Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society Names New Board Chair

Polish violinist Agata Szymczewska will step into the role

Bringing together scholars, artists, promoters of musical life, and music lovers, the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society was first established in 1885. Based in Poznań, Poland, the organization recently elected the Polish violinist Agata Szymczewska to be the new chair of the society's board.

The organization also hosts the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition. Incoming board chair Agata Szymczewska was named the winner of the 2006 edition, and she is also the recipient of four Fryderyk Awards (the most important music award in Poland), as well as the London Music Masters Award.

Seven other members were also elected to the board. They are Karolina Kaźmierczak, Monika Kusz, Alina Mądry, Bartłomiej Nizioł (Deputy Chair), Przemysław Olejnik, and Włodzimierz Walkowiak.

"As Chair, I am certain to get tremendous support from the Society’s Office, as well as from members of the new Board," Szymczewska said. "Together we will be able to build not only the most recognizable element of the Society’s operation, i.e. the International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition, but also other events, such as the international violin-making competition, festivals, national events (here, it is the upcoming Zdzisław Jahnke competition which precedes the Wieniawski event that is worth mentioning). Ideas abound."

"My dream is to expand the range of our activities into, say, education, into projects undertaken with the young generation in mind," she continued. "There are countless talents in Poland, not only in the violin category, but in other instruments, too. If we were to find a niche in our operation whereby we could support such young talents in the form of, say, a scholarship fund for the young, I would be happy."