Szczepan Kończal
Encyclopedia
Szczepan Kończal (born on May 27, 1985, in Katowice
, Poland
) is a Polish
classical
pianist
who has already won high prizes in many international music competitions held in more than a dozen different countries around the world.
medal) from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice
, where he studied under Prof. Józef Stompel’s guidance.
He has participated in masterclasses with such artists as Krystian Zimerman
, Peter Donohoe, Dang Thai Son
, Alexander Korsantia
, Joan Havill
, Bernard Ringeissen
, John Perry, Andrzej Jasiński
, Lee Kum-Sing
, Victor Merzhanov
.
(5th prize and special award for the best interpretation of the mandatory work, Lisbon
, Portugal
, 2007; WFIMC), 11th UNISA International Piano Competition (6th prize, Pretoria
, South Africa
, 2008; WFIMC), 4th Tbilisi
International Piano Competition (3rd prize, Georgia
, 2009; WFIMC), 2nd International Piano Competition Spazio Teatro (1st prize and special award, Milan
, Italy
, 2010), 1st Luciano Luciani International Piano Competition (1st prize, Laurignano, Italy, 2011), 3rd Ella Philipp International Piano Competition (1st prize, Timişoara
, Romania
, 2011), 3rd Campillos
International Piano Competition (3rd prize, Spain
, 2009), 9th Concours Grieg
– International Competition for Pianists (2nd prize and two special awards, Oslo
, Norway
, 2008). Finalist of the Tallinn
International Piano Competition (Estonia
, 2006), triple laureate of the National Frederick Chopin
Piano Competitions in Warsaw
in 2003, 2004 and 2005, semi finalist of the 15th International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition
in Warsaw (2005; WFIMC).
Earlier, he was awarded 1st prizes in seven international and national piano competitions for youth, as well as 2nd prize in the 7th Takasaki
International Art and Music Competition (Japan
, 2001).
(2005), the 1st Warsaw Chopin Festival (2005), the 2nd Rubinstein Piano Festival in Łódź (2011), the 39th Festival of Polish Piano Art in Słupsk (2005), the 13th Festival New Year Music Celebrations in Tbilisi (Georgia 2010), the 14th Kuressaare
Kammermuusika Päevad (Estonia, 2008), Festival Premiar a Excelência in Oeiras
(Portugal, 2009), Festival La Grande Musica a Maso Spilzi in Folgaria
(Italy, 2010) and in concert seasons: at the Boğaziçi University
in Istanbul
(Turkey
, 2009), Serate Musicali and Rassegna Musicali – both in Milan (Italy, 2010).
. In 2010 he became a laureate of the national program Młoda Polska (prestigious scholarship given by the Minister of Culture).
, Toruń
Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
, Orquesta Gulbenkian, Banatul Philharmonic of Timişoara
, Chamber Orchestra of South Africa and such conductors as: Antoni Wit
, Tadeusz Strugała, Michał Klauza, Szymon Bywalec, Jerzy Swoboda, Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski, Andres Mustonen, Mitsuyoshi Oikawa, Jüri Alperten, Heiko Mathias Förster, Per Sigmund Thorp, Péter Csaba
, Gheorghe Costin
, Arjan Tien.
He has appeared at many venues in Poland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Germany
, Belgium
, England
, Norway, the Czech Republic
, Slovakia
, Ukraine
, Lithuania
, Estonia, Romania, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan
, South Africa, Japan and Canada
.
In 2010 he toured Turkey (May) and England (June).
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) is a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
who has already won high prizes in many international music competitions held in more than a dozen different countries around the world.
Education
He graduated with the highest distinction (Primus inter paresPrimus inter pares
Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
medal) from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
, where he studied under Prof. Józef Stompel’s guidance.
He has participated in masterclasses with such artists as Krystian Zimerman
Krystian Zimerman
Krystian Zimerman is a Polish classical pianist who is widely regarded as one of the finest living pianists.-Biography:...
, Peter Donohoe, Dang Thai Son
Dang Thai Son
Đặng Thái Sơn is a Vietnamese pianist, winner at the Tenth International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.-Musical career:...
, Alexander Korsantia
Alexander Korsantia
Alexander Korsantia is a Georgian International award winning pianist. Alexander immigrated to Canada in 1992, settling in Vancouver, British Columbia. After living in Vancouver for a number of years, he currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts...
, Joan Havill
Joan Havill
Joan Havill is a respected piano teacher and Senior Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She was born in New Zealand where she began her musical studies giving concerts and broadcasts from early childhood...
, Bernard Ringeissen
Bernard Ringeissen
Bernard Ringeissen is a French classical pianist.He was born in Paris in 1934. His first teacher, at age 7, was Georges de Lausnay. He entered the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieure de Musique in 1947, aged 12, and won the Premier Prix when he was sixteen. He had further study with Marguerite...
, John Perry, Andrzej Jasiński
Andrzej Jasinski
Andrzej Jasiński is a Polish pianist.In 1959 he graduated with honors from the University of Music in Katowice in the piano class of Władysława Markiewiczówna. The following year he won the Maria Canals Competition, and subsequently completed his training under Magda Tagliaferro...
, Lee Kum-Sing
Lee Kum-Sing
Lee Kum-Sing is a Chinese-Canadian classical pianist and piano pedagogue originally from Sumatra.- Biography :Lee Kum-Sing studied with Gerhard Puchelt and Hans Richter-Haaser in Berlin, with Julius Katchen and Magda Tagliaferro in Paris...
, Victor Merzhanov
Victor Merzhanov
-Biography:Studied at Tambov Musical College with Solomon Starikov and Alexander Poltoratsky. Between 1936-1941 he studied at the Moscow Conservatory in the classes of Samuil Feinberg and Alexander Goedicke , graduating with distinction....
.
Competitions
He has been a prize-winner of several significant piano competitions: 16th Vianna da Motta International Music CompetitionVianna da Motta International Music Competition
The Vianna da Motta International Music Competition was first constituted in 1957 in Lisbon in honor of José Vianna da Motta by his disciple Sequeira Costa, who remains its president; this inaugural edition was won by Naum Shtarkman. The competition, a member of the World Federation of...
(5th prize and special award for the best interpretation of the mandatory work, Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, 2007; WFIMC), 11th UNISA International Piano Competition (6th prize, Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, 2008; WFIMC), 4th Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
International Piano Competition (3rd prize, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, 2009; WFIMC), 2nd International Piano Competition Spazio Teatro (1st prize and special award, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 2010), 1st Luciano Luciani International Piano Competition (1st prize, Laurignano, Italy, 2011), 3rd Ella Philipp International Piano Competition (1st prize, Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, 2011), 3rd Campillos
Campillos
Campillos is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The municipality is situated approximately 30 kilometres from Antequera and 70 from the provincial capital. It has a population of approximately 8,000 residents...
International Piano Competition (3rd prize, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 2009), 9th Concours Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
– International Competition for Pianists (2nd prize and two special awards, Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, 2008). Finalist of the Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
International Piano Competition (Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, 2006), triple laureate of the National Frederick Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
Piano Competitions in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in 2003, 2004 and 2005, semi finalist of the 15th International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition
International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition
The International Chopin Piano Competition , often referred to as the Chopin Competition, is a piano competition held in Warsaw, Poland to honour the name of Frédéric Chopin. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious music competitions in the world...
in Warsaw (2005; WFIMC).
Earlier, he was awarded 1st prizes in seven international and national piano competitions for youth, as well as 2nd prize in the 7th Takasaki
Takasaki, Gunma
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
International Art and Music Competition (Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 2001).
Festivals
He participated in the 60th International Chopin Festival in Duszniki-ZdrójDuszniki-Zdrój
Duszniki-Zdrój is a spa town in the Klodzko Valley on the Bystrzyca River in Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It is a notable spa town and a major tourist attraction of the area.-Economy:...
(2005), the 1st Warsaw Chopin Festival (2005), the 2nd Rubinstein Piano Festival in Łódź (2011), the 39th Festival of Polish Piano Art in Słupsk (2005), the 13th Festival New Year Music Celebrations in Tbilisi (Georgia 2010), the 14th Kuressaare
Kuressaare
Kuressaare is a town and a municipality on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the capital of Saare County. The current population is about 14,706 Kuressaare is a town and a municipality on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the capital of Saare County. The current population is about 14,706...
Kammermuusika Päevad (Estonia, 2008), Festival Premiar a Excelência in Oeiras
Oeiras
Oeiras is a town and a municipality in western Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal. It is in conurbation with Lisbon, the parish population is 34,850, and the entire Oeiras Municipality has 168,475 inhabitants. The town of Oeiras is one of the most populous towns in Portugal...
(Portugal, 2009), Festival La Grande Musica a Maso Spilzi in Folgaria
Folgaria
Folgaria is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 15 km southeast of Trento...
(Italy, 2010) and in concert seasons: at the Boğaziçi University
Bogaziçi University
Boğaziçi University is a public university located on the European side of the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey. It has five faculties and two schools offering undergraduate degrees, and six institutes offering graduate degrees...
in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, 2009), Serate Musicali and Rassegna Musicali – both in Milan (Italy, 2010).
Scholarships
He has received scholarships from: the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage on six occasions (1998, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008), the Prime Minister of Poland (2002), the Hugo Kołłątaj Foundation (2003), the International Frederick Chopin Foundation (2003). During 1998-2004 he was supported by the Polish Children's FundPolish Children's Fund
The Polish Children's Fund is a Polish non-government organization which supports highly gifted schoolchildren. It was established in 1981 by Ryszard Rakowski and late Jan Szczepański....
. In 2010 he became a laureate of the national program Młoda Polska (prestigious scholarship given by the Minister of Culture).
Performances
He has performed with such orchestras as: Sinfonia Varsovia, Silesian PhilharmonicSilesian Philharmonic
The Filharmonia Śląska w Katowicach is a music institution in Katowice, Silesia, Poland. The Silesian Philharmonic in Katowice was founded in 1945. The first concert of the orchestra took place on 26 of May 1945. A mixed choir was added in 1973....
, Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra is the leading orchestra in Estonia and is based in the capital Tallinn. Founded as the Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra, it gave its first concert in a broadcast by Tallinn Radio on December 18, 1926...
, Orquesta Gulbenkian, Banatul Philharmonic of Timişoara
Banatul Philharmonic of Timişoara
The Banatul Philharmonic is a musical institution in Timişoara, Romania. It comprises a symphony orchestra, professional chorus, and various chamber groups....
, Chamber Orchestra of South Africa and such conductors as: Antoni Wit
Antoni Wit
Antoni Wit is a Polish conductor. He is the present musical director of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.Wit graduated from Kraków's State Higher School of Music, studying conducting under Henryk Czyz and composition under Krzysztof Penderecki, going on to study under Nadia Boulanger in...
, Tadeusz Strugała, Michał Klauza, Szymon Bywalec, Jerzy Swoboda, Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski, Andres Mustonen, Mitsuyoshi Oikawa, Jüri Alperten, Heiko Mathias Förster, Per Sigmund Thorp, Péter Csaba
Péter Csaba
Péter Csaba is a Romanian citizen of Hungarian ethnic origin. He is a violist and conductor.Csaba was the artistic director and permanent conductor of the Swedish chamber orchestra Musica Vitae between 1993 and 2000...
, Gheorghe Costin
Gheorghe Costin
Gheorghe Costin is a Romanian conductor and composer.A disciple of Constantin Bugeanu in Bucharest's Music Academy, he spent two years at the head of the Târgu Mureş Philharmonic before he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Iaşi State Philharmonic, where he would remain for thirteen years...
, Arjan Tien.
He has appeared at many venues in Poland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Norway, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Estonia, Romania, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
, South Africa, Japan and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In 2010 he toured Turkey (May) and England (June).