Janina Gressel (born Janina Garścia; March 12, 1920 – March 1, 2004) was a Polish composer, pianist, and teacher.[1][2]
Career
In 1945, she graduated from the Władysław Żeleński State Secondary School of Music (class of piano professor Olga Stolfowa), then studied at the
State Higher School of Music in Kraków (composition with
Stanislaw Wiechowicz and conducting with
Artur Malawski). From 1946 she worked as a piano teacher in Kraków schools, first at the Władysław Żeleński State Secondary School of Music (1946-1950), and later for many years at the S. Wiechowicza State Primary School of Music (1951–1995).[3]
Compositions
She composed roughly 700 pieces for children and teenagers, mainly for piano, as well as for cello, oboe, recorder, and percussion.[4] She also composed works for four cellos, two pianos, and a folk band. Her works include musical illustrations, polyrhythmic pieces, pieces for piano and percussion for one performer, and pieces for piano with electronic music.[5]
Selected songs
The Easiest Pieces for Children (1946)
Puzzle (1958)
Little Suite for two pianos (1961)
Zrytmizowany świat for piano and children's percussion instruments for one performer (1974)
She was the winner of the first degree departmental award (1973) and the award of the Prime Minister (1975). She was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the
Order of Polonia Restituta (1983), the Medal of the
Commission of National Education (1979), the Golden Badge of the City of Kraków (1972), and the
Order of the Smile (2002).[7]
Since 1993, the Janina Garścia International Contest has taken place in
Stalowa Wola.[9] She is also the patron of the Festival of Polish Contemporary Music for Pianists in Lubliniec.[10]