Andrzej Pikul facts for kids

Andrzej Pikul, born on June 7, 1954, in Krosno, Poland, is a famous Polish pianist. He is known for his amazing piano playing and for teaching music to many students.

Andrzej Pikul's Musical Journey

Andrzej Pikul studied music at the Academy of Music in Kraków. His teacher there was Tadeusz Żmudziński. Later, he also studied in Vienna, Austria, at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst. There, he learned from the well-known pianist Paul Badura-Skoda.

Pikul also attended special music classes called masterclasses. He learned from many great musicians like Regina Smendzianka, Alexander Jenner, Tamás Vásáry, Guido Agosti, and Vlado Perlemuter. These classes helped him become an even better pianist.

His Recordings

Andrzej Pikul has recorded many musical pieces. Some of his recordings include works by composers like Aleksander Tansman and Karol Szymanowski. He also recorded all the piano music by Alberto Ginastera.

Teaching and Traveling

Andrzej Pikul has traveled all over the world to share his musical knowledge. He has given lectures and masterclasses in many countries. These include Brazil, Chile, Japan, Germany, and Portugal. He even became an honorary citizen of La Serena in Chile and Iwonicz-Zdrój in Poland. In Poland, he helped start the Prince Michał Kleofas Ogiński Festival.

Judging Competitions

Pikul has also been a judge at many piano competitions. He helped decide who the best young pianists were at events like the Concorso Internationale di Esecuzione Pianistica in Agropoli and the Maria Canals International Music Competition. He also judged the Osaka International Competition and The Fourth Chinese Works Piano Competition in Hong Kong.

Teaching at the Academy

Since 1982, Andrzej Pikul has taught at the Academy of Music in Kraków. He was also a leader there, serving as Dean of the Instrumental Faculty and Vice-Rector for International Affairs. For a year, he worked as a Visiting Professor in Kobe College, Japan. In 1999, he started the International Summer Academy of Music in Cracow. This is an annual event with masterclasses and concerts by famous musicians. In 2010, he became the chairman of the Piano Department.

Discography

• Alberto Ginastera. The Complete Music for Piano. [2CD] Dux Recording Producers 2007.
• Aleksander Tansman, Karol Szymanowski. Orkiestra Symfoniczna Filharmonii Lubelskiej, Andrzej Pikul - piano, Piotr Wijatkowski - conductor, Ewa Wolak-Moszyńska - piano.