Maciej Łukaszczyk (11 March 1934,

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

– 4 June 2014,

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

) was a Polish

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

Life

Łukaszczyk was born in the capital city of Poland, Warsaw, in March 1934. During the

German occupation of Poland German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, he and his twin brother Jacek Łukaszczyk (1934–2013) were engrossed with the music of

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

. In the '50s, he studied at the Higher State School of Music in Warsaw. His professors were Margerita Trombini-Kazuro,

Zbigniew Drzewiecki Zbigniew Drzewiecki (; 8 April 189011 April 1971) was a Polish pianist who was for most of his life a teacher of pianists. He was especially associated with the interpretation of Frédéric Chopin's works. His pupils include several famous pian ...

, and

Jan Ekier Jan Stanisław Ekier (29 August 1913 – 15 August 2014) was a Polish pianist and composer known for his authoritative edition of Chopin's music for the Chopin National Edition. Biography Ekier was born in Kraków, Poland. As a youth, he ...

. Later he studied at the

University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university located in Vienna, established in 1817. With a student body of over three thousa ...

under Hans Kann. He became intensely interested in the music of Frédéric Chopin. In Inland and abroad, he became an interpreter of Chopin. In 1966, Łukaszczyk arrived in Darmstadt, and initially worked there as a

Répétiteur A (from the French verb meaning 'to repeat, to go over, to learn, to rehearse') is an accompanist, tutor or coach of ballet dancers or opera singers. A feminine form, , also appears but is comparatively rare. Opera In opera, a is the perso ...

at the Landestheater Darmstadt. In 1970, he founded the Chopin-Gesellschaft in Darmstadt, of whom he was president for 44 years. The Chopin-Gesellschaft organized concerts, piano competitions, and master courses of the supraregional music of Chopin. Łukaszczyk persistently campaigned for comprehension between Poland and Germany. He died in 2014, and was buried at the cemetery in

Poronin Poronin , is a village in southern Poland situated in Tatra County of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999 (it was previously in Nowy Sącz Voivodeship from 1975-1998). It lies approximately north-east of Zakopane and south of the regional ...

Distinctions

* 1991: Tribute for

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

* 1999:

Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland The Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Order Zasługi Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) is a Polish order of merit created in 1974, awarded to persons who have rendered great service to Poland. It is granted to foreigners or Poles resident a ...

* 2004: Johann-Heinrich-Merck-Distinction of the city Darmstadt

References

External links

Maciej Lukaszczyk died.
obituary in regional newspaper Darmstädter Echo 5. June 2014 (German) {{DEFAULTSORT:Lukaszczyk, Maciej Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland 20th-century Polish pianists 1934 births 2014 deaths Musicians from Warsaw Polish people of World War II