Jerzy Kaszycki (10 VII 1926 - 11 I 2020) – pianist, composer, sound and vision director, teacher
Jerzy Kaszycki was born in Krakow on July 10, 1926. In the years 1946–55 he studied at the State Higher School of Music in Krakow (now the Academy of Music in Krakow) in the piano class of Jan Hoffman and Sergiusz Nadgryzowski (diploma in 1954) and composition under Stanisław Wiechowicz (diploma in 1955).
In 1952 he started working at the Polish Radio in Krakow as a producer of the recordings of the Polish Radio Orchestra, a year later he became a music editor until 1961. In 1961 he organized and until 1982 managed the editorial board of the music programs of the Krakow Television. In the years 1982–90 he was a documentary editor at Krakow Television. In the years 1959–60 he was the musical director of the Groteska Theater in Krakow. In the years 1970-74 he lectured Instrumentation at the State Higher School of Music in Krakow (now the Academy of Music in Krakow).
As Maciej Negrey writes in the biographical part of the PWM Music Encyclopedia: "In the 1960s and '70s he was one of the most popular authors of theater music [he wrote music for about 75 performances]. He collaborated in this area mainly with Krakow stages and outstanding directors, such as Mieczysław Kotlarczyk, Andrzej Wajda, Krystyna Skuszanka, and Jerzy Krasowski. He also gained considerable popularity as a composer of stage songs [approx. 90], performed, among others by Jerzy Połomski, Sława Przybylska, Joanna Rawik, Anna German, and Andrzej Zaucha. Song Jeśli chcesz proszę wstąp [If you want, please enter – text by Tadeusz Śliwiak 1963] performed by Hanna Konieczna won the first prize at the Polish Song Festival in Opole in 1963. "
In the years 1972-94 Jerzy Kaszycki was a member of the Board of the Krakow Branch of the Polish Composers' Union, and from 2015 an honorary member of the Sfogato Music and Arts Society in Krakow. He received the following awards: Silver and Gold Cross of Merit, "Meritorious Culture Activist" Badge, Golden Badge of the City of Krakow, Honorary Badge of Polish Radio and Television.
Jerzy Kaszycki died on January 11, 2020 in Krakow at the age of 93.
The memorial service will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 13.40 in the chapel at the Batowicki Cemetery at Reduta Street, after which the deceased will be taken to his final resting place.
Obituary (Gazeta Wyborcza, 17 I 2020)
