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Grazyna BacewiczPolish composer, violinist, teacher
Date of Birth: 05.05.1913
Country:  Poland |
Content:
Biography of Grażyna Bacewicz
Early Life and EducationGrażyna Bacewicz, a Polish composer, violinist, and educator, was born on February 5, 1909, in Łódź. Her father, Wincenty Bacewicz, gave her the first lessons in piano and violin. Her brother, Vytautas, who developed the theory of "cosmic music," was also a composer. In 1928, Bacewicz began studying at the Warsaw Conservatory, learning violin from Józef Jarzębski and piano from Józef Turczyński. She studied composition under the guidance of Kazimierz Sikorski. In 1923, Bacewicz graduated from the conservatory, specializing in violin and composition. She continued her musical education in Paris, receiving a scholarship from Jan Paderewski. From 1932 to 1933, Bacewicz studied at the National School of Music in Paris, learning composition from Nadia Boulanger and violin from André Touret. She briefly returned to Poland, her hometown of Łódź, but in 1934, she went back to Paris to study with Hungarian violinist Carl Flesch.
Musical Career
After her studies in Paris, Bacewicz participated in various musical events as a soloist, composer, or jury member. From 1936 to 1938, she served as the first violinist in the Polish Radio Orchestra, conducted by Grzegorz Fitelberg. This position allowed Bacewicz to introduce audiences to many of her own compositions. During World War II, she lived in Warsaw, where she continued to compose and even gave underground concerts. It was at one of these concerts in 1943 that her "Suite for Two Violins" was first performed. In addition to her successes in her musical career, Bacewicz also flourished as a wife and mother. She married in 1936 and gave birth to her daughter Alina, who became an artist.
Later Years and Legacy
After the war, Bacewicz became a professor at the State Conservatory of Music in Łódź. During this time, she focused more on composition than performing, especially after a serious injury from a car accident in 1954. Grażyna Bacewicz passed away on January 17, 1969, in Warsaw. Many of her compositions prominently feature the violin. Some of her instrumental works include "Four Preludes for Piano," "Esquisse for Organ," and "Second Piano Sonata." Her stage compositions include the ballet "Z chłopa król," the comedic radio opera "Przygoda Króla Artura," which received the Polish Radio and Television Committee Award in 1960, and the one-act ballet "Esik w Ostendzie."
In addition to her numerous awards, Bacewicz received several lifetime achievement honors, including the Order of Polonia Restituta Cavalier in 1953, the Commander's Cross in 1955, and the 10th Anniversary Medal of the Polish People's Republic in 1955. On the 100th anniversary of her birth, the Polish Post issued a stamp featuring Bacewicz's portrait.
