Patron

Andrzej Panufnik was born in Warsaw on 24 September 1914.

After completing his theory and composition studies at the Warsaw Conservatory (1932-36), he continued music education with Felix Weingartner (conducting, 1937-38) at the Vienna Academy of Music; he subsequently studied in Paris and London (1938-39).

He spent the wartime years in Warsaw, appearing as pianist at legal charities as well as illegally organized concerts. He formed a piano duo with his friend, composer Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994); Only Lutosławski's Paganini Variations remain from this body of music. After the war Panufnik served as the conductor of the Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra ( 1945-46) and director of the Warsaw Philharmonic (1946-47) .

Widely regarded as the most important Polish conductor/composer of the time, Panufnik was invited as a guest-conductor to Germany (Berliner Philharmoniker), France, and England (London Philharmonic Orchestra). In 1950 he was appointed vice-president of the UNESCO International Music Council.

In 1953 he was head of the official Polish cultural delegation to China, where he was personally received by President Mao