Music and... Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition

How was the idea of instrumental competitions born and why Poznań became the arena of one of the most important tournaments involving violinists from all over the world? During the lecture, Jarosław Pietrzak, professor at the Karol Lipinski Academy of Music in Wrocław, will present the history of the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition — he will discuss its origins, regulations, scoring and program requirements that have changed over the years, as well as the background of the jury's work. We will hear about the experiences and trepidation of the participants, their many years of preparation for the performance and the role that Polish violinists, laureates and judges played in the tradition of these musical struggles. There will be anecdotes and curiosities from the next rounds of the competition and stories about the brilliant careers of the most famous winners. A separate part will be devoted to this year's 17th edition of the competition, which will be held in Poznań from 8 to 25 October. The lecture will culminate with the recital of its laureate, so it will be a unique opportunity to hear the young talent and learn the story behind its success.

Jarosław Pietrzak completed his violin studies in the class of Professor Zenon Brzewski at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. He is a laureate of the Festival of Young Violinists in Lublin and the Karol Szymanowski Chamber Music Competition in Lodz. He perfected his workshop at master classes with, among others, Irena Dubiska, Jean Fournier and Zachar Bron. He was a member of the Polish Chamber Orchestra and the Sinfonia Varsovia and toured on four continents. He also played with the Menuhin Festival Orchestra conducted by Sir Yehudi Menuhin and with L'Orchestre National de Chambre de Toulouse. He conducts dynamic solo and chamber music activities (for example at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, NFM in Wrocław or the National Philharmonic in Warsaw). Since 2010, with pianist Julita Przybylska-Nowak, he has formed the Art Chamber Duo band, which has recorded five albums awarded the Musical Eagles in the years 2021-2024. He is a professor at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław. In 2024, he was awarded the Bronze and Silver Cross of Merit and the award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.