Composer, born in Warsaw, died in Paris. He began his music education studying the violin with his father, who was a distinguished violinist and teacher.
In 1930, he completed, with the highest honours, the Konserwatorium Warszawskie (Warsaw Conservatory), where he studied composition with Kazimierz Sikorski, conducting with Grzegorz Fitelberg and piano with Paweł Lewiecki. He continued his studies between 1931 and 1936 with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, where he settled permanently.
He served as president of the Stowarzyszenie Młodych Polskich Muzyków (Association of Young Polish Musicians) in Paris between 1936 and 1948.
Szałowski won numerous prizes at composition competitions, e.g. in 1960 he was awarded the First Prize of the Radiodiffusion-Television Française in Paris for his ballet La femme têtue (1958).
Source: www.polmic.pl.
SONATINA FOR CLARINET
Szalowski’s Sonatina for clarinet and piano, was composed in 1936, the year he became president of the Association of Young Polish Musicians in Paris.
| 28.9.1976 | Antoni Szalowski Sonatina for Clarinet (1936) | Jack Harrison (clarinet) Canberra School of Music | Churchill Fellowship Tenth Memorial Concert, Canberra |
Music
By Peter Hellstrom
September 1976
A visit by clarinettist Jack Harrison to the Eastern States this week raises the point again of how some fine Western Australian musicians need more recognition. Mr Harrison, who was granted a Churchill Fellowship in 1971, was invited recently to take part in the official opening concert of the Canberra School of Music next Tuesday. As principal clarinet of the W.A. Symphony Orchestra and a brilliant soloist, he will play a Sonata written by Antoni Szalowski with piano accompaniment. News of this invitation resulted in two more invitations… to perform with the Australian Contemporary Music Ensemble in a Schoenberg suite for seven instruments including three clarinets – and to give a performance in Brisbane for the Chalumeau Society, the Queensland equivalent of the W.A. Flute Society. Monday night’s performance will be at the Canberra School of Music and the other two clarinettists will be Don Westlake the Principal Clarinettist of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Murray Khouri, Professor of the clarinet at the new school in Canberra. Mr. Harrison will not be able to give the Brisbane performance because of lack of time. He pointed out this week before leaving Perth that with this brief Leave of Absence from the W.A. Symphony Orchestra he was getting a rare opportunity to hear and perform with leading instrumentalists from other states. And this is my point: such travels by distinguished W.A. executants are essential for them to assess and reassess their own standards, to refresh themselves and interstate performers and to absorb atmosphere which will benefit themselves and thus general performance standards when they return. Sabbatical leave is granted after seven years to academics and generally we profit by it. The Churchill Trust which enabled Mr Harrison to travel before and is doing so this time, has helped many performers as well as people in other spheres. However, it cannot finance everything and everybody. If universities can grant sabbaticals, why cannot some similar system be created for the best full-time performing musicians? If the Federal Government, Liberal and Labor, can spend millions of dollars on buying artworks and such items as travelling Chinese art as well as helping to finance or partially finance some of the so-called creators and creations that pass for art in the broad sense, it could help in such a scheme. It could do so by reappraising the merits and priorities. No wonder we lose some of our best performers when their geographical isolation is aggravated by lack of opportunity for the equivalent of financed sabbaticals. A lot end up by trying their luck interstate or overseas finding success and staying there. Others are left lamenting or stay on, depending either on their employment in orchestras, any work that the University of W.A. can give them, a few ABC broadcasts and teaching. There may not be any geniuses in W.A… I don’t know… but there are some performers worthy of more opportunities than they can hope to get here. Who knows if some reallocation of obviously limited funds was made, we might find many more potentially noteworthy executants. Perhaps the State Government as well as the Commonwealth could look at the matter. (Sir Charles Court please note). The only proviso is that high standards should apply. I think that quite a number would measure up. [1]
A light interlude of mixed Australian talent
8.15pm Tuesday 28th September 1976
As part of the opening festival of the new School of Music building, and to celebrate at the same time the 10th anniversary of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, a special concert on Tuesday night brought 11 former Churchill fellows from all parts of Australia to appear in a concert of great variety and interest. With so many individual artists each presenting one or two short items, it was not the sort of concert which could or should be reviewed in depth. But it did make a very pleasant evening which demonstrated the talents of some of the Australian performers who have received fellowships over the past 10 years. The program ranged from early harpsichord music played by Rhonda Vickers to Donald Hollier playing his own “Sonatina for Piano”, as wider contrast as any program could offer. Two violinists were featured, Kerry Smith in pieces by Bloch and Wieniaski, and Pamela Bryce who played Ravel’s “Tzigane”. Two clarinets were also included, Phillip Miechel playing two movements from the “Grand Duo Concertante” for clarinet and piano by Weber, and Jack Harrison with a very attractive “Sonatina for clarinet and piano” by the contemporary Polish composer Antoni Szalowski. The other instrumentalists were French hornist Victor Grieve and cellist Christian Wojtowicz, the latter making a welcome return to Canberra having taught from 1971 to 1973 at the School of Music. Finally, there were a brace of singers, mezzo Sylvia Wade and baritone Ronal Jackson. The accompanists were Ailsa McCristal and Rhonda Vickers. [2]
[1] The West Australian Saturday September 25 1976
[2] The Canberra Times Thursday September 30 1976 page 23