|
The Polish counter-tenor and music pedagogue, Piotr Łykowski, was a choir singer in the Poznańskie Słowiki (en. Poznań Nightingales) of Stefan Stuligrosz from 1970 to 1988. In 1989, he graduated with honours from the Academy of Music in Wrocław where he attended a vocal class of Professor Eugeniusz Sąsiadek. During the Third Competition of Vocal Artistry of Ada Sari in Nowy Sącz (1988), he received the first award and three honourable mentions (among others, for virtuosity). He perfected his skills with Paul Esswood, Richard Wistreich and Nelli Anfuso.
Piotr Łykowski specialises in the music of Baroque and Renaissance and in his repertoire, there are more than 100 pieces from these epochs. Łykowski cooperates with the Baltic Opera, the Warsaw Chamber Opera, Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera, Grand Theatres in Poznań and Łódź, Silesian Opera, Wrocław Opera and Teatr Rozrywki in Chorzów.
Piotr Łykowski participated in the Polish first performances of Monteverdi’s operas: L'Orfeo, The Return of Ulysses and The Coronation of Poppaea. He also took part in the Polish stage premiers of Paradise Lost by Penderecki, Ivona, Princess of Burgundia by Krauze, Akhenaten by Glass and Potop by Igor Stravinsky, as well as in the musical Sweeney Todd by Sondheim. The theatre roles in original spectacles of Jerzy Grzegorzowski, such as Złowiony, Sonata Epileptyczna and Jagogogo, with the music composed by Stanisław Radwan, were created especially for him.
Piotr Łykowski has made numerous radio, TV and CD recordings (such as Messiah by George Frideric Handel, Vocal Concerts by Mielczewski, Completorium by Gorczycki, Passion by J. Elsnera, Euridice by J. Peri, Stabat Mater by Bononcini and Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann). Łykowski took part in the first performance of Zbigniew Preisner’s music to the film entitled De Aegypto and the Requiem for My Friend. He has given concerts in nearly the whole Europe and in Canada.
For a dozen, or so, years Piotr Łykowski has been conducting the Interpretation Course of Oratorio and Cantata Music in Wrocław. He is the creator and artistic director of the International Singing Competition of A. Hiolski in Kudowa Zdrój. He conducts a solo singing class at the Academy of Music and State Music School (2nd level) in Wrocław. The artist is a juror in singing competitions. In 2004, he was awarded an honourable title of the professor of music by the President of the Republic of Poland. From 2000 to 2002, he was the Head of the Faculty of Vocal Arts, form 2002 to 2008, he held the office of the Dean and in 2008 he became the Deputy Dean of the Department of the Vocal Arts at the Academy of Music in Wrocław. Since 2012, he has held the function of the Head of the Faculty of Vocal Arts at this Academy. |
