Janusz Olejniczak

A Polish pianist renowned for his interpretations of Chopin's works, Janusz Olejniczak was born in Wrocław on October 2, 1952. Trained on the instrument from the age of six, he grew up and studied in Warsaw with Luiza Walewska, Ryszard Bakst and Zbigniew Drzewiecki, before winning sixth prize at the 8th International Chopin Competition in 1970 and fourth prize at the Alfredo Casella Competition in Naples in 1972. After further training in Paris with Constantine Schamelig and Chopin master Witold Małcużyński, he returned to Poland to complete his studies at the High School of Music with Barbara Hesse-Bukowska, and continued to take lessons in Warsaw with Victor Merzhanov and in Essen with Paul Badura-Skoda. While he tackled the works of composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Prokofiev, it was in the Chopin repertoire that he distinguished himself with his critically acclaimed recordings on period instruments. In 1991, he himself played the role of the composer in Andrzej Żuławski's film The Blue Note, and in 2002, he played the scores mimed by actor Adrien Brody in Roman Polanski's The Pianist. In addition to his concert activity, Janusz Olejniczak teaches at the Krakow Academy of Music and gives master classes all over the world. He is also a jury member at international piano competitions, including the Chopin Competition. Having recorded since the late 1970s for the Polskie Nagrania, Selene, Pony Canyon, Opus 111 and Accord labels, he is now associated with the label of the Institut Frédéric Chopin (NIFC), for a series of new recordings, including the composer's two piano concertos with Frans Brüggen and the Orchestre du XVIIIe Siècle in 2015. On October 20, 2024, Janusz Olejniczak died at the age of 72.