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The Karol Szymanowski State Secondary Music School in Katowice is the oldest artistic school in Poland following simultaneously two courses in teaching: music and general education. The school was founded in 1937 at the Silesian Music Conservatory as a Secondary Music School. The outbreak of the II World War stopped the school’s activity and after the war the school was reopened again as an independent educational institution. As a result of numerous educational reforms in Poland, school has been changing its structure and name and since 1999 it has been working as a six-year lasting institution - The Karol Szymanowski State Secondary Music School within the Complex of State Music Schools in Katowice. The same year this prestigious educational institution obtained a new residence and boarding in the Osiedle 1000-lecia (housing estate). The aims of the school – developing individual musical talents, general education as well as shaping of the students’ personalities are achieved by highly qualified teachers. Regular co-operation with the Academy of Music guarantees high standards of music didactics. Among teachers of the school there are famous artists and composers, as well as remarkable soloists, academic music teachers, chamber and orchestra musicians of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra. In the field of general education we can be proud of very good results of our students at national lower secondary and secondary final exams. For 75 years the Karol Szymanowski State Secondary Music School has been a leading educational and artistic institution and a significant culture-forming centre in Katowice and Silesia. The school is proud of numerous students` achievements and successes of both soloists and ensembles, within national and international competitions as well as concerts in Poland and European countries, Canada and Australia. Among many initiatives of the school, that deserve special attention, is the Polish Composition Competition called “Patri Patriae” (held since 1992) for a piece of music composed by secondary music school students and dedicated to His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. So far, over 2550 graduates, who represent The Karol Szymanowski State Secondary Music School, make the name of the school famous not only in Poland but also all over the world. They are world-famous soloists, composers, conductors, teachers, sound directors and managers of artistic life, met and heard in the best orchestras, ensembles, high schools, in radio, television and press. In October 2007 the Music School Alumni & Sympathizers Association, promoting artistic development of students, was reactivated. Since 2005 the eminent graduates have been rewarded with the statuette "Summa cum laude" ("With the Highest Praise") by the school community. So far Krystian Zimerman, Wojciech Kilar, Aleksander Warykiewicz and Tadeusz Strugała have been honoured with this prize. On December 20th, 2012, during the 75th Jubilee Gala, the Statuette will be awarded to Eugeniusz Knapik. The school of such great traditions and achievements will pride itself on further creative work and the next jubilees in the years to come…