petrov, V. Pikaizen, V. Tonkha etc. Tigran Alikhanov has recorded several CDs and a LPs including the works by J. S. Bach, Liszt, the first Russian release of Piano Sonata by Berg. He also made a number of recordings for Russian radio.
Maurizo Barboro completed his artistical education at the „Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia" in Rome, under the guidance of Lya De Barberiis. Winner of Italian piano competitions, since 1980 he has combined an intense career in Italy as well as in the major cultural centres in Europe, Asia and North America, collaborating with famous conductors and prestigious orchestras, Since 1996 Barboro has been currently „artist in residence" and „permanent soloist" of the „Dumitrescu" Philharmonic Orchestra of Valcea (Romania). in 1999 he made his debut in the United States, where now he is periodically invited to hold master classes at institutions such as the Boston Conservatory, the Longy School of Music and the Rivers School, In October 2000 he inaugurated the symphonic season of the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra (Massachusetts) with Rachmaninoff's Second Concert. In April 2001 he played Shostakovich's Second Concert, accompanied by the prestigious “Enescu” Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bucharest Ateneu Hall. During 2004 and 2005 concert-seasons he played with the Longwood Orchestra at the Jordan Hall in Boston. Barboro also performs in various distinguished chamber music ensembles like “Nuovo Quartetto Pianistico Italiano" (two pianos, eight hands), with the violinists Aiman Musokhodzhaeva and Gernot Winischhofer, the flutists Maxence Larrieu and Giuseppe Nova, the cellist Dano Destefano. He has undertaken several recordings of works by Italian composers for reputed National TV and Radio networks in both Western and Eastern Europe; other notable CD recordings include the complete works for two pianos, eight hands, the works of the Italian contemporary composer Mario Panatero, the complete collection of Shostakovich's Piano Concertos (with the Belarus National Philharmonic Orchestra), the Brahms, Franck, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich and Kabalevsky Sonatas for Cello and Piano. Maurizio Barboro is the holder of the Choir of Piano at the „Antonio Vivaldi" State Conservatory in Alessandria and at the International Summer Courses in Bergolo. He is a member of the jury of several prestigious international contests, Art Director of the „Citta di Ovada" International Competition and of the “Alfredo Casella” Music Association, and President of the „Citta di Racconigi - Schubert Prize" competition.
Wojciech Czepiel a Polish conductor of the middle generation (born 1959 in Nowy Targ) started his violin education with his father when he was five years old. At the age of 15 he was a violinist in All Antico orchestra in the Music Secondary School in Cracow which won the first prize at the Herbert von Karajan Chamber Orchestras Competition in Berlin (1974). There he also played with the master – von Karajan. In 1976, as a student of Antoni Cofalik he won the 4th prize at the Jahnke National Violin Competition in Poznan. A year later he reached the semifinal of the Wieniawski International Violin Competition in Poznan. He continued his violin studies with Professor Kaja Danczowska and played with the Polish Chamber Orchestra. In 1984 he graduated with honours from the class of Professor Krzysztof Missona, the Academy of Music in Cracow. Wojciech Czepiel has his debut as a conductor in 1981 with the Orchestra of the Academy of Music in Cracow. During 1982-84 he was an assistant conductor and a concert master of the Orchestra of Cracow Philharmonic. During 1984-86 he was the artistic director of the Baltyk Philharmonic in Gdansk, and then in 1986-1990 the conductor of Warsaw Chamber Opera. In the season of 1990/1991 he worked as the second conductor at the Rubinstain Philharmonics in Lodz, and in 1991-1994 he was a deputy director the conductor of the Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw. In 1997-2006 he was the conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of the Academy of Music in Cracow, which achieved a very high level thanks to him – they made six recordings and appeared at Beethovenfest in Bonn, Warsaw Autumn, National Philharmonic in Warsaw and others. Very important among his activities are archival recordings for the Polish Radio and recordings for such labels as Europa Musica, Arts, Polmusic, Denon, Polish Records, Pro Musica Camerata, Dux, Deutsche Welle. Wojciech Czepiel has also appeared at many renown music festivals, such as Midem Cannes, Dresder Musikfestspiele, Palermo, Forum Bratislava, Carintischer Sommer in Villach, Beethovenfest in Bonn, Warsaw Autumn, Contemporary Music Festival in Cracow, Tunis Festival and Abu Dhabi Music&Arts Festival 2008 where he conducted the finale concert of the Symphonic Orchestra of “Bolszoj” Theatre from Moscow. In the season of 2010/2011 he organized Chopin festivals in Damascus, Beirut and Chiang Mai, where he conducted concerts dedicated to Chopin’s music. Currently Wojciech Czepiel is the artistic director and conductor of the National Symphonic Orchestrain Beirut.
Martin Hughes The British pianist Martin Hughes made his first appearance at London’s Wigmore Hall at the age of twelve as prizewinner of a national piano competition and at sixteen entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the class of Yvonne Lefébure. One year later he had graduated, and at eighteen he made his first appearance at the Salle Gaveau, Paris and made his debut on the BBC with a Mozart piano. Further study followed with Benjamin Britten, at the Moscow Conservatory with Lev Oborin, and in Positano with Wilhelm Kempff. At twenty-two he made his debut at the BBC Proms. There followed tours to the USA, the USSR, Europe and Israel, together with invitations to many of Europe’s broadcasting networks, and appearances with the major London orchestras. A series of seven recitals on London’s South Bank sponsored by the Kirckman Society established his critical reputation. As soloist and chamber musician Martin Hughes has performed with Sir Simon Rattle, Michael Tilson Thomas, Gyorgy Pauk, Gérard Caussé,the Kandinsky Trio, the Bartok Quartet many other distinguished musicians. He was a founder member of the Kreutzer Piano Trio which commissioned and performed a number of new British compositions. Formerly professor at the Piano Department at the Universität der Künste Berlin, Martin Hughes has given masterclasses for the University of Cambridge, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique Paris, the Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Seoul National University, as well as in Israel, Hong Kong, China, Japan, France, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Austria. He is now chairman of the Institut für Tasteninstrumente (Podium/Konzert) of the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien, Austria. His intellectual approach owes much to the influence of a former colleague, Hans Heimler, who in his Viennese years studied with Berg, Schenker and Weingartner. Martin Hughes’s performances of Beethoven and Schubert have won him critical praise in many countries, and he has performed all the piano sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert in separate cycles. Of his article on the interpretation of Beethoven’s piano music („Interpreting Beethoven“ ed. Stowell, Cambridge University Press 1994) Paul Badura-Skoda wrote „Every pianist who is seriously interested in rendering the spirit of a Beethoven piano work ought to read it“. „Measured, lucid, serene, and above all, superlatively intelligent, Martin Hughes’s piano recital at the Queen Elizabeth Hall yesterday was an artistic triumph, something for his audience to treasure in their hearts and minds The Daily Telegraph, London.
Bogdan Kułakowski He started his music education at the age of 7 at the State School of Music of the 1st and 2nd degree in Słupsk. He graduated with honours. In 1977-1982 he studied piano in Gdańsk Academy of Music in the class of Professor Zbigniew Śliwiński. He also completed this school with honours. He improved his skills during numerous courses run by such artists as S. Perticaroli; F. Scala and D. Zehlin, to name but a few. After graduation he got a post at his Alma Mater where he has been working ever since. He is the winner of TiFC contests for artistic scholarships (1979, 1980), the Scene of Young Artists at the Festival of Polish Pianistry in Słupsk (1992), numerous prizes in the field of chamber music (Nowy Sącz 1986, Olsztyn 1992, 199S and many other. During his intensive career he has given concerts both as a soloist and a member of chamber music group. He performed with the symphony orchestras of Słupsk, Gdańsk, Zielona Góra and many others. He has made several concert tours in, among others, Japan and the USA. He has given concerts in Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy and England. He cooperates with the eminent soloists from Gdańsk (Kwintet Bałtycki, Natalia Stolarska and others) and a great violinist Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, Bogdan Kułokowski has made many recordings for the Polish Radio of Gdańsk and Gdańsk TV. In his repertoire he has included the music works of all periods, in particular Romantic music, as well as contemporary renditions of jazz works and Scott Joplin's ragtime. Bogdan Kułakowski’s work also includes first performances (Koncert fortepianowy by Elżbieta Sikora presented during the Festival of Polish Pianistry in Słupsk conducted by Jerzy Maksymiuk) and recordings (together with a violinist Natalia Stolarska he made a record Clair de Lune with music works by Franek and Debussy, in 2005 he was appointed the President of Gdańsk Academy of Music of the first term. After elections in February 2008 he will hold this position until 2012. Bogdan Kułakowski cooperates with many cultural institutions of Trójmiasto and Pomeranian District. For many years he has been involved in organizing the Festival of Polish Pianistry and he is the member of the Opinion Committee of the Scene of Young Artists of the said Festival. As the member of the jury, he took part in many national and international piano competitions, as well as in an accordion competition and two violin competitions! His hobby is music, teaching students and... sports.
Bogumił Nowicki graduated with honours from the Academy of Music in Poznań where he studied piano with professor Hanna Rudnicka-Kruszewska in the year of 1979. In 1985 he completed his studies with professor Hans Graf at Hochschule für Musik in Vienna. Between 1970 and 1983 he was an assistant to professor Halina Czerny-Stefańska. During his studies he participated in piano courses taught by prof. F. Rauch, prof. J. Stompel and prof. L. Stefański. In 1976 he received the third prize at the B. Smetana International Piano Competition in Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic). In the same year he was awarded the first prize at the National Chamber Music Competition in Włocławek (piano trio). Between 1978-79 he was granted (twice) a scholarship at the Fryderyk Chopin National Piano Competition Association. In 1979 he won the 13th Polish Piano Festival in Słupsk. In 1985, together with Bartosz Bryła and Paweł Frejdlich, he established Chopin Trio which only a year later was awarded the special prize at the 19th International Chamber Competition in Colmar (France) for the best performance of Mozart’s Trio. As a soloist and a chamber musician, Bogumił Nowicki has performed in 24 countries in Europe, America and Asia. He has taken part in many important music festivals both in Poland and abroad: in Łańcut, Duszniki Zdrój, Poznań, Bergen (Norway), Cervantino (Mexico), Santorini (Greece), Tivoli (Denmark), Gaming and Klagenfurt (Austria), Montreal (Canada), Schleswig-Holstein (Germany), New York (USA), Hamamatsu (Japan). For Polish, German and Japanese recording studios, he has recorded numerous CDs with solo and chamber repertoire including all Mozart’s piano trios. He has taught piano courses for students of the University of Guanajuato (Mexico), University of Beijing (China), Hunter College of the City University of New York (USA), La Salle – SIA College of Arts (Singapore), chamber courses at the Academy of Music in Katowice, Poznań and Żagań (during the Summer Music Mastercourses). He has been invited to be the jury member of such music competitions as the A.Chachaturian International Piano Competition in Yerewan (2007) and the M. Rubinstein International Chamber Ensemble Competition in Moscow (2008) which was organized by the Moscow P. Tchaikovsky Conservatory. During the competitions, Professor Nowicki gave also the lectures on the new redaction of F. Chopin’s Trio in G-minor Op. 8 for piano, violin and cello, which were very popular with the students. In November 2009 Professor Nowicki headed the jury of the 10th National Accordion Competition in Szczecin. In 2002 he received the title of Professor of Music. Professor Nowicki teaches piano classes at the Academy of Music in Poznań. In 1999 he was appointed the deputy rector of artistic affairs and research at the Poznań institution. He was also the President of the Foundation of the I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. On the 18th of March, 2005 he was elected the Rector of the I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań for the 2005 – 2008 term of office. On the 2nd of April 2008 Professor Nowicki was reelected the Rector for the term of office 2008-2012.
Jan Popis A musiciologist, music critic, producer, classical music CD publisher and music popularizer. One of the most outstanding specialists on Fryderyk Chopin’s music. He graduated from Warsaw University where he studied musicology. He specializes in piano music, especially the interpretation art of Chopin’s pieces. For 33 years, from 1974 J. Popis worked for the Polish Radio – in the station’s office or classical music departments where, from the very beginning, he prepared and hosted different programs, including the famous Chopin’s Wednesdays. The number of his listeners has been estimated to reach about 1.5 billion people. Since 1975 he has commented for the Polish Radio and for TVP during seven consecutive F. Chopin’s International Piano Competitions. In 1996 he set up a publishing house at the Polish Radio and created a catalogue with about 400 records, several dozens of which were nominated, and a number received Fryderyk awards and “Totus Tuus” award. Moreover, he is a producer, a substance editor of about 350 archival recordings and phonograph recordings made at the Polish Radio, including first Polish DVDs with classical music (Sacral Triptych: Credo by Krzysztof Penderecki, Symphony No 3 by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, Missa pro pace by Wojciech Kilar – this Triptych received the Special Award of Phonographic Academy “Fryderyk” in 2007). In 1998 he started the cooperation with Krystian Zimerman and his Polish Festival Orchestra. He cooperated, as an advisor, with Rafal Blechacz. He produced an Adam Harasiewicz recording: Chopin – a set of mazurkas (2010). Since 1973 he has been writing reviews and articles for the specialist music magazines, mostly for Ruch Muzyczny. He was the chief editor of Gazeta Konkursu Chopinowskiego/ Chopin Competition Magazine (2000-2005). He has participated in many musicologist symposiums and has given lectures and led interpretation courses at many music universities, including the USA and Canada. He prepares entries for Polish music encyclopedias. He acts as a juror of international piano competitions, such as Vladimir Horowitz competition, Emil Gilels Competition, Halina-Czerny Stefanska Competiton and Artur Rubinstein Competition. He is the originator of program and the artistic director of International Competition of Young Pianists “Artur Rubinstein in memoriam” in Bydgoszcz, which started in 1993. His cooperation with TVP is varied: author’s reports, commentaries, discussion, live programs on music subjects as well as coauthoring a number of music documentaries, such as The Great Competition – about Chopin competitions, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Ivo Pogorelich, Chopin in Zelazowa Wola and others. Since 2000 he has been the artistic director of the Polish Piano Festival in Slupsk – the most important and prestigious Polish music event dedicated to Polish pianists and Polish piano works. In 2007 he was appointed the program and artistic director of the national phonographic house MUZA Polish Records. For his activities Jan Popis has received an award-medal from the Association of Polish Artists and Musicians for the Music Critic of the Year, a Gloria Artis medal, Pro Sinfonika medal, Ignacy Jan Paderewski Pro Arte medal and others.
