Tadeusz Słodyczka
Born on 5 May
1954 in Dukla, Tadeusz Słodyczka was brought up in a highlander family,
first living in Ząb, the highest-located village in Poland, and later in
Zakopane, in Gubałówka area. He studied violin-making at the Violin
Making Technical School in Nowy Targ, which he completed in 1974. The
same year he started work at Lower Silesia Stringed Instrument Factory
in Lubin. Simultaneously, he pursued his artistic interests, first
building classical guitars, and later string instruments. In 1984, he
began work on his own, and spent holidays practising at Franciszek
Marduła’s workshop in Zakopane. He also practiced violin-making in other
workshops: Volker Blay’s in Dortmund (two months in 1987 and 1988);
Joseph Kun’s in Ottawa (nine months in 1989-1990, and four months in
1992); Gio Batta Morassi’s in Cremona (one month in 1998 and 1999).
Completed expert courses organised by Polish Union of Artist
Violin-Makers ZPAL (Poznań, 1991; Warsaw, 1992).
To date, he
has built ca. 270 instruments, incl. ca. 200 violins, 60 violas, 7
cellos, a viola d'amore, and 2 bows. His first artistic achievement was
one 3rd and two 4th prizes at 2nd National Z. Szulc Violin-Making
Competition in Poznań in 1984. Other successes, mainly international,
followed: 9th place at 7th International H. Wieniawski Violin-Making
Competition in Poznań in 1986; 2nd prize (1st was not awarded) at
National A. Stradivari Violin-Making Competition in Poznań in 1987; 6th
place in the viola category and 7th place in the violin category at 2nd
International Violin-Making Competition, Sofia-Kazanlak in 1987; 7th
place in the viola category at 5th International Violin-Making
Competition in Hradec Králové in 1988; 7th place in the viola category
at 2nd International Violin-Making Competition in Mittenwald in 1988;
2nd prize and the “Silver Fan” prize of Tokyo Violin-Making School for
the highest violin-making qualities at 8th International H. Wieniawski
Violin-Making Competition in Poznań in 1991; 10th place in the viola
category at 1st International Violin-Making Competition in Paris in
1991; 9th place in the viola category at 3rd International Violin-Making
Competition in Mittenwald in 1993; 1st prize and gold medal, as well as
honorary mention for the highest acoustic and violin-making qualities
of the violin, 5th place in the viola category and Special Prize of the
Tokyo Violin-Making School for the best violin-maker of the competition
at 3rd International Violin-Making Competition in Prague in 1993; 3rd
prize and bronze medal in the viola category, 6th place and honorary
mention for the highest violin-making qualities of the violin at 2nd
International P. Tchaikovsky Violin-Making Competition in Moscow in
1994; 2nd prize for a viola and two medals of ZPAL for the highest
violin-making qualities of 3/4 violin and viola at 1st National W.
Kamiński Violin-Making Competition in Poznań in 1994; 12th place in the
violin category at 7th International A. Stradivari Violin-Making
Competition in Cremona in 1994; 1st and 2nd prizes and gold medal for
the highest violin-making qualities of a violin at International V.
Metelka Violin-Making Festival in Náchod in 1997; 1st place and gold
medal in the viola category (as well as 5th place for a second
instrument), 8th place, as well as honorary mentions for highest
acoustic qualities of the viola and highest violin-making qualities of
the violin at 3rd International P. Tchaikovsky Violin-Making Competition
in Moscow in 1998; 9th place in the violin category at 9th
International A. Stradivari Violin-Making Competition in Cremona in
2000; 5th place in the cello category, financial prize, diploma and
silver medal of the Union of Violin Makers of Russia for the highest
violin-making qualities of the cello at 4th International P. Tchaikovsky
Violin-Making Competition in Moscow in 2002; 2nd and 3rd prizes in the
violin category, as well as prize for the highest acoustic qualities at
3rd National W. Kamiński Violin-Making Competition in Poznań in 2004;
3rd prize in the violin category at 4th National W. Kamiński
Violin-Making Competition in Poznań in 2009; 4th prize in the violin
category at International V. Metelka Violin-Making Festival in Náchod in
2012; 2nd prize, silver medal and prize awarded by the town of Cremona
for the highest acoustic qualities of a violin at 5th International
Violin-Making Competition in Dolny Kubin in 2013.
Has presented his
instruments at 25 post-competition exhibitions, as well as at
International Instrument Fair in Frankfurt in 1980, in Carlisle (United
States) in 1992, at "Polska sztuka lutnicza" [Polish Violin-Making Art]
at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw (accompanying event to 13th
International F. Chopin Piano Competition) in 1995.
In 1999, he
sat on the jury of 2nd National W. Kamiński Violin-Making Competition
in Poznań. As member of the jury, he also represented Polish
violin-makers at International V. Metelka Violin-Making Festival &
Competition in Náchod in 2004 and 2008. In 2006 he was member of the
jury at three competitions: the Wieniawski in Poznań, the Stradivari in
Cremona, and the Warchal competition in Dolny Kubin, where he also sat
on the body in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Has been invited to the jury at
International Violin-Making Competition in Malta, which will be held in
February 2015.
Has shared his vast practical experience and
observations with Polish violin-makers at national violin-making
seminars, where he read papers about contemporary violin-making in the
Unites States, Canada, and in Italy. He was also initiator and first
presenter of the series of meetings "Lutnictwo bez tajemnic"
[Violin-Making Without Secrets]. Still an indefatigable champion of
violin-making, he delivers talks and lectures for the inhabitants of his
region. He also takes part in the annual Summer Music Academy meetings
in Żagań.
Member of ZPAL since 1978, he has been active member
of the Union’s board and committees: member of the Audit Committee (one
term), deputy chairman of the Admissions Committee (1997-2001), member
of the Board (1991-1997 and since 2002 to date, incl. Board Secretary
1993-1997 and 2002-2005).
