Zbigniew Drzewiecki

Zbigniew Drzewiecki (before 1939)

Zbigniew Drzewiecki (born April 8, 1890 in Warsaw , † April 11, 1971 there ) was a Polish pianist and music teacher .

Life

Drzewiecki first had piano lessons from his father, then from Feliks Konopasek , Włodzimierz Oberfelt and Robert Becker . He also studied music theory and violin with Ignacy Pilecki . In 1909 he went to Vienna to study technology and attended Carl Prohaska's piano class at the Music Academy. He then continued his musical training with Paul de Conne and in Brno with Heinrich Janoch . Between 1911 and 1915 he studied with the Leschetizky pupil Marie Prentner in Vienna. In 1928 he completed his training with Ignacy Jan Paderewski .

He made his debut as a concert pianist in 1915 with the Warsaw Philharmonic, followed by concert tours to France, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Sweden and Latvia. The focus of his repertoire was the work of Fryderyk Chopin , in addition to the great piano literature of the Classical and Romantic periods, he also frequently played works by contemporary Polish composers such as Michał Kondracki , Jan Maklakiewicz , Ignacy Jan Paderewski , Roman Palester , Bolesław Szabelski , Antoni Szałowski and Karol Szymanowski .

From 1916 he taught at the Music Institute in Warsaw, in 1931 he became professor for advanced piano courses at the Warsaw Conservatory. He also taught at the conservatories in Lemberg and Cracow. During the German occupation, Drzewiecki gave underground concerts and music lessons in Warsaw. In 1945 he organized the reopening of the Kraków Music Academy and became its first rector after the war. From 1955 he was also a professor at the State Music Academy in Warsaw. He taught at both schools until his retirement in 1961. His numerous students include concert pianists such as Jan Bereżyński , Felicja Blumental , Jan Ekier , Roman Jasiński , Aleksander Kagan , Bolesław Kon , Michał Kondracki , Sergiusz Nadgryzowski and Tatiana Woytaszewska in the pre-war period and after 1945 Ryszard Bakst , Halina Czerny-Stefańska , Lidia Grychtołówna , Fou Ts'ong , Adam Harasiewicz , Waldemar Maciszewski , Włodzimierz Obidowicz , Teresa Rutkowska and Regina Smendzianka .

Drzewiecki was one of the co-initiators of the International Chopin Competition . Since it was founded in 1927, he has been one of its jurors many times; In 1949, 1955, 1960 and 1965 he headed the jury. He also worked as a music journalist and published works by Domenico Scarlatti , Georg Friedrich Händel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Ludwig van Beethoven , Carl Czerny , Franciszek Lessel and Karol Szymanowski .

personal data
SURNAME	Drzewiecki, Zbigniew
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Polish pianist and music teacher
DATE OF BIRTH	April 8, 1890
PLACE OF BIRTH	Warsaw
DATE OF DEATH	April 11, 1971
Place of death	Warsaw