Employees

prof. dr hab.

Wanda Tchórzewska-Kapała

choral conducting

She graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Music Education at the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, in the class of Professor Ryszard Zimak. She is currently an academic teacher employed at the Faculty of Music Education, Choral Studies and Eurhythmics, where she leads the conducting class. In 2000 she obtained first-degree qualifications in musical arts, in 2005 she earned the degree of habilitated doctor, and in 2013 she received the title of Professor of Musical Arts.

She has conducted her artistic and pedagogical activities at the Grażyna Bacewicz State General and Secondary Music School Complex No. 3 in Warsaw since 1988. The results of this work have been presented at Festivals of Choirs of Primary and Secondary Music Schools of the Mazovian Region, winning numerous awards and distinctions, including the Grand Prix twice (2000, 2006). At the 33rd National Choir Tournament “Legnica Cantat,” together with her ensemble she won second place in the youth choir category. In 2000 she participated in the 1st European Choral Meetings organized by the Grand Theatre in Warsaw and the Alla Polacca Foundation. In 2002 she performed at the Lower Silesian Philharmonic in Jelenia Góra, participating in the 9th National Festival “Stars Promote.” She has repeatedly performed in Legnica as part of the Organ Conversatorium Festival. She participated in the 1st and 2nd International Meetings of Music Schools in Wilanów. She also established cooperation with the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, for which she repeatedly prepared the Choir of the Grażyna Bacewicz State General and Secondary Music School Complex No. 3 in Warsaw, which together with the National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and soloists performed film music by Ennio Morricone.

As part of her work at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, she prepared the Mixed Choir of the University for performances of major vocal and vocal-instrumental works such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Stabat Mater by S. Moryto, and Stabat Mater by K. Szymanowski.

Her performances in Poland and abroad (Germany, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Belgium) took place in such prestigious venues as the Royal Academy of Music in London, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Vienna, the European Parliament building in Brussels, the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, and the Lower Silesian Philharmonic. She has frequently appeared on the stages of Warsaw concert halls, including the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, the John Paul II Museum, the Royal Castle, and the Wilanów Palace Museum. As part of interschool exchange programs, she often performs in Germany, including in Heide, Meldorf and Brunsbüttel, as well as in Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

She has participated in numerous scientific symposia in Poland and abroad, and has served on juries during choral festivals and competitions, for example in the Singing Poland Choral Academy, as well as conducting competitions, such as the Conductors’ Competition at the Academy of Music in Poznań.

From 2005 to 2014 she worked at the Warsaw Chamber Opera as choir conductor (until 2009) and conductor of the soloists’ ensemble. As part of this activity, she prepared choral parts in works by composers such as Albertini, Donizetti, Fauré, Montéclair, Mozart, Verdi, Weber, Dankowski, Elsner, Gorczycki, Kurpiński, Pękiel, Stachowicz, Żebrowski and others.

The conductor’s individual achievements include awards and distinctions such as: the First Degree Award of the Director of the Centre for Artistic Education, the Award for Best Conductor granted multiple times by the Department of Choral Conducting of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, numerous awards for Best Conductor in the category of music school choirs, multiple awards from the Director of the Grażyna Bacewicz State General and Secondary Music School Complex No. 3 in Warsaw, the Diploma of the Minister of Culture for outstanding achievements in artistic work, individual first and second degree awards of the Minister of Culture for exceptional achievements in teaching and educational work, and Rector’s first and second degree awards granted on the occasion of National Education Day.

State Award – Silver Cross of Merit (2000), honorary badge “Meritorious for Polish Culture” (2008), Bronze Medal “Gloria Artis – Meritorious for Culture” (2018).