Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska facts for kids

Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska (born February 22, 1912 – died March 14, 1994) was a talented Polish musician. She was a pianist, a music teacher, and a composer who wrote many pieces, especially for young people.

Her Life and Studies

Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska was born in Brody, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time. She loved music from a young age. She studied piano at the Conservatory of Music in Lvov and finished her studies there in 1931.

Later, she continued to study music composition. She learned from famous composers like Tadeusz Szeligowski, Piotr Perkowski, and Stefan Boleslaw Poradowski at the National Academy of Music in Wroclaw. She finished these studies in 1956.

After her schooling, Jadwiga became a music educator. She taught students how to play music together, how to understand music theory, and how to compose their own pieces. She passed away in Wroclaw.

Awards and Recognitions

Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska received several awards for her musical works. These awards showed how much her compositions were valued.

• In 1960, she won second prize at the Opolska Wiosna Competition for her cantata Regiment.
• Two years later, in 1962, she again won second prize at the Opolska Wiosna Competition for her song cycle I envy the nut.
• In 1971, she received an award at a competition in Mannheim for her children's ballet Ein Spaziergang in der Stadt.
• She also won second prize at the National Composition Competition in 1970 for We Play in the Green.
• The city of Wroclaw honored her with a special prize in 1964.
• She received the Prime Minister's Award twice, in 1974 and 1983.

Her Musical Works

Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska composed many different types of music. She was especially known for writing pieces for young people, including ballets and stage shows. She also wrote music for instruments, singers, and choirs.

Ballets and Stage Works for Children

Many of her most famous works were ballets and musical plays designed for kids.

• Pinocchio (1956) – a ballet based on the classic story.
• Kidnapping in Tiutiurlistan (1965–1966) – another ballet for children.
• Ein Spaziergang in der Stadt (1968) – a children's ballet.
• Princess in oślej skin (1972–1974) – an opera-musical for children.
• Blue Cat (1975/1976) – a musical fairy tale in two or three acts.
• The Enchanted Tailor (1978) – a fantastic historical show.
• Little Red Riding Hood (1984) – a ballet for the youngest audience.
• Emperor's Nightingale (1992) – a ballet for children.
• The Princess and the Pea (1992) – another ballet for children.

Other Compositions

Jadwiga Szajna-Lewandowska also wrote many other musical pieces.

• Sonatina for Oboe and Piano (1953–54)
• Concertino for flute and strings (1954–56)
• Mythological Preludes for flute and piano (1955)
• Giocosa Sonatina for piano (1958–59)
• Regiment (1960) – a cantata for mixed choir and small orchestra.
• I envy the nut (1961) – a song cycle for soprano and chamber orchestra.
• Harp (1962) – a mimodrama, which is a play told through mime and music.
• Ballade for violin and chamber orchestra (1964)
• Concerto for piano, string orchestra, and percussion (1970)
• Six songs for children's choir and piano (1971)
• Twelve poems for solo soprano and string quartet (1972)
• Ten etudes for two pianos (1975)
• All'Antico for orchestra (1978)
• Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1979) – written for music school students.