Zygmunt Stojowski

Zygmunt Stojowski was a Polish composer, pianist, teacher, and music critic who lived and worked in Poland, France, and the United States. He began his musical education with his mother and later studied with Władysław Żeleński in Kraków. He made his debut as a concert pianist at the age of 17, playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3. In 1887, he moved to Paris and studied piano with Louis Diémer and composition with Léo Delibes at the Paris Conservatoire, where he won several prizes. He also studied philosophy, literature, and languages at the Sorbonne. He was influenced by the Polish violinist-composer Wladyslaw Gorski and pianist-composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who became his lifelong friend. He performed as a soloist and chamber musician in many European countries, and composed works for piano, violin, cello, orchestra, and voice. His music was praised for its lyricism, elegance, and harmonic richness. He also wrote articles and reviews for various music journals. In 1905, he moved to New York, where he was invited by Frank Damrosch to head the piano department at the Institute of Musical Art, which later became part of the Juilliard School. He was the first Polish composer to have an entire concert devoted to his music by the New York Philharmonic in 1915. He taught many prominent pianists, such as Mischa Levitzki, Alfred Newman, Antonia Brico, Arthur Loesser, and Oscar Levant. He was also active in promoting Polish culture and music in the United States, and supported the cause of Polish independence. He died in New York in 1946, at the age of 76.