Michniewski, Wojciech (EN)

Michniewski Wojciech, *4 April 1947 Łódź, Polish conductor and composer. In 1966–72, he studied conducting at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw in the class of S. Wisłocki, as well as theory and composition with A. Dobrowolski. In 1974, he won a distinction at the National Conducting Competition in Katowice, in 1977 – 1^st prize and Gold Medal at the G. Cantelli International Conducting Competition in Milan, and in 1978 – Bronze Medal at the E. Ansermet International Conducting Competition in Geneva. In 1973–78, he was a conductor at the Polish National Philharmonic in Warsaw. From 1979 to 1981, he was the artistic director of the Grand Theater in Łódź, in 1979–83, he was the music director of the Contemporary Stage at the Warsaw Chamber Opera; he led performances of, among others, Tannhäuser by Wagner, The Barber of Seville and The Italian Woman in Algiers by Rossini at the opera in Łódź, Mozart’s Così fan tutte in Warsaw and The Abduction from the Seraglio in Glyndebourne (1980). In 1984–87, he collaborated with the Polish Chamber Orchestra and participated in the transformation of this ensemble into the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra. From 1987 to 1991, he was the general and artistic director of the Poznań Philharmonic. Since 1991, he has been performing as a guest conductor.

In the first years of his career (1973–76), Michniewski combined performances on the concert stage with composing activities in the KEW group, of which he was a co-founder (with E. Sikora and K. Knittel). In 1975, for the composition Szeptet (1973), he received the “Premio RAI” award of the Italian Radio and Television. And although in later years he gave up composing in favour of conducting, contemporary music remained the subject of his special interest.

Michniewski has performed in almost all European countries, Asia, and North and South America; he took part in many international festivals, including: in Warsaw, Barcelona, ​​Korsholm, Berlin, Hong Kong, Paris and London; he also conducted many youth orchestras, including Polish and foreign ensembles Jeunesses Musicales, Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, the Młoda Polska Filharmonia, which was established on his initiative, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Contemporary Music Ensemble at the University of Cincinnati, and the chamber orchestra of the Academy of Music in Oslo. He conducted many Polish (including works by P. Boulez, P.M. Davies, O. Messiaen, and A. Nordheim) and world premieres (including works by O. Balakauskas, E. Denisow, A. Dobrowolski, E. Knapik, B. Schaeffer). At the Grand Theater – National Opera in Warsaw, he conducted musical performances of contemporary operas, including by E. Sikora (Wyrywacz serc, 1995), R. Panufnik (The Music Programme, 2000), P. Mykietyn (Ignorant i szaleniec, 2001; Sonety Szekspira, 2006), B. Britten (Curlew River, 2005), Ph. Glass (Zagłada domu Usherów, 2006), H. Helstenius (Ofelie, 2006), A. Gryka (ballet Alpha Kryonia Xe, 2006), D. Jaskot (Fedra, 2006), P. Szymański (Qudsja Sacher, 2013) and the play ballet I przejdą deszcze to the music of H.M. Górecki (2011). In opera theatres outside Warsaw, he conducted, among others, the Polish premiere of Matka czarnoskrzydłych snów by H. Kulenty (Wrocław Opera, 2010) and world premieres of the operas Kochankowie z klasztoru Valdemosa by M. Ptaszyńska (Grand Theatre in Łódź, 2010), Madame Curie by E. Sikora (Baltic Opera group at the UNESCO hall in Paris, 2011) and the premiere of K. Penderecki’s Król Ubu (Baltic Opera, 2013).

Michniewski has made many radio, television and CD recordings, including for PN, EMI, CBS (Sony), Virgin, CD Accord, and Dux. He is the winner of numerous prestigious awards. In 1975, he received “Orfeusz” – the critics’ award for the best performance of a Polish work at the “Warsaw Autumn” (T. Baird’s Psychodrama) and in 1987 – the critics’ award at the Musikbiennale Berlin. He was awarded the “Fryderyk” award three times: in 1996 for an album with music by W. Lutosławski, recorded with K. Jakowicz and the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra; in 1999 – for an album with a gala concert of music by G. Rossini with E. Podleś, and in 2017 for the Symfonia o Bożym Miłosierdziu by P. Łukaszewski recorded on an album. In 2013, E. Sikora’s DVD recording of Madame Curie received the “Orpheus” award from the French Académie du Disque Lyrique (Prix Charles Münch – L’Orphée du Prestige Lyrique de L’Europe). In 2005, he was honoured with the Jubilee Award of the Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP), as well as the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis.

Since 2009, Michniewski has taught conducting classes at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. In 2014, he received the academic title of professor.

Literature: M. Kosińska Wojciech Michniewski, Polskie Centrum Informacji Muzycznej, Związek Kompozytorów Polskich, February 2002 (update: July 2016), https://culture.pl/pl/tworca/wojciech-michniewski; prof. dr Wojciech Michniewski [biographical note], http://www.amuz.bydgoszcz.pl/wykladowcy/prof-dr-wojciech-michniewski/; Jubileusz Wojciecha Michniewskiego, https://www.gov.pl/web/kultura/jubileusz-wojciecha-michniewskiego; Z maestro Wojciechem Michniewskim nie tylko o dyrygowaniu, Wojciech Michniewski w rozmowie z Zofią Stopińską, https://www.klasyka-podkarpacie.pl/wywiady/item/3112-z-maestro-wojciechem-michniewskim-nie-tylko-o-dyrygowaniu; in addition, biographical notes published on the websites of Polish music centres and in record publications.