Music Is Life - Jury

Elżbieta Hoffman

Joanna Sochacka

Jadwiga Zielińska – Padjas

Chairman

Elzbieta Hoffman studied piano at the Krakow Academy of Music with her husband, Professor Jan Hoffman. She has been teaching piano at the Academy since her graduation in 1983 and is currently a senior lecturer at the Academy. Since year 2000 she has been a member of the Academy’s Senate; she has also participated in the work of the Faculty of Instrumental Studies and has been supervising student Masters of Music dissertations.

Since 1998 she has taught piano at the B. Rutkowski School of Music in Krakow, at primary and secondary levels. In 2011 she became Deputy Head of the Primary School of Music in Trzciana. She was also a founder member of the Primary School of Music in Domoslawice where she was also a teacher between 2012 and 2015.

In 1994 the national Centre of Arts Education has entrusted her with the role of Consultant of piano teaching methodology within primary and secondary music education in Poland. This involves consultations, master classes and lectures.

Since 2004 she has been a member of the board within the Ministry of Education which awards professional qualifications to prospective music teachers.

In 2017, on her initiative, the National Association of Management and Teachers in Arts Education was created, with headquarters in Trzciana.

Elzbieta Hoffman is an active stage performer, both solo and with her students. She has premiered Ten Preludes for Piano by Roman Palester.

Her wide-ranging didactic activity has resulted in numerous successes of her students in national and international competitions. She has organised many local competitions in Trzciana, as well as International Ettore Pozzoli Piano Competition, Spring Piano Encounters and Jan Hoffman International Piano Competition in Krakow.

Publications:

Piano – my passion (Centre of Arts Education, 2004)
The role of piano playing in educating professional musicians (Krakow Academy of Music, 2016)
The integrative role of piano as a second instrument in the process of acquiring knowledge, skill and understanding of musical works (Krakow Academy of Music, 2017)
Teaching the art of decoding the musical text as an essential task of music teachers (Lodz Academy of Music, 2020)

Secretary

Joanna Sochacka is a Polish pianist, described by critics: „one of the most promising artists of the young generation” (Classical Mag), „amazingly powerful and hypnotic, a pianist who knows what she is about” (Lynn René Bayley), „a pianist who explores with intelligence and great pianistic culture, the very different sound worlds” (Remi Franck, Pizzicato Magazine), ” she is not only playing…she lives in music” (Sonja Koller, General Anzeiger).

She performed in several countries (England, France, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Italy, Moldova, USA, Israel) in many prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, National Forum of Music in Wrocław, Royal Albert Hall in London, Beethoven-Haus Concert Hall in Bonn, National Philharmonic in Chisinau, National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Cracow Philharmonic, Mozarteum in Salzburg, Ferenc Liszt Concert Hall in Raiding. Her debut CD with the piano music of Grażyna Bacewicz (DUX 1689), which was a world phonographic premiere, was acclaimed by the global press, radio, and television. Soon there will be available her CD with Frederic Chopin’s music, recorded for the Sheva Collection in the Naxos distribution.

From a very young age, she became a prizewinner of international competitions in England, USA, Estonia, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary incl. 17th Citta di Padova International Competition in Padua (I prize and all special prizes – 2019). She received numerous scholarships, including the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Young Poland (2020), Julian Cochran Foundation (2020), Dartington Scholarship Trust in England (2007, 2013), Sapere Auso (2009-2014), the National Fund for Children (2008-2012), the National Adam Mickiewicz Institute (2010), Rita Zimmermann Musik Stiftung Bern in Switzerland (2019), SEMP Mobility Program in Geneva, Switzerland (2019).

She is a jury member at many international competitions including International Liszt Piano Youth Competition in China and Utrecht, Elevato International Piano Competition in Salzburg and Bern, IOPC- Instrumental Performance Competition, Kreisler International Competition in Bonn, artistic director of the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Prize. Joanna provides masterclasses for Association Chinese Culture Music & Arts in China and Germany.

Jury member

A pianist and teacher, recognised as ‘’the Artist of Austria’’. Artistic director of the International Gloria Artis Festival, President of the International Music Association Gloria Artis in Vienna. Member of the board of the Polish Diaspora Forum in Austria. Mrs. Padjas graduated from the Academy of Music in Krakow studied with prof. Irina Sijalowa – Vogel.

For over 30 years Mrs. Padjas lives in Vienna where she pursues lively pedagogical activities, having her own music school in Vienna she teaches and promotes talented students and pianists, especially from Poland. Her students are top prize winners in international competitions in Austria, Italy, Russia, Poland. Having her International Music Association Gloria Artis Mrs. Padjas helped many pianists having their artistic careers begin, basically promoting their talents in Austria.

Mrs. Padjas serves as a jury member in many International Piano Competitions such as International Chopin Piano Competition in Vienna, International Piano Competition Chopin plus in Kraków, and International Piano Competition in Moscow, Trzciana, Kielce, and many others. In September 2009 She received the prize „Meritorious for Polish culture’’ for her musical and educational contributions.

Anna Szajer

Jury member