dr Jan Połowianiuk
Jan Połowianiuk is an assistant professor, a conductor, a choirmaster. The most important fields of his research include: Feliks Nowowiejski's works, Orthodox Church Music and the performance problems in vocal and instrumental works.
The field of Feliks Nowowiejski's works include research, organizational and art activities. In 2001 Jan Połowianiuk was the initiator of the creation of the International Festival of Choir Music named by Feliks Nowowiejski in Barczewo - the composer's home town. Within the framework of the festival he created the conception of the symposium on "Music of Warmia and Mazuria". From 2001 to 2008 Jan Połowianiuk was the art director of the Festival, the head of the symposiums and the scientific editor of the annual Research Bulletins. As the conductor of the Academic Choir "Bel Canto" of High School of Information Technology and Economics in Olsztyn, he recorded the album "Unified Poland" based on Feliks Nowowiejski's songs from Opus 38. He also took part in the first, after almost 100 years, Polish performance of the Oratorio, The Discovery of the Holy Cross. The Oratorio was performed by the Academic Choir "Bel Canto".
In the field of the Orthodox Church Music performance the achievements include Polish premiere of Tchaikovsky's Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom in the concert hall of The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok in 2005; a large number of Orthodox songs from different periods and of different styles - from the Byzantine Choral to contemporary works - recorded on 5 CDs by the foundation "The Orthodox Church Music" the organizer of the International Festival of the Orthodox Church Music in Hajnówka. The choir Bel Canto has taken part in this Festival five times and won 7 different awards.
The field of the performance problems in vocal and instrumental works include the performance of 19 works for choir and orchestra and 12 works for choir and instrumental group. Among those works can be listed Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven), Stabat Mater by Karol Szymanowski, operas Tosca by Giacomo Puccini and La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, a ballet-pantomime Harnasie written by Karol Szymanowski, musicals West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and My Fair Lady by Frederick Loewe and many others. The latest important success was the preparation of the choir for the world premiere of „Missa magna beatificationis" by Michał Lorenc performed with Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra in Katowice during the celebrations of John Paul II's beatification in Rome.
Jan Połowianiuk has conducted 400 concerts in Poland and abroad; has taken part in 26 national and international contests and festivals gaining 32 titles of Laureate and being nominated Best Conductor five times. In recognition of his artistic accomplishments he was awarded a Medal for Merit to Culture by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland. In December 2012 he became the winner of the Mayor's Award in the Field of Music Art named by Feliks Nowowiejski