Feliks Nowowiejski Music Academy

Since 1 December 1981, the patron of the music university is Feliks Nowowiejski (1877–1946), a Polish composer, conductor, teacher, organist and virtuoso. Living in Poznań since 1919, Feliks Nowowiejski repeatedly visited Bydgoszcz in the interwar period as a conductor and composer. On 3 April 1921, he conducted in Bydgoszcz the local choir "Halka" in a room on Torunska street, and on 18 November 1923, he led a concert in the Seminar Building on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of Polish independence. One of the large-scale event he attended was the unveiling of the Monument to Henryk Sienkiewicz in Bydgoszcz, the first at the time in Poland, on 31 July 1927. During the ceremony, in the presence of President of Poland Ignacy Mościcki, Feliks Nowowiejski conducted a solemn concert performed by the orchestra of the 68th Infantry Regiment and combined choirs of Bydgoszcz and Poznań. == History ==

Pre-war traditions Institutionalized teaching traditions for future artists and musicians started in the city here at the beginning of the 20th century. Prior to this time, music teaching habits developed already, in the building of the parochial school as well as schools of the Carmelite Monastery (now defunct, at the location of the Theatre square) and the Jesuit College (now the city hall). In 1904, Arnold Schattschneider (a conductor) and Wilhelm von Winterfeld (a violinist, conductor and composer) founded the Bromberg Conservatory of Music (), at Adam Mickiewicz Alley 9, which performed its activities until 1945. After the restoration of the Second Polish Republic, Bydgoszcz started to develop music education. Main elements of this movement in the years 1925–1927, were the Municipal Institute of Music () and the Municipal Conservatory of Music, founded in 1927 by Zdzislaw Jahnke, a professor in Poznań Conservatory. The Jahnke conservatory, like the German Conservatory of von Winterfefd, led teaching music at three levels (lower, middle and higher-academic), and the structure of the school consisted of 8 departments (singing, piano, orchestral instruments, liturgical music, pipe organ, group music, pedagogical seminar, music theory and other additional subjects). During interwar period, the Municipal Conservatory of Music raised as the leading music school in the city, thanks to the quality of the pedagogical team: among them was Józef Paderewski (1871–1958), brother of Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Bydgoszcz conservatories trained many respected musicians and music educators, including Alfons Rezler (conductor, founder of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra in 1938) and Marta Suchecka (violinist, educator). During the Nazi occupation, the Municipal Conservatory of Music has been converted into a German school. Von Winterfeld Conservatory of Music ceased its activities in 1944, after the death of its director. Bydgoszcz State College of Music (1979–1981) On 27 November 1979, Polish Council of Ministers created a State College of Music, independent from the Academy of Music in Łódź. Its first rector was Roman Suchecki. Soon in 1980, the university reached its full working structure, similar to other music schools in the country, with the creation of two new departments: the Faculty of Music Theory and Composition, and the Faculty of Vocal Performance and Acting. In the same year an Instrumental Pedagogy School (Faculty of Instrumental Music) and a recording studio were established. Between 2002 and 2009, the number of university teachers increased from 120 to 150, including 55 professors, and the number of students increased to 552 from 2002 to 2015. The strategic objective set by the board of the Academy of Music is to increase the number of professors, as well as the capacity to deliver doctoral degrees, so as to give a more important dimension to the university. In 2019, city authorities launched a project to erect a new building Music Academy, at Chodkiewicza street 9–11. == Curricula ==

Bydgoszcz Academy of Music consists of four faculties, teaching the following musical fields: • Animators for musical activities; • Symphony orchestra and choir conducting; • Training music teachers and sound directors. The curriculum consists of First degree programmes leading to a Licentiate diploma and second cycle studies, awarding the Master's degree of Arts. In 2008, a PhD programme has been created in the Faculty of Instruments, in addition to postgraduate in one of the four faculties. Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music is also a regular beneficiary of the Erasmus Programme. == Departments and structure ==

The school is divided into four faculties: • Faculty of Instrumental Music; • Faculty of Composition, Theory of Music and Sound Engineering; • Faculty of Vocal Music and Drama; • Faculty of Conducting, Jazz Music and Music Education. It also developed cross-departments programmes in: • Pedagogy; • Foreign Languages; • Early Music; • Contemporary Music; • Jazz and Popular Music; • Piano Chamber Music • Recording Studio and Music library. == Academy facilities ==

All buildings are located in Bydgoszcz downtown, within the so-called Music District of Bydgoszcz (). Main building The Academy moved into its main headquarters in 1975, located at Slowackiego street 7. Together with Pomeranian Philharmonic and the building of the Music Schools Group, they form a network surrounding the Jan Kochanowski Park where a gallery of sculptures related to composers and virtuosos is displayed. File:Bydgoszcz, ul Słowackiego 7 AW.jpg|Main entry with its avant-corps File:Gmach Urzędu Powiatowego, ob. Akademia Muzyczna, (9).JPG|Eastern facade File:Bdg AkadMuz 6 07-2013.jpg|Detail of the portal File:Bydgoszcz, gmach Urzędu Powiatowego, ob. Akademia Muzyczna, 1904-1906 bb.JPG|Motto and Polish Eagle Other places A total of 90 dormitory spots are offered to students, divided between several buildings. One is located at Staszica street 3 and Staszica street 7 (at the corner with Kołłątaja street). The other tenement stands nearby the Pomeranian Philharmonic building at Szwalbego Street 4. File:Bdg ul Staszica 2 4-2015.jpg|Building at Staszica street 7 File:Akademia facade.jpg|Building at Staszica street 7 File:Bydgoszcz, dom, ob. akademik, 1904-1905 g.JPG|Building at Szwalbego street 4 File:Bdg AMuz x1 05-2013.jpg|Pomeranian Arts House at Gdańska Street 20 == Artistic activities ==

In addition to teaching and research activities, the Music Academy conducts a large-scale artistic activity, famous through the whole Kujawy-Pomerania. The university houses: • two choirs (one Academic, one chamber music choir); • an academic Symphonic Orchestra (est. 1976); • an ensemble of ancient music; • numerous ensemble for chamber music and for soloists. Regularly, concerts are organized or co-organized by the academy where ensembles attend recurrent regional events. Concerts and opera performances of university students, teachers and guests are regularly held at both university stages. Some of them are regular events listed in Bydgoszcz calendar of cultural events, such as: • Bydgoskie Tuesdays Music – (, since 1981). Held once a month in the Concert Hall of the university; • Pipe organ Thursdays – (, since 1992). Held every other month in the Concert Hall of the academy; • Musical Mornings – (, since 1994). A monthly cycle for children; • Palace Concerts, organized every month in Lubostron Palace; • Academic Concerts (since 2002). Held every other month in Ostromecko Palace and co-organized by Bydgoszcz Municipal Cultural Centre; • Student Workshop Opera; • Great Cycles – (); • The Music Academy in City Monuments. Student ensemble or soloists attend festivals and music competitions, at regional, national and international levels, such as: • Ignacy Paderewski International Piano Competition; • Festival of Music Competition Laureates (since 1994); • International Choral Meetings "Arti et Amicitiae" (1994–1998); • Forte Piano, student festival (1994–1999); • Jerzy Popieluszko Festival of Young Organists and Vocalists held since 1996 at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Bydgoszcz; • Paderewski Singing Competition (since 1999); • Organ Evenings, held since 2001 at the Saint Andrew Bobola's Church in Bydgoszcz. The cultural activity of the academy ranks third in the musical institution production of the city, after Opera Nova and the Pomeranian Philharmonic. == Research ==

Primary field of research is science of music, including theory, history of music, history of performances and practice, and local music culture. Scientific research is mostly carried out during regularly organized sessions and academic conferences, but also through individual studies and team projects. Between 1980 and 2004 the Academy of Music has organized 31 conferences with topics related mainly to classical music and traditional music of Kujawy and Pomerania. == Notable persona ==

List of rectors • 1975–1979, Dr. Miroslaw Pietkiewicz, director of Academy of Music in Łódź, vice-rector of Bydgoszcz Branch from October 1977; • 1979–1980, professor Zenon Ploszaj, violinist; • 1980–1987, Dr. Roman Suchecki, cellist; • 1987–1993, professor Franciszek Wozniak, composer and pianist; • 1993–1999, professor Dr. Antoni Poszowski, music theorist; • 1999–2005, professor Jerzy Kaszuba, accordionist; • 2005–2012, professor Maria Murawska, pianist; • 2012–2020, professor Jerzy Kaszuba, accordionist; • Since 200, professor Elżbieta Wtorkowska, music director. === Honoris Causa === • professor Jerzy Godziszewski, pianist, on 27 November 2007; • Đặng Thái Sơn, pianist, on 27 April 2010; • professor Mieczysław Tomaszewski, musicologist, on 28 May 2010. Notable alumni Notable students and alumni of the Academy include: • Rafał Blechacz, winner of the 15th International Chopin Piano Competition (2005); • Paweł Wakarecy, finalist of the 16th International Chopin Piano Competition (2006), also the only Pole at this stage; • Dawid Jung, opera singer (tenor), director of the Museum of Polish Electronic Organs; • Krzysztof Herdzin, pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, record producer, multi-instrumentalist (piano, double bass, violin), winner of several national and international music competitions. == References ==