Maklakiewicz, Tadeusz Wojciech (EN)

Maklakiewicz Tadeusz Wojciech, pseud. Saganek, *20 October 1922 Mszczonów, †21 March 1996 Warsaw, composer, teacher, music activist and lawyer, brother of Jan Adam and Franciszek. He was educated at the T. Reytan Middle School No. 4 in Warsaw (1935–39), and during the occupation at the Städtliche Musikschule in the piano class of Marcelina Kimontt-Jacynowa (1941–42) and taught by his brother Jan (theory and composition, 1943–44). After obtaining his secondary school leaving certificate (1946), he studied law at the Jagiellonian University (1946–49), and from 1954 to 1958, composition at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw, from which he graduated with distinction (in the class of T. Szeligowski). He also deepened his knowledge of music education during a scholarship internship in Vienna (1960–61). In 1945–47, he worked at PWM in Kraków, in 1950–54 at the ARTOS concert office, in 1959–62 at the Central Advice Centre for the Amateur Artistic Movement, and in 1963 at the Polish Radio in Warsaw (editor). He was associated with the Warsaw music school for over 40 years: from 1950 to 1954 administrative director and from 1963 to 1993 academic teacher at the Faculty of Music Education. He specialised in theoretical subjects (harmony, counterpoint, propaedeutics of composition). He was the supervisor of over 80 master’s theses and a reviewer of doctoral and habilitation dissertations. At the university, he passed through successive professional ranks: assistant professor (from 1966), university reader (from 1968), contract professor (from 1976), associate professor (1977), full professor (from 1980). At the PWSM/AMFC, he held managerial positions: he was a dean (1968–69), vice-rector (1969–72), acting rector (1971–72), rector (1975–78), and head of the Department of Music Education (1973–78 and 1991–93). In 1968–71 and 1993–96 he was president, and from 1971 to 1984 vice-president of ZAiKS. From 1958, he was a member of the ZKP, and from 1985 chairman of the Management Board of the Authors’ Agency; in 1975–78 he chaired the music section in the Council for Higher Artistic Education; from 1982 to 1983 secretary general of the board of the Polish Union of Choirs and Orchestras; member of the AEC (Association Européenne des Conservatoires) presidium, vice-chairman of the board of the Polish section of the SEC (Société Européenne de Culture). In 1976, he organised the 10^th AEC Congress in Warsaw. He was also a member of associations TIFC and ISM.

He chaired the jury of the Soldier Song Festival in Kołobrzeg fifteen times, and was a juror at the International Song Festival in Sopot and the Soviet Song Festival in Zielona Góra many times. He chaired the jury of all editions of the Miłosz Magin Piano Competition in Paris. In 1988–1990, he was a member of the Council for the Protection of Strugle and Martyrdom Sites. Awards: 1955 – at the composition competition for a youth song; 1959 – for the cantata “Peace, Friendship, Work” [“Pokój, przyjaźń, praca”] at the OTRT radio competition in Prague and at the Youth and Students Festival in Vienna (Bronze Medal). Awards of the Ministry of Culture and Art, 1^st degree: 1972, 1977, 1990; MON, 3^rd degree –1970. Decorations: 1971 – Gold Cross of Merit, 1977 – Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta; 1986 – Medal of National Education; 1970, 1978 – gold badges “For services to Warsaw.”

Since his debut as a composer at the Polish Music Festival (1951), Tadeusz Maklakiewicz wrote over 150 compositions of various forms and genres, including over 50 published, recorded and performed at concerts. His early works from the 1950s were inspired by folklore (Kurpie Suite), which Maklakiewicz also drew on later (Highlander Mass). He is valued for his arrangements of folk melodies and children’s songs from the school repertoire. He created many patriotic and soldier songs, as well as pieces from the field of popular and theatre music (often signed with the pseudonym W. Saganek, and in the index Wojciech Saganek). His compositional work was accompanied by activities for the promotion of musical culture. Maklakiewicz came into contact with the social music movement during the war in his hometown of Mszczonów (church choir), and later he was active in institutions promoting it. He dealt with musical education at PWSM/AMFC, and devoted numerous articles, expert opinions, and teaching programmes to these problems. He used his legal knowledge in his activities at ZAiKS and the Authors’ Agency.

Literature: M. Komorowska Maklakiewiczowie, “Życie Muzyczne” 1982 no. 5; M. Wacholc Wspomnienia o Profesorze Tadeuszu Maklakiewiczu, in: Twórcy Wydziału Wychowania Muzycznego. Materiały z seminarium z okazji 70-lecia Wydziału Wychowania Muzycznego w Warszawie, Warsaw 1998, also «Biuletyn ISME» 1998 no. 34 and Tadeusz Wojciech Maklakiewicz 1922–1996. Wspomnienia, “Życie Muzyczne” 1999 no. 3–4; Tadeusz Maklakiewicz’s memories of Franciszek, in: J. Maklakiewicz Saga rodu. Pieśni braci Franciszka, Jana i Tadeusza Maklakiewiczów, album review ISBN-978-0-883-9386, Piotr Janowski Foundation, Warsaw2020.