Artistic Director

palecznyOne of Poland’s most eminent pianists and professors, Piotr Paleczny graduated from the Frederick Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, having studied with Jan Ekier. While he has an impressive list of the top awards at five international piano competitions beginning in 1968 -, it was at the 8th International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1970, where he received also the special prize for the best execution of a Polonaise, that he began to gain recognition on the international stage. Since then, he has enjoyed a great career on all continents, appearing with renowned orchestras as Chicago Symphony, American Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, BBC London, Gewandhaus, Tonhalle Zurich, Yomiuri Nippon, RAI Roma, Santa Cecilia, at famed concert halls like Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully in New York, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Suntory Hall and Opera City Hall in Tokyo, Berliner Philharmonie, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, Festspielhaus in Salzburg, Royal Festival Hall in London and Tonhalle in Zurich.

He has also held master classes around the world and frequently sits on the juries of international piano competitions as in Warsaw (Chopin), Paris, Leeds, Tel Aviv, Santander, Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Dublin, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, London, Gen?ve, Los Angeles, Seoul, Minneapolis and Moscow (Tchaikovsky). Made numerous CD recordings, for such recording companies as: EMI, BBC Classic, Naxos, Pony Canyon, Sound, BeArTon, DUX, CD Accord, Olimpia, Wifon, Polskie Nagrania.

Music by Polish composers forms a significant part of his repertoire, and his recordings of these works have won far-reaching acclaim including status of “Platinum Disc”. His peers have cited him as the pianist who “channels” Chopin, which makes it fitting that. Among other prestigious titles, he is the Artistic Director of the oldest existing piano festival in the world – the International Chopin Piano Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój and Artistic Director of the International Paderewski Piano Competition. At present, he also leads the piano performance class at the F.Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Piotr Paleczny was invited to be a soloist of the extraordinary Gala Concert to commemorate the 100 Anniversary of the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra.

In recognition of his outstanding artistic achievements, the artist is honoured with many superior and prestige Polish and foreign medals such as the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Mexican Order of the Aguila Azteca. In September 2005, Piotr Paleczny was awarded the “Meritorious for Culture – Gloria Artis” Gold Medal.