The history of the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań goes back to the year 1920 - then The State Academy and School of Music was founded and later renamed in 1922 to The State Music Conservatory. In 1947 it started to be called the State Higher School of Music. Since 1981 it has had the name the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań. Since the very beginning of its existence the Academy has prided itself on its teachers, outstanding people of the Polish musical culture. Since September 2012 the Academy has been headed by Rector Professor Halina Lorkowska.
The Academy's students can pursue degrees at the following 5 faculties:
Faculty of Composition, Conducting, Theory of Music and Eurhythmics,
Faculty of Instruments,
Faculty of Vocal Performance and Acting,
Faculty of Choir Conducting, Music Education and Church Music,
Faculty of Bowed Instruments, Harp, Guitar and Violin-Making.
We are one of nine music academies in Poland, and the only one which offers a degree in violin-making.
Our greatest pride and joy are our students. They are here because these young artists are convinced that it is the right place to develop their talents and that studying here is an important stage of their education, which will bear fruit in their future artistic career.
The other, equally important source of our pride is Aula Nova - the concert hall commissioned for use in October 2006, which added a new dimension to the Academy's basic didactic operations - that of a cultural institution. Thanks to its diverse repertoire Aula Nova has become one of the leading artistic centers of Poznań.
In the last 5 years the Academy's concert halls, i.e. Aula Nova, the Stefan Stuligrosz Hall, the Chamber Hall, the President Hall and the Blue Hall, have hosted around 700 performances by the students, teachers, graduates, chamber bands, choirs, as well as the Poznań Music Academy Symphony Orchestra and our Big Band, presenting a diverse repertoire - from early music to the compositions from the 21st century. For many years now our concert cycles have met with great interest. All the Academy's enterprises are available free of charge.
We actively cooperate with over 100 schools from abroad (the Erasmus programme).
The Academy collaborates with key cultural institutions of Poznań, e.g. the Tadeusz Szeligowski Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra, the Henryk Wieniawski Music Society, the Stanisław Moniuszko Grand Theatre, the Music Theatre, the Polski Theatre, the "Zamek" Culture Centre and the Estrada Poznańska; it also implements projects endorsed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Marshal's Office of the Wielkopolska Region and the Poznań City Hall. We are eager to participate in all projects aimed at popularizing music and promoting Poland and the Wielkopolska region not only in Europe but also all over the world.
The musical heart of the city beat in the constant rhythm. On the stages and in the classrooms of the Academy the sounds of trumpets, flutes, lutes, pianos, orchestras, organs, soloists and choirs can be heard. We are playing and singing unceasingly, to the glory of our "Almae Matris", and with what we do, we would like to prove that the Academy serves not only our students, but also our city, our country and the common Europe.