prof. dr hab. Helena Tomaszek-Plewa

Graduate of two specializations: music theory (1977) and symphonic conducting (1988, in the class of Assoc. Prof. Renard Czajkowski) at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław, where she also completed the Program in Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble Conducting and Pedagogical Studies. She completed the Postgraduate Choral Conducting Studies at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz with distinction. In 1977 she began her professional work at the State Higher School of Music (now the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music) in Wrocław. In February 1992 she obtained first-degree qualifications, and on 22 January 1997, by resolution of the Faculty of Composition, Theory, Music Education, and Rhythmics of the Academy of Music in Łódź, she obtained second-degree qualifications in conducting vocal and vocal-instrumental ensembles. In 2009 she was awarded the title of Professor of Musical Arts.

Between 2002 and 2008 she served as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Music Education, from 2008 to 2012 as Dean of the Faculty of Music Education, and since 2012 she has served as Vice-Rector for Student and Didactic Affairs. From 1997 to 2012 she was Head of the Department of Music Education (formerly the Department of Music Pedagogy), and from 2012 to 2020 she was Head of the Department of Choral Studies and Ensemble Conducting. Since 1991 she has been Artistic Director of the String Orchestra of the Faculty of Music Education at the Academy of Music in Wrocław, with which she has repeatedly performed instrumental and vocal-instrumental works, collaborating with all the Academy’s choirs as well as with many other choirs in Wrocław. Her teaching also includes conducting, score reading, and supervising bachelor’s and master’s theses. She has been very active in organizational and scholarly work. From March 1999 to June 2012 she was organizational and artistic director of educational concerts for children from Wrocław primary schools (grades IV–VI), and from May 2003 to June 2012 she was artistic director of concerts for grades I–III. She regularly participates in scholarly conferences and is the author of publications.

During her first studies, in 1975, she began additional work with the Jedliniok Song and Dance Ensemble at the Agricultural Academy in Wrocław, as music director. She was active in the amateur music movement until 2017, working successively with the Ślężanie Song and Dance Ensemble and the Wrocław Song and Dance Ensemble. From 1989 to 2017 she was music director of the Kalina Song and Dance Ensemble at the University of Physical Education in Wrocław, with which she performed in Poland and abroad, taking part in numerous international folklore festivals (including in China, Egypt, France, Spain, Korea, Germany, Romania) as well as at the International Cultural Forum in Mexico.

In 1990–1991 she was music director of the Children’s Opera Stage at the Impart Arts Centre in Wrocław. She has also collaborated with the projects Singing Wrocław and Singing Poland.

She has served as reviewer and supervisor of doctoral and habilitation theses, and as reviewer in proceedings for the title of professor. She has been a juror of choral competitions and reviews and is a laureate of many Rector’s Awards. For her outstanding services to education and musical culture, she has been awarded the Medal of the National Education Commission, the Gold Cross of Merit, the Badge of Meritorious Cultural Activist, the Medal of Merit of the University of Physical Education in Wrocław, and the Silver Medal Gloria Artis – Meritorious for Culture. From 2019 to 2024 she served as Vice-Rector for Student and Didactic Affairs.