The 2024 edition of the ‘PolMusicA’ competition in Australia was notable for two significant reasons. Firstly, it marked the 20th anniversary of the Ewa Malewicz Music Competition, a tradition that ‘PolMusicA’ continues to uphold. Secondly, the final event was held at the iconic Sydney Opera House, where the combination of exquisite Polish music and the stunning views from Utzon Hall enhanced the promotion of Polish culture in Australia.
The jury for this milestone edition was composed of esteemed members, including Prof. Paweł Zawadzki from Wrocław, Poland, who served as the chairman of the jury in 2022; Stanisław Deja from Gdańsk, Poland, who chaired the jury in 2019; and Maciej Pawela from Sydney, Australia, who was the chairman of the Ewa Malewicz Music Competition in 2015. Additional jurors included Adam Piechociński and Zdzisław Kowalik, both from Australia. For the first audio-video stage, previous jurors from earlier editions of PolMusicA were also invited, including Aleksandra Jeleńska from Zakopane, Poland; Mikołaj Kuńczyk from Warsaw, Poland; and Michał Buczkowski from The Hague, Netherlands.
The 'PolMusicA’ competition 2024 featured 37 participants aged 11-17, including notable musicians of Polish heritage such as the Rego brothers from Brisbane – Ignacy John on violin and Gabriel on cello – and violinist Stefan Kowalik from Sydney. The competition began with a preliminaries stage on 17 September, where entries were evaluated through audio-visual recordings. From this stage, 30 participants, primarily from Victoria and New South Wales, advanced to the semi-finals.
The semi-finals were held on 22 September at the Polish Consulate General in Sydney and on 24 September at the Polish Marian Shrine in Essendon, Melbourne.
Ultimately, 20 participants were selected for the final competition, which took place on 5 October in the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera House. The performances included contributions from the Children’s Festival, hosted by Marta Nowicka, while the concert and award ceremony were led by actress Marta Kieć-Gubała.
The event commenced with the Children’s Festival, showcasing performances by children aged 11 and under, who presented works by notable composers such as Grażyna Bacewicz, Henryk Wieniawski, Antoni Stolpe, Stanisław Moniuszko, Aleksander Tansman, and Marceli Popławski.
Following this, the second segment featured performances by the finalists of the 'PolMusicA’ 2024 competition, with piano accompaniment provided by Konrad Olszewski, Grzegorz Kinda, Alex Yau, and Haoqing Leo Liu, the latter being the winner of 'PolMusicA’ 2022.
The final part of the event was a classical music concert titled ‘The Spirit of Poland’, which included performances by pianists Professor Paweł Zawadzki, Stanisław Deja, Konrad Olszewski, Oliwia Urbaniak, and Haoqing Leo liu along with soprano Marta Nowicka. Before the performances began, brief speeches were delivered by Consul Mariusz Stus and Vice President of the Polish Community Council, Małgorzata Kwiatkowska.
The competition concluded with the announcement of winners across three age groups.
In Group A (up to 11 years old), the winners in the piano category were:
1. Edward Cui (VIC) – First Place
2. Ethan Weihing Liu (VIC) – Second Place
3. Tyler Zhou (VIC) – Third Place
In the violin category for the same age group:
1. Alexander Feng (VIC) – First Place
2. Hank Zhao (VIC) – Second Place
(Note: Third place was not awarded.)
In Group B (ages 12-14), the winners were:
1. Thea Lukito (VIC) – First Place in piano
2. Charlie Huang (VIC) – Second Place in violin
(Note: Third place was not awarded.)
In Group C (ages 15-17), the winners were:
1. Alicia Kim (NSW) – First Place in cello
2. Clara Moloney (NSW) – Second Place in cello
3. Stefan Kowalik (NSW) – Third Place in violin.
Additionally, a special mention was given to Kingsley Hsu (VIC) in the piano category from Group B.
The event was attended by notable guests, including Irena Juszczyk, acting Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Sydney, Consul Mariusz Stus, Małgorzata Kwiatkowska, Vice President of the Polish Community Council of Australia, and Benjamin James, President of the Australian-Polish Association ‘Friends of Chopin’.
The Competition of Polish Music in Australia, known as 'PolMusicA’, was conducted under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. It was organised by the Society of Polish Culture in Victoria, with support from the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Sydney, as well as the Polish Community Council of Australia and the Polish Community Council of Victoria.
This year’s competition continued the tradition of being complemented by various cultural events aimed at promoting Polish cultural heritage and showcasing talented young musicians within the multi-ethnic context of Australia. One notable event was the classical music concert titled ‘Music Without Borders’, which took place on 28 September in Dandenong. This concert featured performances by past winners of the 'PolMusicA’ competition, including violinist Louise Turnbull and pianist Haoqing Leo Liu, alongside Prof Paweł Zawadzki and Franciszek Zawadzki, who performed works by both Polish and Australian composers.
Additionally, Polish Music Day, an annual celebration of the 'PolMusicA’ competition, was held on 29 September at the Polish Marian Shrine in Essendon, Melbourne. The event showcased performances by Franciszek Zawadzki, Haoqing Leo Liu, Adam Piechociński, and Professor Paweł Zawadzki, featuring compositions from renowned Polish composers such as Fryderyk Chopin, Antoni Stolpe, Zygmunt Noskowski, and Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński.
Following the final performances at the Sydney Opera House a series of concerts took place with first concert on 6 October at the Polish Club in Ashfield, Sydney, featuring performers such as Hank Zhao and Franciszek Zawadzki.
The second concert occurred on 13 October at The Rex Theatre in Charlton, showcasing artists like Stanislaw Deja, Olivia Kowalik, and Thea Lukito, with a program that included works by notable composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki and Fryderyk Chopin. The final event in this concert series will be held on 10 November at the 20th annual Polish Festival at Federation Square in Melbourne, where the winners will perform. This festival is known for attracting large audiences, including both locals and tourists.
Visit the website and Facebook fanpage of the Polish Festival.
Polska muzyka w Operze Sydnejskiej | „PolMusicA” 2024 – read this article in Polish
History of the competition
Ewa Leokadia Malewicz, born Krupa in 1922, was a notable Polish soprano who graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Warsaw. After relocating to Australia from Germany in 1950, she settled in Melbourne, where she became an influential figure in the local arts scene. During World War II, she used her singing talent to support the Warsaw Uprising by performing on the ‘Błyskawica’ radio station, as well as for the Allies and Polish soldiers in Germany.
In Australia, Malewicz contributed to Australian radio and performed in popular Melbourne cabarets such as ‘Merry Kookaburra’ and ‘Persian Eye,’ earning the affectionate title of ‘the nightingale of St Kilda’. Upon her passing in 1993, she bequeathed part of her estate to the ‘Help Poland Live’ campaign, which had already concluded. This led to correspondence between her law firm and the Polish Community Council of Australia, resulting in funds being allocated to support the Council’s activities.
In recognition of her contributions, the Council established the Ewa Leokadia Malewicz Foundation to promote cultural initiatives, including musical and literary projects. This establishment was formally announced in the ‘Tygodnik Polski’ in 2000, highlighting her lasting impact on the Polish community in Australia.
The Ewa Malewicz Music Competition was established in 2003 by the Polish Community Council of Australia to support musically talented young individuals of Polish and Australian descent. Influenced by Jerzy Grot-Kwaśniewski’s suggestion to focus on music, the competition ran from 2004 to 2015, coordinated by Marianna Łacek and supported by notable figures such as Wanda Wiłkomirska. The competition featured a jury of esteemed musicians and was held at the Polish Club in Ashfield, Sydney, before moving to the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Sydney in 2015. Each edition saw approximately 20 participants, who were required to perform works by various composers, including at least one Polish piece, with a specific emphasis on Fryderyk Chopin’s works during the Chopin Year in 2010.
Below is a detailed overview of the winners of a music competition from 2006 to 2023, including the transition of the event to the Polish Music Competition in Australia, known as 'PolMusicA’. Key points include:
Winners by Year:
– 2006: Konrad Olszewski (piano)
– 2008:
Adam T. Dobrzycki (piano, 1st place in the younger group)
Eryk Piotrowski (piano, 1st place in the older group)
Daniela Leska, previous Jędrzejczak (soprano, 2nd place)
– 2012: Olivia Urbaniak (piano, 1st place in the middle group)
– 2015:
Olivia Kowalik (violin/piano, 1st place in the middle group ex aequo)
Amelia Gnatek (singing/piano, 1st place in the middle group ex aequo)
– 2019: Louise Turnbull (violin)
– 2021: Dillon Chan (piano)
– 2022: Haoqing Leo Liu (piano)
– 2023: Irene Hu (violin)
Competition changes:
– The competition was not held in 2018 as planned.
– In 2019, the organization was transferred to the Society of Polish Culture in Victoria, and the event was renamed 'PolMusicA’.
– New rules were introduced, allowing Australian youth under 17 to participate and changing the venue to more prominent locations in Melbourne.
– Participants are required to perform music written by Polish composers, focusing on lesser-known works.
Impact: The changes have led to increased interest in the competition, with 35 to 50 participants in various editions from 2019 to 2024. The competition was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since 2019 'PolMusicA’ competition been structured into three stages: auditions of audiovisual recordings, semi-finals in Melbourne and Sydney, and finals. The jury for the competition has seen changes over the years, with Stanisław Deja initially chairing it and Professor Paweł Zawadzki taking over in 2022. The jury includes notable musicians such as Adam Piechociński and Michał Buczkowski, among others.
The members of the jury of each edition of the competition are listed on the website https://www.polmusica.com.au/jury.
Visit the Facebook fanpage and YouTube channel of the Polish Music Competition in Australia 'PolMusicA’.
Additionally, the competition features music workshops and masterclasses, enhancing the participants’ experience. It has been under the patronage of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage since 2022. The text also mentions Ewa Malewicz, whose grave in Melbourne was preserved through community efforts, highlighting the cultural significance of the competition and its connection to the Polish community in Australia.
Authors of the original Polish language version of the article: Justyna Tarnowska, Bogumiła Żongołłowicz, Grzegorz Machnacki, Małgorzata Kwiatkowska
Authors of the English language version of the article: Lucyna Dymorz-Bąk, Adam Piechociński
Title photo: Winners of the Polish Music Competition in Australia 'PolMusicA’ 2024 with Prof Paweł Zawadzki, chairman of the jury, Irena Juszczyk, Consul of the Republic of Poland in Sydyney and Małgorzata Kwiatkowska, Vice-President of the RNPA. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, 5th October 2024.
Photos attached to the article, unless otherwise stated, come from the archives of the Polish Culture Society in Victoria.