1st Competition 1961

First All-Polish

Ignacy Jan Paderewski Piano Competition

Bydgoszcz, December 1 – 10, 1961


Henryk Sztompka wrote in the competition program:


“For the first time in the history of Polish music we are witness to a piano competition, which is unique thanks to its program, and includes compositions by Chopin, Paderewski and Szymanowski. Yet the highlight of this event is provided by the father of all music – Jan Sebastian Bach. Paderewski […] original and creative in his music, deserved at the hundred anniversary of his birthday, to rank among the greatest, at the very forefront of the history of music, among artists so prolific, and so distinct through their language. Due to these reasons the I. J. Paderewski competition is gaining importance all over Poland […] and thanks to its program, reverberates its greatness far beyond the Polish border.”


The organizers of the competition included: The Ministry of Culture and the Arts, the Committee for the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Ignacy Jan Paderewski Birthday and the I. J. Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz.


The competition was financed with funds from the Ministry of Culture and the Arts and took place from 1st till 10th of December, 1961, in the concert hall of the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz.


Students and graduates of the 1960/61 academic year of higher music schools in Poland participated in the Competition. There were 27 candidates representing Katowice, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Sopot and Warsaw. In the end 17 participants came to the competition auditions. The most eminent Polish musicians took part in the jury of the competition. Today we can say that several of them are legends of Polish pianism.


Laureates

1st prize – Jerzy Maksymiuk, PWSM Warszawa – 5.000 zł.

2nd prize – Maria Korecka, PWSM Kraków – 4.000 zł.

3rd prize – Piotr Lachert, PWSM Warszawa – 3.000 zł.

Honourable mention:

Maciej Małecki, PWSM Warszawa – 2.000 zł.

Jacek Weiss, PWSM Kraków – 2.000 zł.

Hanna Witt, PWSM Katowice – 2000 zł.

Competition sponsors
Competition partners
The Competition is financed by
The Competition is financed by: the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Republic of Poland from the Fund of the Promotion of Culture – a State purpose–specific Fund, as part of the “Music” program, implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance and the City of Bydgoszcz.
A Partner of the International Paderewski Piano Competition is Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region.