persons' index (W)

pianist; b. 1980 in Pyskowice. In 2003 he graduated with distinction from the piano class of Prof. Zbigniew Raubo at the Academy of Music in Katowice. He continued his studies with Prof. Lee Kum-Sing at the Vancouver Academy of Music, Canada. He participated in master classes led by such pianists as Andrzej Jasiński, Andree Laplant, Alex Orłowiecki, Jean Micault, and Wiktor Mierżanow. He received the degrees of Doctor of Arts and Habilitated Doctor of Arts from the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, Poland in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

His numerous achievements include: the 3rd prize, Arthur Rubinstein Prize founded by Aniela Rubinstein, and a special prize of the Kościuszko Foundation in New York at the 2nd International Competition for Young Pianists "Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam" in Bydgoszcz, Poland (1996); the 1st prize and the prize for the best performance of a concerto at the 4th F. Liszt National Piano Competition in Wrocław, Poland (1997); the 3rd prize at the 7th F. Liszt International Piano Competition "Premio Mario Zanfi" in Parma, Italy (2000); the 2nd prize at the Young Musicians' Festival in Gdansk, Poland (2002); the 3rd prize at the 6th International Piano Seiler Competition in Palermo, Italy (2005); the 3rd prize at the 3rd International Ferenc Liszt Piano Competition in Wrocław, Poland (2005).

The pianist was awarded by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Poland, by the presidents of Katowice and Gliwice as well as by the Regional Council of the Silesian Province and many other private and public institutions.

Wojciech Waleczek is recognized internationally as a pianist with uncompromisingly high standards in performance. The artist has been pursuing a robust concert career playing as soloist with symphonic orchestras, solo piano recitals and chamber music concerts in 21 countries of the European Union as well as in Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Belarus, Russia, Kazachstan, Jordan, Tunesia, Palestina, Algeria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Argentina, Canada and the USA.

He has appeared as a soloist with the orchestras of the following philharmonics: Kalisz, Karlovy Vary, Kielce, Koszalin, Lublin, Łódź, Opole, Pomeranian, Rzeszów, Toruń, Szczecin, Wrocław, Zabrze, Sinfonia Iuventus, Polish Chamber Philharmonic Sopot, Capella Bydgostiensis, Beethoven Academy Orchestra in Cracow, Polish Radio Orchestra in Warsaw, Elbląg Chamber Orchestra, Kaposvar Symphony Orchestra, National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova, Amman Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra of Academic Theatre in Briest.

He worked with many conductors, including: M. J. Błaszczyk, Ł. Borowicz, K. Bumann, G. Chmura, S. Chrzanowski, M. Diadiura, M. Dworzyński, Chang Joon-Gun, M. Gawroński, Cz. Grabowski, I. Hobson, G. Kerenyi, V. Kiradijev, J. Kosek, M. Lebel, M. Nesterowicz, M. Metelska, O. Palymsky, D. Pavilionis, M. Pijarowski, P. Przytocki, W. Rajski, J. Rogala, Z. Rychert, J. Salwarowski, M. U. Sidiq, R. Silva, M. Smolij, A. Sosnovsky, M. Sugar, P. Veneri, T. Wojciechowski, M. Wolniewski, J. M. Zarzycki, M. Żółtowski.

In 2014 Waleczek’s chamber music album recorded together with violinist Voytek Proniewicz “Liszt – music for violin and piano” was released by Naxos. In 2017 his newest CD “Liszt-Etudes de Paganini, Transcendental Etudes after Paganini” was released by Austrian record label Capriccio.

Beside concert activity he works as an Assistant Professor at the Music Institute of the Silesian University in Katowice.

updated: 2018 (ac)

The artist's official website: www.waleczek.com