JSFest competition


Jury members

Сhairperson Tadeusz Pszonka
Graduated from the Vocal and Acting Faculty at Karol Lipiński Music Academy in Wrocław.
Was a soloist at the State Opera in Wrocław, the Grand Theatre - National Opera in Warsaw, the Roma Music Theatre in Warsaw and the Vienna Chamber Opera. Has won awards at many vocal competitions.
Has performed at such theatres as: Operhaus in Leipzig, Grand Theatre and Musical Theatre in Łódź, Musical Theatre in Wrocław; has also performed on such renowned stages as: Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Munich Philharmonic, Vienna Konzert Haus, Vienna Hofburg, Tonhalle in Zurich, Kurhaus in Wiesbaden, Brno Philharmonic, National Philharmonic in Warsaw and others. Has travelled to Switzerland, Austria, Australia, Belgium, former Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Holland, Japan, France, Italy, Russia and Norway.
Has made recordings for Polish Television, Polish Radio, Austrian Television ORFF. Has recorded albums in Austria (Wiener Konzert Haus - Recital), France (Requiem by W. A. Mozart, Requiem by H. Berlioz), Poland (Opera Arias and Songs, Liturgia Domestica Op. 79 by A. T. Gretchaninov) and Germany
(Die Grosse Johann Strauss Gala).
Was the Chief and Artistic Director of the Karkonosze Music Festival in Karpacz, the "Szprotawskie Divertimenta" Vocal Festival and Workshops in Szprotowa. Currently, Artistic Director of the International Jan Kiepura Vocal Competition in Krynica-Zdrój, Chief and Artistic Director of Halina HalskaFijałkowska International Vocal Competition in Wrocław and the Festival of Vienna Music in Szczawno-Zdrój, Artistic Director of the National Vocal Competition in Mława, as well as Artistic Director of Jan Kiepura Festival in
Krynica-Zdrój. Conducts many courses and vocal workshops, academic seminars, among others in Wrocław and Kraków. Member of many vocal competition juries in Poland and abroad.
Participant of international programmes (e.g. Norway 2017, 2018 / Trondheim University).
Three-times recipient of the Austrian Government’s scholarship at Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, the University of Vienna (1996/97, 1997/98) and Universität für Musik in Vienna (1998/99).
Awarded the title of Professor of Art pursuant to a decision of the President of the Republic of Poland of 17.02.2015.
Additionally, completed post-graduate studies at the Wrocław School of Banking at the Faculty of Corporate Finance Management, and completed opera studies in Bolzano (Italy). In 2017, was awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda with a silver medal for his multi-annual service, and received a golden badge for his work for the development of the city of Wrocław from the Society of
Wrocław Friends. In September 2018, received a prestigious award – "Merito de Wratislavia - Meritorious for Wrocław" commemorative medal.

Ewa Iżykowska-Lipińska
Ewa Iżykowska (Soprano, Mezzosoprano) belongs to the group of the most outstanding Polish singers.
She started her professional career at the Opera House in Poznań, Poland in 1981 where she created Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Violetta in La Traviata, Micaela in Carmen, Liu in Turandot and many others.
In 1986 Ewa Iżykowska made her debut at the Chamber Opera House in Vienna, Austria, where she sang Nedda in I Pagliacci directed by George Tabori and Countess in Le nozze di Figaro.
In 1987–1991 she was soloist at the Opera House in Lucerne, Switzerland, where among others she sang Poppa in L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Tatyana in Eugen Onegin, Violetta in La Traviata, Adriana in Adriana Lecouvreur together with tenor Ramon Vargas, and Marcello Viotti conducting.
Recently she also appeared in multiple European theatres singing many characters in Penderecki’s Die Schwarze Maske, The Devil from Loudaine, (both broadcasted internationally) Paradise Lost, Strauss’ Salome and Rosenkavalier (Marschalin), Puccini’s Tosca, and Giordano’s Fedora.
Ewa Iżykowska is a distinguished oratorio / cantata singer. Her repertoire includes the best known works starting from Baroque through Romantic oratorios to contemporary works like Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 or Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 and the whole Penderecki’s oratorio repertoire.
During her career she performed in the world’s most prestigious opera theaters and concert halls like La Scala, Musikverein, Carnegie Hall, and she was touring around Europe, Americas, Philippines and Russia.
She has recorded with Polish Radio & TV and Austria TV ORF.
In 2000, she started her world-wide tour with two solo recitals: From Baroque to Jazz and Songs of Chopin and Paderewski.
Since 2000 she begun to share her experience with young students at University in Olsten, Poland, Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, and she become a v cue director of Keimyung F. Chopin Academy of Music in South Korea.
Since 2004, she is asked to participate in many international opera workshops, seminars, courses and festivals, like, Schlern Music Festival in Italy, Master Class at the Texas Christian University, Master Class at the Catholic University in Daegu, S. Korea, From Chopin to Górecki Festival at the F. Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw.
Apart from teaching she also works as a director. She presented a performance of Song Books for Home Use by S. Moniuszko in 2010, and a performance entitled Musicale Musicale in 2011.
Ewa Iżykowska gives a lot of concerts. Recently she has given a recital at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. In 2010 she gave a recital of Songs by Chopin in Paris, and it was the first time ever that those pieces were recorded on a Blu-ray disc.
In 2011 she gave a performance in Vatican on St. Peter’s Square during the beatification ceremony of John Paul II.
She fluently speaks 5 languages: Italian, Russian, German, English and French. She holds DA degree and she is Professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.
