About

Wiesław Prządka is one of the greatest Polish accordionist and the only Polish musician playing the bandoneon – a musical instrument typical of Argentine tango. A virtuoso, composer, arranger as well as art director of major music productions. An artist who has introduced the accordion, as a solo instrument, to Polish concert and philharmonic halls. As the first Pole he has dared to use this musical instrument for playing music from all over the world adding his own twist to it. Such attitude results in many new projects and arrangements appearing regularly year by year. Due to his performance, accordion playing has gained an innovative, unique musical value. The musical soul of Wiesław Prządka is filled, above all, with French music in many styles and varieties as well as with passionate tango. The specific ambience of his concerts and albums stems, to a large extent, from these two music genres. Wiesław Prządka is a sentimental and emotional artist, but although his musical skills are of great quality, what truly makes him stand out from the crowd is the artistic or even spiritual transmission you can feel at concerts. Meeting him personally is a great experience; positive emotions as well as a great deal of good taste and elegance guaranteed.

His wide musical horizons bear much fruit in the form of featuring the greatest artists – Richard Galliano, Gustavo Fontana, Michał Znaniecki, Krzesimir Dębski, Waldemar Malicki, Zbigniew Górny, Anna Duczmal – Mróz, Bohdan Jarmołowicz, Marek Moś, Stanisław Soyka, Tomek Szymuś, Tomasz Tomaszewski, Hanna Banaszak, Grażyna Brodzińska, Olga Bończyk, Justyna Szafran, Krzysztof Kilijański, Jacek Wójcicki, Krzysztofem Jakowicz, Filip Wojciechowski, Krzysztof Meisinger, Robert Horna, Marek Piątek, Rafał Karasiewicz, Zbigniew Wrombel, Andrzej Mazurek, Edmund Klaus, Jose Junior Mossalini, Izydor Leitinger, Dominik Bukowski, Jerzy Główczewski, Piotr Baron and others.

As a versatile artist Wiesław Prządka performs at major venues both in Poland and all over the world in various music configurations: with his own band, as a guest star or a soloist. He has made a great number of recordings for many radio and TV stations in Poland, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, France, Denmark, Belgium and Italy. The musical output of Wiesław Prządka is really impressive. He has recorded numerous albums together with his own band New Musette Quartet, other groups such as Hot Swing or New Tango Bridge, many greatest vocalists and orchestras. His latest album Suita Troileana Astor Piazzola recorded with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio under Anna Duczmal-Mróz has already become a unique production not only locally but on a global scale.

BIOGRAPHY

1964
Wiesław Prządka was born in 1964 in Wolsztyn. He started his musical education in the local Music Centre then continued at the Stanisław Moniuszko First-degree Music School in Zbąszyń and later on at Mieczysław Karłowicz Music Secondary School in Poznań.
1984-88
From 1984 to 1988 he studied at the Instrumental Faculty of the I.J. Paderewski Poznan Academy of Music in the accordion class under Prof. Henryk Krzemiński - a long-standing member of the Poznań Accordion Quintet, with whom he performed in Poland and Europe, among others in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden.
1990
In 1990 he was awarded the First Prize at the International Chamber Ensembles Competition in Paris with the Poznań Accordion Quintet.
1993
In 1993 as a pioneer of musette style in Poland he formed his own band Musette Quartet (since 2003 known as New Musette Quartet) that immediately gained both critical and public acclaim.
1995
Barely 2 years later, in 1995 the first album of Musette Quartet “I love Paris” saw the light of day, published by Radio Merkury Poznań Pulishing House.
1997
In 1997 he was invited as a soloist to perform at Zbigniew Górny’s Orchestra 20th Anniversary Concert organized by TVP 2 channel and started a close cooperation with Zbigniew Górny and his band. Since then both artists have continued to perform together in Poland as well as abroad.
1998
In 1998 Musette Quartet 5th Anniversary Concert was held with many great guests such as: Hanna Banaszak, Katarzyna Groniec, Jacek Wójcicki, Krzysztof Tyniec, Halina Zimmermann, Jacek Kotlarski and Affabre Concinui band for TVP 2 channel.
1999
In 1999 he took part in a series of concerts, among others: Anniversary Concert of a well-known vocal sextet Affabre Concinui or a solo performance with symphony orchestra – The Rzeszów Philharmonic.
1999
In 1999 Wiesław Prządka also began the philharmonic stage of his career. Since that time he has performed on regular basis in many philharmonic halls all over Poland.
2000
The year 2000 was marked by participating in a TV show „El Tango” with music composed by Astor Piazzolla. Wiesław Prządka was invited by Waldemar Malicki, with whom he performed at the Festival of Stars in Międzyzdroje accompanied by Vadim Brodski.
2000-10
Between 2000 and 2010 he cooperated with the following bands: Trio Revirado, Tango Bridge and New Tango Bridge formed by a Cracovian double bass player Grzegorz Frankowski. As a soloist he participated in a few benefit concerts organized for Jacek Wójcicki „Around the World in 80 Minutes”, Zbigniew Wodecki, Hanna Banaszak, Krystyna Feldman by TVP 2 channel.
2004
Year 2004 – concerts with world-famous accordionist Richard Galliano together with Tomaszem Tomaszewskim – violin, Filipem Wojciechowski– piano and the Chamber Orchestra Sinfonia Baltica under Bohdana Jarmołowicz. The events were held in the concert halls of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, Poznan Philharmonic and Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert in Poznan has been recorded and released as an album TANGO FOR EVER featuring Richard Galliano.
2004
2004 – the New Musette Quartet’s second album „Besame Mucho” was released. Since 2004 Wiesław Prządka has been cooperating with an international group DISTANGO, performing all over Europe interpreting Astor Piazzolla’s works. During concerts he is accompanied by a couple of dancers BA-Tango comprised Blaź Bertoncelj and Andrej Podlogar from Slovenia, who won the Argentine Tango World Championship in 1998.
2006
In 2006 another album of NEW MUSETTE QUARTET “INSPIRATIONS” was released and featured original music.
2007-11
Between 2007 and 2011 – he performed in the play TANGO PIAZZOLLA directed by Józef Opalski at the Słowacki Theatre in Krakow which has been considered to be the best theatre-music performance in 2008.
2007-10
2007 – 2010 – a series of concerts with Waldemar Malicki in quintet, following the example of Astor Piazzolla’s Quintet Tango Nuevo. They performed in many cities: Cracow, Katowice, Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Sopot and many others.
2013
Since 2013 he has been working with TEATR NASZ owned by Jadwiga and Tadeusz Kutowie, performing in the following plays: „Fire in Notes” and „Edith Piaf and others…” with Kielce Dance Theatre.
2015
Jazz music started be more present in the works of this great musician since 2005. A new group TANGO JAZZ PROJECT was formed by Wiesław Prządek with Polish jazz stars appearing as guests. The music created by this band combines the worlds of tango and jazz.
2017
In 2017 he began a cooperation with the Chamber Orchestra AMADEUS by performing together a concert under Anna Duczmal –Mróz with the music composed by Astor Piazzolla. The event took place in the Adam Mickiewicz University Hall in Poznan on the February 12th 2017 and was repeated and recorded a few months later on the June 4th 2017 at the Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio in Warsaw.
2018
In July 2018 as an art director and a soloist at the same time he conducted a major, open-air concert “At the foot of the Tower” in Krynica Zdrój .
2019
In March 2019 an unforgettable concert was held in the Adam Mickiewicz University Hall in Poznan to celebrate the complete works of the artist – Wiesław Prządka’s NEW MUSETTE QARTET’S 25th ANNIVERSARY

PARTICIPATION IN FESTIVALS

  • Festival of Stars – Międzyzdroje,
  • Festival of Virtuosity and Musical Joke „Fun and Classic” – Nowy Sącz,
  • II Festival of Musical Humour „Deer Maestro” – Jelenia Góra,
  • Poznań Jazz Fair,
  • Malta Festival 2009,
  • Malta Festival 2010,
  • Goteborgs Jazz Festiwal 2010,
  • Summer Classic Jazz Festival – Tarnów,
  • 7th Festival of Organ and Chamber Music in Polkowice,
  • 8th Festival of Organ and Chamber Music in Polkowice,
  • 11th Festival of Organ and Chamber Music in Polkowice,
  • 4th  Summer Music Festival Musica Sacra Musica Profana in Długa Goślina,
  • Festival of Accordion Music in Koszalin,
  • Festival of Accordion Music in Kotlina,
  • Festival of Accordion Music in Mława,
  • II Festival of Guitar Music in Elbląg,
  • VI Lubuskie Guitar Meetings,
  • VI International Festival Polish Guitar Academy,
  • 50th Jan Kiepura International Festival in Krynica Zdrój,
  • Summer Festival MUSICAL TERRACES – Tarnów Mościce,
  • XV International Jazz Festival „Jazz Without..”
  • Concerts– Przemyśl, Lviv
  • 24th International Festival of Accordion Music in Przemyśl,
  • Dell Arte Festival in the Valley of Palaces and Gardens
  • III International Music Festival BelleVoci – Brzeg Dolny.

ART DIRECTOR

  • Open-air concert  „Wiesław Prządka and Friends” Wolsztyn 2010, with the participation of the following stars: Grażyna Brodzińska, Justyna Szafran, Zbigniew Wodecki, Patrycja Kotlarska, Jacek Kotlarski, New Musette Quartet, Hot Swing together with the Symphonic Orchestra under Bohdan Jarmołowicz.
  • Play „Maria De Buenos Aires” Tango Operita with Astor Piazzola’s music, performed for the first time at Malta Festival in Poznań
  • Open-air concert „At the foot of the Tower” Słotwiny Arena in Krynica Zdrój with the participation of the following stars:  Olga Bończyk, Rafał Bartmiński, Stanisław Sojka, Piotr Gąsowski, Jacek Kotlarski, Patrycja Kotlarska together with the Chamber Orchestra Art Silesian Collective under Mateusz Walach.
  • Gala concert – 25th anniversary of Wiesława Prządka`s NEW MUSETTE QARTET held at the Adam Mickiewicz University Hall in Poznań, with the participation of: vibraphonist Dominik Bukowski, harmonica player Kacper Smoliński, pianist Rafał Karasiewicz, vocalists: Olga Bończyk, Justyna Szafran, Krzysztof Kilijański and Jacek Kotlarski. NEW MUSETTE QUARTET comprised: Wiesław Prządka – accordion, bandoneon (founder and front man), Edmund Klaus – guitar, Zbigniew Wrombel – double bass, Andrzej Mazurek – drums and percussion instruments. Musicians were accompanied by the Poznań Music Theatre Orchestra under Bohdan Jarmołowicz. The concert was hosted by Jadwiga and Tadeusz Kutowie (Teatr Nasz in Michałowice).

AWARDS

  • 1st Prize at the Festival of Soloists and Accordion Bands in Międzyrzecz
  • 1st Prize at the International Chamber Ensemble Competition in Paris
  • Golden Laurel of the Scena Na Piętrze
  • HOMO ARTIFEX Medal
  • Wolsztyn Mayor’s Award for promoting and developing the city and municipality of Wolsztyn (Wiesław Prządka’s home town)
  • Silver medal „Labor omnia vincit” awarded by Hipolit Cegielski Society

COOPERATION WITH ORCHESTRAS AND PHILHARMONICS

  • Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio under Agnieszka Duczmal,
  • National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra,
  • Szczecin Baltic Neopolis Orchestra,
  • Chamber Orchestra Art Silesian Cellective,
  • Chamber Orchestra Hanseatica – Gdańsk,
  • Chamber Orchestra Leopoldinum – Wrocław,
  • Elbląg Chamber Orchestra,
  • Radom Chamber Orchestra,
  • Polish Philharmonic Sinfonia Baltica in Słupsk,
  • Symphony Orchestras of the Rzeszów Philharmonic, Baltic Philharmonic in Gdansk, Poznan Philharmonic, Cracow Philharmonic , Sudecka Philharmonic, Opole Philharmonic, Wrocław Philharmonic, Kalisz Philharmonic, Szczecin Philharmonic, Gorzów Philharmonic, Zielona Góra Philharmonic, Zabrze Philharmonic, Świętokrzyska Philharmonic, Białystok Philharmonic, Koszalin Philharmonic, Olsztyn Philharmonic,
  • Płock Symphonic Orchestra, Karola Namysłowski Symphonic Orchestra in Zamość,
  • Zbigniew Górny’s Orchestra,
  • Tomek Szymuś Orchestra,
  • Currently performs with: Olga Bończyk, Krzysztof Kiljański, Grażyna Brodzińska, Katarzyna Jamróz, Justyna Szafran, Patrycja i Jacek Kotlarski, Jacek Wójcicki, Hot Swing, New Musette Quartet, Tango Jazz Project and with many other great musicians.

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