Jan Ekier facts for kids
Jan Stanisław Ekier (born August 29, 1913 – died August 15, 2014) was a famous Polish pianist and composer. He is best known for creating a very important and accurate edition of Chopin's music. This special collection is called the Chopin National Edition. It helps musicians play Chopin's pieces exactly as the composer intended.
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About Jan Ekier
Jan Ekier was born in Kraków, a city in Poland. When he was young, he started learning piano from Olga Stolfowa. Later, he studied how to compose music with Bernardino Rizzi at the Władysław Żeleński School of Music. He continued his music studies at the Warsaw Conservatory. There, he learned piano from Zbigniew Drzewiecki and composition from Kazimierz Sikorski. In 1937, he won the 8th prize at the III International Chopin Piano Competition. He also studied the organ with Bronisław Rutkowski.
The Chopin National Edition
In 1959, Jan Ekier began a huge project. He wanted to create a new, very accurate edition of Chopin's musical works. This project later became known as the Chopin National Edition. From 1967 to 2010, all of Chopin's known pieces were published in 37 volumes. These books also included notes about the original sources and how the music should be played.
In 2004, Ekier received a special award from the Minister of Culture of Poland. This award recognized his amazing work in keeping Chopin's music alive and popular. It especially honored his monumental National Edition. This edition helped bring the great Polish composer's art back to European culture in a way that was closest to how it was originally written.
Awards and Recognition
Jan Ekier received several important awards for his contributions. On April 17, 2000, he was given the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta. This is a high honor in Poland. Later, on October 21, 2010, he received the Order of the White Eagle. This is Poland's highest honor.
Personal Life and Students
Jan Ekier's first wife was the Polish actress Danuta Szaflarska. He passed away in Warsaw, just two weeks before his 101st birthday. Many talented musicians studied with Jan Ekier. Some of his students include Bronisława Kawalla, Piotr Paleczny, Alicja Paleta-Bugaj, and Yuko Kawai.
See also
- List of centenarians (musicians, composers and music patrons)
