Pianist Regina Smendzianka dies

Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe Edward Hartwig

She started taking regular piano lessons at the age of six and at twelve became a student of Henryk Sztompka. She was a prizewinner of the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1949 and soon embarked on a worldwide career, with performances in over 50 countries of Europe, the two Americas and the Middle and Far East.

Her vast repertoire spanned music from the Baroque to the present but she achieved a special reputation as a Chopin interpreter. She is the author of a study on the interpretation of Chopin’s music.

She also performed works by other Polish composers (Maria Szymanowska, Michał Ogiński, Karol Szymanowski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Artur Malawski, Roman Palester, Grażyna Bacewicz, Tadeusz Baird, Witold Lutosławski). She has made recordings for such prestigious labels as Deutsche Grammophon, RCA and Koch.

Regina Smendzianka has also developed a fine teaching career and sat on the juries of many piano competitions, including the Chopin Competition in Warsaw ((1970, 1980, 1995, 2000).

She held an honorary doctor’s degree from the Music Academy in Warsaw. (mk)