conductor. He graduated in percussion from the State Higher School of Music in Wrocław in1970 and then took up conducting studies with Tadeusz Strugała (diploma in 1975). Still as a student, in 1966 he began to work as a percussionist in the Wrocław Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. In 1974-76 he was the music director of the Wrocław Pantomime Theatre. In 1976 he returned to the Wrocław Philharmonic as a soloist and assistant conductor, and later in 1980-86 – as a second conductor. He held the post of an artistic director of the Kalisz Philharmonic in 1993-98. He conducted numerous concerts in Poland and abroad, including performances at major music festivals (such as the Warsaw Autumn, Wratislavia Cantans, International Chopin Piano Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój, Festival of Polish Contemporary Music, and others).
Simultaneously he worked as a teacher. From 1971 he taught percussion at the Secondary Music School in Wałbrzych, while for nearly 20 years he gave classes of percussion and conducting at the Secondary Comprehensive Music School in Wrocław, where he also conducted the school’s symphony and chamber orchestras (1975-93). In 1990 he became a faculty member at the Academy of Music in Wrocław (Department of Composition, Conducting, Music Theory and Music Theory), where he taught conducting-related subjects (conducting, score reading, introduction to conducting) as well as led a specialised conducting class. In 1991-2004 he also directed the Academy’s student symphony orchestra. In 1997-2011 he lectured at the Teacher and Artistic Training Institute in Kalisz - branch of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (from 1999 – as an associate professor). At both these schools Mieczysław Gawroński supervised several dozen MA theses (including over 10 graduates in conducting of the Academy of Music). In 2007 he also supervised a PhD dissertation in conducting. Currently he is the dean of the Department of Composition, Conducting, Music Theory and Music Theory at the Academy of Music in Wrocław. In 2010, the Polish President granted him the state title of Professor of Musical Arts.
In recognition of his achievements in the fields of teaching, music and culture, Mieczysław Gawroński received numerous awards, including the Minister of Education Award, Wrocław Board of Education Award, Award of the Vice-Chancellor of the Academy of Music in Wrocław, Silver Cross of Merit, Commission of National Education Medal, Badge of Merit to Polish Culture, and others.
updated: October 2015 (wa)
