prof. dr hab. Mieczysław Gawroński

Conductor, educator, academic teacher – he began his professional career in 1966 in the symphony orchestra of the Wrocław Philharmonic as a musician – percussionist, while studying this specialisation at the Instrumental Department of the Wrocław State Higher School of Music, graduating in 1970. In the same year, he began studying conducting under Tadeusz Strugała, graduating in 1975. From 1974 to 1976, he worked as musical director at the Wrocław Pantomime Theatre directed by Henryk Tomaszewski. He returned to the Philharmonic in 1976 as a soloist and assistant conductor, and from 1980 to 1996 he was second conductor. From 1993 to 1998, he was artistic director of the Kalisz Philharmonic. He has conducted numerous concerts in Poland and abroad, including at renowned music festivals (Warsaw Autumn, Wratislavia Cantans, Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój, Contemporary Music Festival in Wrocław and many others).

He began his teaching career in 1971 as a percussion teacher at the Secondary Music School in Wałbrzych. Between 1975 and 1993, he was associated with the Music High School in Wrocław as a teacher of percussion and conducting, as well as conductor of the symphony and chamber orchestras. In 1990, he was employed at the Academy of Music in Wrocław at the Faculty of Composition, Conducting, Music Theory and Music Therapy, teaching subjects related to conducting (including score reading, introductory conducting, conducting at the Faculty of IV). In 1993, he obtained his first degree and in 1995 his second degree at the Academy of Music in Krakow, which resulted in the opening of a conducting class that he still teaches today. At the same time, between 1991 and 2004, he conducted a student symphony orchestra.

In 1997, he began his collaboration with the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań at the Institute (now the Faculty) of Pedagogy and Arts in Kalisz, which lasted until 2011. (Since 1999, he has held the position of associate professor at this university). At both universities, he has supervised dozens of Master of Arts graduates (including over 10 conductors at the Academy of Music), and in 2007, he was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting.

In 2010, he was awarded the title of Professor of Musical Arts by the President of the Republic of Poland.

He has reviewed artistic achievements and doctoral and postdoctoral dissertations in the field of conducting at the Music Academies in Krakow and Poznań on numerous occasions.

He has reviewed over 100 bachelor's and master's theses at both universities. He has held or continues to hold numerous positions (including Senator of the Academy of Music, Chairman of the University and Faculty Election Committee, member of the University and Faculty Electoral College, and others). In 2011-2020, he was Dean of the Faculty of Composition, Conducting, Music Theory and Music Therapy.

He has received many awards for his pedagogical and artistic work, including the 3rd degree Award of the Minister of Education and Culture, the Award of the Board of Education in Wrocław, the 1st degree Award of the Rector of the Academy of Music in Wrocław, the Silver Cross of Merit, the Medal of the National Education Commission, the Distinguished Cultural Activist Badge, and others.