Wojciech hr. Dzieduszycki (2000)

Cultural animator, publicist, journalist and music critic. He was born on 5 June 1912 in Jezupol in the Stanisławów Voivodship, and died on 2 May 2008 in Wrocław. Between 1930 and 1936, he received a thorough musical education in Lviv, where he obtained diplomas in violin, solo singing and conducting from the Conservatory of the Polish Music Society. He also completed studies at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry of the Lviv Polytechnic (1935) and at the Faculty of Millinery Construction at the Mechanics Institute in Hamburg (1936).

His later, very active professional and social activity was connected with both the economic and cultural spheres, where he became known as a singer, columnist, music and theatre critic. The initiator of many cultural projects and populariser of the art of music, he also realised himself as a dramatic actor, director, songwriter and translator of poetry. In 1934, he made his debut in the part of Lensky in Peter Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin at the Stanislavsky Opera. In the 1930s, he appeared in leading tenor roles in Lviv and at Italian opera houses in Bologna, Naples, Venice, Parma and Florence.

In addition to his professional duties (he taught at the Wrocław University of Technology, the State Higher School of Economics and the Milling and Food Technology College in Wrocław) Wojciech Dzieduszycki was very active in the cultural life of Wrocław. He was one of the initiators of almost all the major cultural events of the city and the region. He was particularly concerned with matters relating to the art of music. In 1946, he was co-organiser of the International Chopin Festival in Duszniki Zdrój. He was a co-founder of the Lower Silesian Music Society (and in the years 1975- 79 served as its president) and the Association of Polish Musicians (in the years 1968-1984 he was a member of the Main Board, 1976-1984 served as vice-president). From 1948 he strove for the establishment of a Philharmonic Hall in Wrocław; it was thanks to his efforts, among others, that the Wrocław Symphony Orchestra, which was later transformed into the Wrocław Philharmonic, was established in 1954. He was equally active in opening the Wrocław Operetta. In addition, thanks to the efforts of Wojciech Dzieduszycki, a monument to Frederic Chopin was erected in Wrocław's South Park. He was one of the initiators of the popular Music and Literature Club and president of the Fryderyk Chopin Society in Wrocław. Wojciech Dzieduszycki was also an ardent initiator of the creation of a Wrocław television centre in the 1950s.

Among other things, it was thanks to his efforts that a television station was built on Ślęza and that a Polish Television Centre was opened in Wrocław. He was one of the pioneers of this facility. He has worked in television since 1956 as an editor and publicist. In the years 1972-1987 he was the head of the music department of the Polish Television in Wrocław.

A very important chapter in the activity of Wojciech Dzieduszycki was publicism. His extensive reviewing output deserves special recognition. For decades, Wojciech Dzieduszycki's series of columns appeared regularly in numerous periodicals, such as Przekrój, Życie Literackie, Nowe Sygnały, Odra, Wieczór Wrocławski, Życie Warszawy and Ruch Muzyczny. The number of his publications in the press exceeds six hundred articles, mainly reflecting the cultural life of Wrocław. Dzieduszycki's literary activity was also connected with the cabaret Dymek z papierosa [Cigarette Smoke], which he led from 1960 for 18 years and with which he performed all over Poland, in many European countries, in Canada and in the USA.

The Senate of the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław honoured the artist by awarding him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa in 2000.