User:Madamegrochovitz/sandbox/Witold Wnuk-impresario

|imię i nazwisko org      = |pseudonim                = |grafika                  = |opis grafiki             = |pełne imię i nazwisko    = |pełne imię i nazwisko org = |data urodzenia           = 27 September 1957 |miejsce urodzenia        = Cracow |data śmierci             = |miejsce śmierci          = |narodowość               = |język                    = |Alma Mater               = |dziedzina sztuki         = music |epoka                    = |muzeum artysty           = |ważne dzieła             = |faksymile                = |opis faksymile           = |odznaczenia              = |nagrody                  = |commons                  = |wikiźródła               = |wikicytaty               = |www                      = }} Witold Wnuk (ur. 27 September 1957 in Cracow) – Polish music impresario and cellist.
 * imię i nazwisko          = Witold Wnuk

Biography
Graduate of State Music School in Cracow in the class of Krzysztof Okon and Cracow Music Academy in the cello class of prof. Witold Herman (1982).

As a pianist, cellist and drummer in the 1970s and 80s he collaborated with, among others, Stary Teatr im. Heleny Modrzejewskiej in Cracow, singer star Ewa Demarczyk and saxophonist Janusz Muniak.

In the years 1989-1995 he taught cello at the Higher Institute of Musical Arts in Kuwait. Co-founder (together with Cezary Owerkowicz) and director of a regular classical music season in Kuwait - Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia in the years 1992-2017. He co-founded (with Cezary Owerkowicz) the local Chopin Piano competitions in Kuwait and Persian Gulf in the years 1996-2010. Director of Gulf Jazz Festival organised annually in Kuwait and occasionally in Bahrain, Quatar and Dubai since 1997. In the years 1992-2013 he invited many renowned international and Polish classical and jazz music artists, among them Art Farmer, Ivo Pogorelić, Alphonse Mouzon, Krzysztof Penderecki, Konstanty A. Kulka, Janusz Olejniczak, Krzysztof Jabłoński, Waldemar Malicki, Vadim Brodski, Tamara Granat, Orkiestra NOSPR, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Opera Krakowska, Adam Makowicz, Michał Urbaniak, Urszula Dudziak, Tomasz Stańko, Ewa Bem, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Jarek Śmietana, Tomasz Szukalski, Janusz Muniak.

Founder of the biggest (taking into consideration the number of concerts (app.100) and performers (app.300) Polish jazz festival – Summer Jazz Festival Kraków, organised annually since 1996 (until 2017 called Letni Festiwal Jazzowy w Piwnicy pod Baranami), where he invites international jazz stars such as [Herbie Hancock]], Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Branford Marsalis , Pharoah Sanders, Nigel Kennedy, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, Charles Lloyd, Maria Schneider. During the festival, since 2001, The Jazz Ram Award is being presented to distinguished Polish musicians with outstanding achievements.

Chairman of My Polish Heart Foundation, founded together with the pianist Vladislav Sendecki - awarding annually prizes and scholarships, promoting talented young jazz musicians.

Founder and director of the Jarek Smietana International Jazz Guitar Competition in Cracow, organised bi-annually since 2015. The jury comprised musicians such as John Abercrombie, Mike Stern, Ed Cherry, Marek Napiórkowski, Karol Ferfecki.

Director of Cracovia Music Agency - a company organising concerts and festivals in Poland and overseas as well concerts of classical, jazz and pop music where his closest associates are Antoni Dębski and Aleksandra Marzec.

Witold Wnuk jest odznaczony medalami Ministerstwa Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego: „Zasłużony dla Kultury Polskiej” (1999), brązowym „Gloria Artis” (2011). W roku 2000 został laureatem „Srebrnej Gwiazdy Helikonu” – nagrody krakowskiego środowiska jazzowego, a w 2015 został odznaczony Piwnicznym Orderem Złotego Runa – odznaczeniem kabaretu Piwnica pod Baranami.

Witold Wnuk has been awarded the medals of Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage: "Medal for Merit to Culture" (1999) as well as bronze "GLoria Artis" (2011). In 2000 he became a laureate of "Silver Helicon Star" - an award of the Cracow jazz community, and in 2015 he was awarded Piwnica Golden Fleece Medal by the Piwnica pod Baranami Cabaret.

A successful golf player both in Poland and overseas. Member of the Cracow Golf Club. His home golf field is Krakow Valley Golf&Country Club.

He holds several social functions, among them vice-chairman of the Cracow branch of Podhalanie (Highlanders) Association(od 2018).

Witold Wnuk is the great great grandson of Jan Krzeptowski Sabała, son of the writer Włodzimierz Wnuk and writer Irena Ostrowska-Wnukowa and brother of Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa, Polish Minister of Culture in the years 1997-00 and director of the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra 4(2000-2018).

Married since 1978, has two daughters and three granddaughters.