The Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in

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Nowadays, Poznan, the capital of the Wielkopolska voyevodship, covers
the area of 251,3 sq m and has about 600 000 inhabitants. It is one of the
most industrialized urban area of Poland, a centre of business and international
trade exchange, a region of vivid tourism and a city of science and
culture.
Poznan houses eight state institutions of higher education (the Academy
of Economics, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Academy of Music, the
Academy of Agriculture, the Academy of Fine Arts, the School of Physical
Education, the School of Technology, the A. Mickiewicz University), several
private higher education institutions, a branch of the Polish Academy of
Sciences, scholarly and research institutes, libraries.
Poznan is outstanding in many areas of culture. There is the Museum of
Musical Instruments – the only such museum in Poland. The National Museum
presents unique exhibits of the Polish paintings from the 19 th and 20 th
century, and of Spanish paintings. Fine arts artistic circles are also very
active, presenting their works in numerous Poznan art galleries. The city
theatre life is greatly enriched by the annual International Theatre Festival
“Malta”, which presents street and alternative theatres from all over the
world.
The musical culture is also blooming, and it goes far beyond the Wielkopolska
region. Every five years, there are international musical competitions:
H. Wieniawski Violin, Composition and Violin-Making Competitions,
F. Nowowiejski Organ Competition. Besides, there are numerous music
festivals, such as International Choral Meetings “Universitas Cantat”, Contemporary
Music Festival “Poznan Musical Spring”, Never Ending Festival
“Old Music – persona grata”, Polish-German Hoffman Opera Festival, International
Jazz Meetings “Era of Jazz”, and others.
Poznan has a great concert hall (regarding acoustics) – the University
Hall – a place for symphonic concerts of the Poznan Philharmonic, guests
concerts and the presentations of the chamber music ( for example by
“Amadeus” Orchestra), and choral music (for example by the boy and male
“Poznan Nightingales” Choir). Posnanians love opera, so an important
place for them is the S. Moniuszko Grand Theatre – one of the most important
musical stages of the country.
The musical image of Poznan is also enriched by the artistic activities of
the I. J. Paderewski Academy of Music.
THE ACADEMY
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
The Academy was established in 1920 as the State Academy and School
of Music. Later (1922) its name was changed to the State Music Conservatory.
The first director of the Academy was a composer Henryk Opienski,
his successors between the WW I and WW II were: a cellist Zygmunt Butkiewicz
(1026-1029) and a violinist Zdzislaw Jahnke (1930-
-1939). Among the teachers were composers – Feliks Nowowiejski, Stanislaw
Wiechowicz; pianists – Gertruda Konatkowska, Jozef Turczynski;
singers – Maria Trampczynska, Michal Prawdzic; musicologists – Waclaw
Gieburowski, Lucjan Kamienski; a contrabassist – Adam Bronislaw Ciechanski;
a cellist – Dezyderiusz Danczowski.