Yoshiki Ieki AIRS OF EDINBURGH

 

The Japanese harpsichordist, Yoshiki Ieki, studied harpsichord with Gustav Leonhardt at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory, where she graduated wirh a soloist diploma in 1981.

Piotr Słopecki FUGUECRAFT

Piotr Słopecki is a classical pianist and organist. He graduated with honours the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk in grand piano class of professor Zbigniew Śliwiński. Currently employed in the Academy as an assistant, he expands his musical skills by participating in organ class of professor Bogusław Grabowski. In 1993, as a student, he was awarded the second prize at the International Piano Competition in Ragusa-Ibla in Italy (with no first prize laureate) as well as a special jury prize for the performance of "Goldberg Variations" by J.S. Bach. He recorded this composition on CD for DUX record label one year later. Another Bach's opus, "Kunst der Fuge", was incorporated by Piotr into his repertoire in 1996 in grand piano and later, in 2000, in organ version. In September 2000 he partook in the XXXIV Polish Piano Festival in Słupsk in an unconventional programme: two performers playing preludes of J.S. Bach and F. Chopin alternately. His recent performances met excellent reviews by professional critics in "Ruch Muzyczny" journal and were aired on Channel II of Polish Radio. In 2005 he recorded an album comprising the "Kunst der Fuge", which was released as previously by the DUX label.

Maria Magdalena Kaczor PORTRAITS

Maria Magdalena Kaczor was born in 1980 in Kościan, Poland. Her love of music awakened at the age of seven, and she received initial piano instruction, at first at the music school of her hometown, then later with Hanna Morawska-Bernacka at the music school in Poznań.

In 1995 she was accepted into the piano class of Aleksandra Utrecht at the Mieczysław Karłowicz Music High School in Poznań, where in 1999 she passed her examinations as instrumental soloist with a major in piano and in music education (with emphasis on piano). She additionally studied choral conducting, conducting (in the class of Przemysław Pałka, exams with honors), improvisation, chamber music, and organ.

In 1999 she began her musical studies at the National Academy of Music “Ignacy Paderewski” in Poznań, graduating in 2004 with a master’s degree in piano (in the class of Ewa Jakóbczyk-Kandulska) and in music education (with emphasis on piano). Her thesis, graded cum laude, dealt with the works of twentieth-century composers from Poznań.

As a result of her participation in an interpretation course for organ music in France, she received an invitation to continue her training in Paris. From 2005 she studied with Françoise Dornier at the Conservatoire Gabriel Fauré in Paris (5th Arrondissement), graduating with a diploma in organ from the Conservatoire National de Région in June 2008.
In September 2008 she was unanimously accepted into the organ class of François Espinasse and Liesbeth Schlumberger at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse in Lyon, where she graduated with a Prix d'Orgue cum laude in June 2012.