COMPETITION FORMER
Karol Stryja (1915 - 1998)
He was born in 1915 in Cieszyn and graduated from the Silesian Music Conservatory and the State Music College in Katowice, where in 1951 he received a diploma in conducting under Grzegorz Fitelberg.
Immediately after graduating he commenced his conducting career. Moreover, Karol Stryja was a professor at the Academy of Music in Katowice, where he taught conducting.
In 1953 he was appointed to the post of the artistic manager and conductor of the Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. In 1982 he became the managing and the artistic director of the Silesian Philharmonic and was involved in its work till 1990.
Moreover, between 1968 and 1983 he held the post of the artistic director of the Symphony Orchestra in Odense (Denmark).
With the Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra from Odense, he gave numerous concerts across Europe. He also conducted other orchestras in many European countries as well as i n Argentina, Cuba, Canada, the United States, Israel and Japan.
Karol Stryja made numerous recordings and first renditions for multiple Polish and foreign radio stations and television channels. Additionally, he collaborated with many record companies and for MARCO POLO - Pacific from Hong Kong, recorded all symphonic and cantata-oratorio works written by Karol Szymanowski. He participated in multiple renowned international music festivals such as Warsaw Autumn, Wratislavia Cantans, Prague Spring and many others, where he oftentimes conducted first renditions of contemporary Polish compositions.
Karol Stryja was the initiator and the chief conductor of the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors, a contest taking place every four years, since 1979, in Katowice. In 1980 he also i nitiated Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition occurring every four years in Odense. He was a tutor of master-courses for young conductors in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Israel. Among his students are Napoleon Siess, Renard Czajkowski, Czesław Płaczek, Jan W. Hawel, Antoni Duda, Jerzy Kosek, Mirosław J. Błaszczyk, Sławomir Chrzanowski, Wojciech S±kól.
In recognition of outstanding achievements he received numerous prizes, awards and medals, such as Great Cross of the Order Polonia Restituta with Star (the highest Polish decoration), Golden Orpheus (Złoty Orfeusz): the Award of the Association of Polish Music Artists, the Award of the Association of Polish Composers, the Award of the Minister of Art and Culture, the Award of Katowice City or Bulgarian Cyril and Methody Medal (very rarely given to foreigners).
Karol Stryja died on 31 January 1998.
Source: Karol Stryja - Filharmonia ¦l±ska "Viva il Maestro"
Róża Miliczek, Leon Markiewicz
Górno¶l±ska Oficyna Wydawnicza SA, Katowice 1998