Michal Drewnowski / “Chopin by Candlelight”

Born in 1977 into a lineage of accomplished musicians in Warsaw, Michal Drewnowski‘s musical journey began at the age of eight in Italy, where he resided with his family. The young prodigy honed his piano skills under the expert guidance of his father, Marek Drewnowski. In 1991, Michal commenced formal musical education at the esteemed Karol Szymanowski Music School in Warsaw, studying under the tutelage of Bronislawa Kawalla and Ewa Poblocka. He graduated with the highest honors from the University of Music in Lodz, further refining his craft at the Conservatory of Music in Geneva, guided by eminent professors Dominique Merlet and Pascal Devoyon. In 2006, he achieved his Master’s Degree with distinction. Drewnowski’s musical odyssey has been enriched by immersion in piano masterclasses led by luminaries like Naum Shtarkman, Milosz Magin, Fou T’Song, Rudolf Kehrer, and Eugen Indjic. In 2014, he earned his doctorate, presenting a thesis on the previously unknown Polish composer, Tadeusz Majerski, whose piano compositions he uncovered and recorded for the English label Toccata Classics.

The award-winning pianist has garnered numerous accolades at prestigious piano competitions:

• Special Prize at the Tansman International Individual Musical Competition in Lodz (1996)

• 1st Prize at the XIII Bacewicz Chamber Music Competition in Lodz (1998)

• 1st Prize at the XXXII Polish Pianists Festival in Slupsk (1998)

• 2nd Prize at the Mascia Masin International Piano Competition in San Gemini, Italy (2000)

• 2nd Prize at the A.GI.MUS. Piano Competition in Rome (2005)

Michal Drewnowski has graced audiences worldwide with his solo and chamber performances, captivating listeners in Poland, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Bulgaria, England, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and the USA. He has shared the stage with distinguished orchestras including the Polish Radio Orchestra, Chopin Philharmonic Orchestra, Shumen Sinfonietta, Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra, collaborating with esteemed conductors such as Massimiliano Caldi, Emil Tabakov, Emilian Madey, Tadeusz Kozlowski, Monika Wolińska, Stanislav Oushev, and Ruben Silva, among others.

Drewnowski’s enthralling performances have graced renowned festivals worldwide, including the Passage Warsaw, Salon of the Arts in Sofia, Festival Musicale di Norcia (Italy), Varna Summer Festival (Bulgaria), Cracow Music Spring, Warsaw Music Encounters, Chopin Festival in Geneva, Keminklavier in Kemi (Finland), Bolzano Piano Festival (Italy), and Chopin au Jardin in Paris. His music has resonated in prestigious venues like Bulgaria Hall in Sofia, Gianicolo in Rome, Steinway Kammersal in Copenhagen, Wigmore Hall in London, Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona, and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Beyond his musical prowess, Michal Drewnowski has demonstrated his acting acumen. From 1999 to 2002, he delighted audiences as an actor-pianist in the New Theatre in Warsaw, portraying Frederic Chopin in Adam Hanuszkiewicz’s ‘Chopin, his life, his love, his music…’ In 2018, at the Opera Lorraine in Nancy, France, he portrayed the role of I.J. Paderewski in Jessica Dalle’s “Paderewski, the pianist who became Prime Minister.”

Drewnowski’s discography spans several albums released by acclaimed recording companies: DUX, GEGA NEW, TOCCATA CLASSICS, ARS SONORA, and PRO ART. His recordings have earned enthusiastic praise in esteemed musical publications. A fervent advocate for lesser-known Polish composers, Michal Drewnowski champions the works of Ludwik Grossmann, Jadwiga Sarnecka, Stefan Kisielewski, Tadeusz Majerski, and Joseph Hofmann. As a devoted proponent of contemporary music, he has premiered compositions by Mariusz Dubaj, Andrzej Nikodemowciz, Ari ben Shabetai, and Igor Scherbakov.

Michal Drewnowski stands as the co-founder and artistic director of the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of New Art, a vibrant endeavor that flourished from 2009 to 2016. Currently, he serves as an Associate Professor at the Academy of Music in Lodz and thank to the Kosciuszko Foundation Exchange Program to The US he holds the esteemed position of Visiting Professor at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University.