Cellist
Cecylia Barczyk
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Cecylia Barczyk: |
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Cecylia Barczyk: |
Cecylia Barczyk has achieved international recognition as a complete artist, successful teacher, and great humanitarian. She has given concerts, recitals, and master classes throughout Europe, Asia and both North and South America, including appearances with prominent orchestras in Baltimore, Berlin, Budapest, Prague, London, Sofia, Bucharest, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Boston, New York, Tel Aviv, Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, Tokyo, Seoul, Jakarta, Salvador, Warsaw, and Cracow.
Ms. Barczyk has frequently performed on radio and television in the USA and abroad. Her recordings, particularly of works by Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Carter, Crumb, and Rozycki, have been highly valued by experts and greatly appreciated by music lovers in many lands.
Over the years, Cecylia Barczyk has received numerous awards, honors and distinctions. She won top prizes in prestigious music competitions including the Danczowski Cello Competition (Poznan), the Pablo Cassals International Cello Competition (Budapest), the Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition (Moscow), the Aldo Parisot International Competition (Brazil), the J.S. Bach International Competition (Leipzig), the Cassado International Cello Competition (Florence), and the W.C. Byrd Young Artists Competition (Michigan).
For her musical and pedagogical achievements, she has received many awards and honors from professional, cultural, and government institutions in the U.S.A., Poland, Germany, Korea, Mexico, China, and Indonesia. The American String Teachers Association-Maryland Chapter awarded her the title Best Teacher of the Year (1995 and 2004). The Tianjin Conservatory of Music, China granted her the title Distinguished Honorary Professor. The International Friends of the Cello Association granted her the Award for Great Achievements in Cello Music, The International Music Consortium honored her with the Paderewki Medal for Achievements in Music), and the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Poland gave Cecylia Barczyk the Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Society and Culture.
Cecylia Barczyk began studying cello at a young age and soon drew attention of great teachers. Among her mentors were Marian Miendlar, Kazimierz Wilkomirski, Natalya Gutman and Aldo Parisot. Upon graduating with highest honors from the Silesian School of Music in Bytom and the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, she received a grant for postgraduate studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Moscow. In 1977, on the invitation of Professor Parisot, she came to the U.S.A. to study and work at the Yale School of Music. Since 1983, Cecylia Barczyk is Professor of Cello at The University of Maryland System - Towson University, continuing her solo career while educating young cellists from virtually every part of the globe. Several of her students have won national/international prizes, e.g. Rafal Kwiatkowski, winner of the Young Concert Artists International Competition and winner of the international cello competitions in Munich, Santiago, and Helinski. Since 1986, she has also been the Director of the International Cello Festival at Towson University. In 2003 she was appointed Artistic Director of the International Music Institute at Coolfont, USA.
Barczyk's recordings by Muza, ICRecords, Melodya, CRS, Dux, Relief, and Nexus have been enthusiastically received by the public and reviewers. She has also been the moving power of the World Cello Congresses in St.. Petersburg and Baltimore. Recently, Cecylia Barczyk toured Germany, Poland, Iceland, England, Switzerland, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Canada.
From Reviews:
"One could write a long story about Cecylia Barcky’s unrestrained technique, beautiful sound, musical sensitivity, and unlimited creativity…She is a virtuoso in every way!”
The Warsaw Life (Poland)
“The concert was a musical heaven. She deeply impressed the audience with her vituosity.”
China Music P.R. (China)
“She is the Grande Dame of classical music…”
Gwiazda Polarna (USA)
"Cecylia Barczyk is not only a magnificent cellist, but also a most eminent teacher.”
The Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
“Barczyk carried it all off with an ease and grace that would compare with a young Pablo Casals… She let her flair for showmanship come to the surface so that it came off with a spectacular series of fireworks that was little short of miraculous… She was bewitching that left one gaping in disbelief.”
Waterbury American (USA)
"Her cello sounded like an oratorical sppech full of dramatic and sublime declamation, like a chant filled with lofty poetry and deep philosophy.”
Sovietskaya Cultura (Russia)
"Thank you very much for the beautiful performance of my cello sonata at your Tully Hall recital…It contained cello playing of the highest quality…It was most highly communicative and effective…I am most grateful for your devotion and understanding of my work and your outstanding ability to put it across to the audience.”
Elliott Carter (USA)
"At the Japan Teleman Monthly concert she proved herself a brilliant virtuoso.”
Mainichi (Japan)
"Cecylia indeed is a top cellist and teacher. We all admire her achievements and humility.”
Aldo Parisot (USA)
“'Cecilca', as Rostropovich respectfully has called her, deeply impressed the audience from the first moment of touching her cello... Indeed the concert has demonstrated both the extraordinary mastery of the cello as well as the superintelligence and emotionally balanced communicative personality of Cecylia Barczyk... She is the world's First Lady of the Cello."
Simon Krosky, (Russia)
“Ms. Barczyk, ‘Lord and Master’ of her instrument, gave a most scintillating renedition of the Dvorak Concerto… She delivered her solo lines with expressive sensitivity, technical virtuosity, a passionate singing tonal coloring, and an obviously ardent and intelligent communication…”
The Manila Times (The Philippines)
"Barczyk is a lyrical rather than a bold cellist… She played with sympathy, intensity, touching sincerity, and great authority…”
The Washington Post (USA)
"Barczyk gave an outstanding interpretation of Chopin’s works at the Schauspielhaus concert.”
Berliner Morgenpost (Germany)
"It was Cecylia Barczyk’s love for her instrument that gave birth to the International Cello Festival in Maryland… Obviously her virtuosity is personal as well as musical.”
The Baltimore Sun (USA)
"Cecylia Barczyk is a superb musician. Her playing is both dynamic and intelligent.”
Die Union Dresden (Germany)
"Magnificent interpretation of Bach! Excellent technique, beautiful tone, and noble phrasing!”
Daniel Shafran (Russia)
Selected Discography:
Polish Cello Music (cassette), Muza, 1990.
Belle Epoque, Relief, 2002.
VCPF: The Best of Contemporary Cello Music, ICRecords, 2002.
Music for Peace, ICRecords, 2004.
Musical Favorites of All Times, ICRecords , 2004.
CDs available on www.amazon.com and www.cdbaby.com
