Wacław Golonka

fot. Wojciech Mateusiak

Prof. dr hab. Wacław Golonka (Phd in Music) 

graduated from the Academy of Music in Krakow and the Hochschle für Musik in Vienna under the guidance of Hans Haselböck. He received graduation diplomas with special distinction. He is a laureate of organ competitions in: Prague (II prize), Nuremberg (III prize) and Pretoria, where apart from I prize he was distinguished by:
Prize for the best interpretation of trio sonata by J.S. Bach,
Prize for the best performance in the final round,
Prize for the best performance of a concert with the orchestra (F.A. Guilmant – Symphony D minor, op. 42)

Golonka’s concert activity led him to Asia, South Africa, Namibia, U.S.A., and many European countries. He performed in cathedrals in Vienna, Utrecht, Chartres, Lausanne, Kaliningrad. Furthermore, he has also given concerts in many famous concert halls, such as: Concert Hall of National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw, Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra, Nottingham Albert Hall, Meistersingerhalle in Nuremberg, Cleveland Museum of Art, ORF Radio in Vienna, Slovak Radio in Bratislava, and many times in the B. Smetana Concert Hall in Prague. In 1997 he performed in a series of concerts in U.S.A., and in 2000, 2004, 2009, he toured South Africa playing concerts in most important music centres like: UNISA in Pretoria, University Stellenbosch, Bloomfontein, Durban and in Cape Town, performing there in City Hall with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Wacław Golonka also appeared as a soloist plying with Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in Pretoria, Bydgoszcz Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague FOK, Concerto Avenna, Bielsko-Biała Chamber Orchestra, Cappela Cracoviensis, and the Silesia Chamber Orchestra. He is regularly invited to festivals presenting baroque and romantic organs, playing which he has realised many recordings for radio and television. His recording made for TV Polonia illustrated the film cycle „Madonny Polskie” (“Polish Madonnas”), and in 1998 TV Katowice produced a documentary about his activities “Muzyka dźwięku i przestrzeni (“Music of sound and space”). His recordings by Czech Radio are presented in European net EBU. Czech Radio have also realised CD recordings of Wacław’s interpretations. Moreover, he has also recorded for Dutch Radio Hilversum, German Bayerischer Rundfunk, Austrian ORF, Slovak and Vatican Radio. As a chamber music performer, Golonka cooperates with many artists, presenting Polish music of all epochs and styles.

Wacław Golonka is the founder of the Musica Antiqua Polonia ensemble who are mostly engaged with presenting early Polish literature of XVII and XVIII century. With this ensemble he has performed in many concerts in Poland and Czechia, where also they recorded for Czech Radio. In 2007, he played a series of concerts during the Festival “Czeskie Sny” (“Czech Dreams”) taking place in 19 European countries. Wacław has also performed many times at the Concentus Moraviae Festival.
His broad spectrum of interest is focused on organising work in Bielsko-Biała, his home town. In cooperation with the Bielsko-Biała Culture Centre he co-organises various artistic events.
He is also involved in pedagogical work in the Academy of Music in Krakow, where he is a senior lecturer, and where he leads his own organ course. He is founder and artistic director of the competition for organ and chamber music Artem cameralem promovere in Mielec.

His most important achievements of recent years include: Polish organ music lectures, historical overview and organ building technology in Poland. Prof. Golonka lectured in universities and academies of music: in Windhoek (Namibia), Pretoria, Potchefstroom and Stellenbosch (South Africa), Music Conservatory in Kromieriz (Czech) and Music Academies (Warsaw, Gdańsk, Poznań, Prague, Leipzig). He regularly adds pieces by Polish composers to his concert repertoire. He cooperated with Polish Embassy in Pretoria and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, preparing his third tour in South Africa.
He is the founder of the organ competition in Chorzów and the organ-chamber competition in Mielec. He cooperates in organising music festivals in different places around Poland.

Among his artistic achievements are compositions, which include the last two works: Poemat śląski – Korfanty and Hommage à Lem.

In 2020, he was recognised with the Award of the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship in the field of culture.