Szczepan Kończal


Szczepan Kończal is a Polish classical pianist who has won prizes in many international music competitions held in more than a dozen different countries.

Education

Kończal graduated with the highest distinction from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, where he studied under Prof. Józef Stompel’s guidance.
He has participated in masterclasses with such artists as Krystian Zimerman, Peter Donohoe, Dang Thai Son, Alexander Korsantia, Joan Havill, Bernard Ringeissen, John Perry, Andrzej Jasiński, Lee Kum-Sing, Victor Merzhanov.

Competitions

Kończal has been a prize-winner of several piano competitions: 16th Vianna da Motta International Music Competition, 11th UNISA International Piano Competition, 4th Tbilisi International Piano Competition, 2nd International Piano Competition Spazio Teatro, 1st Luciano Luciani International Piano Competition, 3rd Ella Philipp International Piano Competition, 3rd Campillos International Piano Competition, 9th Concours Grieg – International Competition for Pianists. Finalist of the Tallinn International Piano Competition, triple laureate of the National Frederick Chopin Piano Competitions in Warsaw in 2003, 2004 and 2005, semi finalist of the 15th International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
Earlier, he was awarded 1st prizes in seven international and national piano competitions for youth, as well as 2nd prize in the 7th Takasaki International Art and Music Competition.

Festivals

Kończal participated in the 60th International Chopin Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój, the 1st Warsaw Chopin Festival, the 2nd Rubinstein Piano Festival in Łódź, the 39th Festival of Polish Piano Art in Słupsk, the 13th Festival New Year Music Celebrations in Tbilisi, the 14th Kuressaare Kammermuusika Päevad, Festival Premiar Excelência in Oeiras, Festival La Grande Musica a Maso Spilzi in Folgaria and in concert seasons: at the Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Serate Musicali and Rassegna Musicali – both in Milan.

Scholarships

Kończal has received scholarships from: the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage on six occasions, the Prime Minister of Poland, the Hugo Kołłątaj Foundation, the International Frederick Chopin Foundation. During 1998-2004 he was supported by the Polish Children's Fund. In 2010 he became a laureate of the national program Młoda Polska.

Performances

Kończal has performed with such orchestras as: Sinfonia Varsovia, Silesian Philharmonic, Toruń Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Gulbenkian, Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra, Banatul Philharmonic of Timișoara, Chamber Orchestra of South Africa and such conductors as: Antoni Wit, Tadeusz Strugała, Michał Klauza, Szymon Bywalec, Jerzy Swoboda, Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski, Andres Mustonen, Mitsuyoshi Oikawa, Jüri Alperten, Heiko Mathias Förster, Per Sigmund Thorp, Péter Csaba, Gheorghe Costin, Arjan Tien.
He has appeared at many venues in Poland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, England, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Japan and Canada.
In 2010 he toured Turkey and England.