Artistic Director and Conductor - Bernard Wozny
Training
Bernard Wozny was born in Poland in 1942 and started learning the violin at the age of 8. He entered the High School of Music in Katowice (Poland) where he received a professional musical education majoring in the violin, viola, piano and theory subjects, including choir and orchestra training. He furthered his studies at the Wroclaw Academy of Music at the instrumental faculty majoring in violin, viola and chamber music. His career embodies someone who has dedicated himself to serving and developing classical music.
Professional Career
His professional career started whilst he was in his third year of study, when he became a member of the Wroclaw Operetta Orchestra. In 1966, during his fourth year, he became a member of the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra as a viola player. He obtained his Masters degree in music, and then became the Viola Section Leader at the Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1968. In 1972 he obtained a contract with the Teheran Symphony Orchestra in Iran. In 1974 he moved to Belgium and joined the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra as a viola player. In 1975 Bernard emigrated with his wife and two children to South Africa, where he became one of the principal viola players with the SABC National Symphony Orchestra in Johannesburg - a position he retained to 2000.
Chamber Music
He also has extensive experience as a chamber orchestra musician, including duos, trios and quartets:
Bernard has had an extensive teaching career:
Bernard was invited to become the conductor and Artistic Director of the Randburg Chamber Orchestra in 1987. The Orchestra then became The Randburg City Orchestra and under his leadership grew from strength to strength in serving the community of Randburg. It has played in many public concerts such as its own public concerts, the opening of the Ferndale Park, mothers' day at the Randburg Waterfront, charity concerts for old age homes, the Rotary Club, churches, educational institutions and many other events. The Randburg Orchestra has worked closely with other musical groups to perform public concerts, such as the Randburg Male Choir, the Swiss Choir and the Welsh Male Voice Choir. One of the important activities of the Orchestra has been in the area of the development of musical abilities of the youth, and to this end the Orchestra has performed with young amateur and professional soloists over many years. The South African artists specially from Gauteng who have performed with the Orchestra include Zanta Hofmeyr, Malcolm Nay, Melanie Hofmeyr-Burger, Ventura Rosenthal, Isabel Bradley, Miro Thakarian, Carel Henn, Shamil Louftrachmanov, Etienne Malan, Kobus Malan, Susan Mouton, Peta-Ann Holdcroft,Zbyszek Kobak, Robert Gillespie, Aukse Trinkunas, Rennet Bower, Olga Tshihelashvili, Sigrun Seifert, Tatiana Ignatieva and Federico Freschi.
Youth Development
Bernard's significant contribution to music development amongst the youth in Gauteng was the initiation of the Orchestra's annual Youth Concerts. These concerts have become an annual community highlight and is supported and appreciated by a diverse audience. These concerts provide the opportunity for young students to play solo works accompanied by the Orchestra, thereby enabling them to reach a higher level of performance, perform in front of a wider audience and stimulate their musical development. Countless young musicians audition for this privilege every year and display their talent and abilities by performing difficult pieces of music to a very high standard.
String Instruments
Bernard has a deep interest and knowledge of string instruments. This interest was fuelled during his studies in Poland, when he had the privilege of visiting local violin makers in Wroclaw and observing them at work. When he moved to Johannesburg he realised that there was a shortage of trained violin restorers, and has since been involved in restoring and maintaining countless precious instruments locally and regionally. In 1988 he visited Germany for a Restoration Course. He has studied the subject extensively and remains one of the regions' few qualified string instrument restorers.
Bernard Wozny was born in Poland in 1942 and started learning the violin at the age of 8. He entered the High School of Music in Katowice (Poland) where he received a professional musical education majoring in the violin, viola, piano and theory subjects, including choir and orchestra training. He furthered his studies at the Wroclaw Academy of Music at the instrumental faculty majoring in violin, viola and chamber music. His career embodies someone who has dedicated himself to serving and developing classical music.
Professional Career
His professional career started whilst he was in his third year of study, when he became a member of the Wroclaw Operetta Orchestra. In 1966, during his fourth year, he became a member of the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra as a viola player. He obtained his Masters degree in music, and then became the Viola Section Leader at the Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1968. In 1972 he obtained a contract with the Teheran Symphony Orchestra in Iran. In 1974 he moved to Belgium and joined the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra as a viola player. In 1975 Bernard emigrated with his wife and two children to South Africa, where he became one of the principal viola players with the SABC National Symphony Orchestra in Johannesburg - a position he retained to 2000.
Chamber Music
He also has extensive experience as a chamber orchestra musician, including duos, trios and quartets:
- During his time at Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra, he played in the Lublin Piano Quintet consisting of the leaders of the string section. They performed at various concerts throughout Poland, Russia and Hungary;
- In Teheran he formed an international quartet consisting of members of the Orchestra and performed at various venues, including the Teheran Symphony Hall and the palace of the former Shah of Iran;
- In South Africa he has been a member of various chamber groups over the past 32 years.
Bernard has had an extensive teaching career:
- He started teaching students in 1966 at the High School of Music in Walbrzych in the region of Wroclaw, whilst studying;
- In Lublin he was invited to teach violin and viola at the Lublin High School of Music;
- In South Africa he has taught violin and viola at the Randburg High School Music Centre since 1976 - a 31 year history with the school;
- He has, during this time, prepared many students for their music qualifications, assisting them to pass matric, UNISA and Royal Schools exams.
- Other schools have become interested in his teaching methods and he has supported students from Roedeen School, St.Stithians and Crawford College. Some of his students have been accompanied soloists with the Randburg City Orchestra.
Bernard was invited to become the conductor and Artistic Director of the Randburg Chamber Orchestra in 1987. The Orchestra then became The Randburg City Orchestra and under his leadership grew from strength to strength in serving the community of Randburg. It has played in many public concerts such as its own public concerts, the opening of the Ferndale Park, mothers' day at the Randburg Waterfront, charity concerts for old age homes, the Rotary Club, churches, educational institutions and many other events. The Randburg Orchestra has worked closely with other musical groups to perform public concerts, such as the Randburg Male Choir, the Swiss Choir and the Welsh Male Voice Choir. One of the important activities of the Orchestra has been in the area of the development of musical abilities of the youth, and to this end the Orchestra has performed with young amateur and professional soloists over many years. The South African artists specially from Gauteng who have performed with the Orchestra include Zanta Hofmeyr, Malcolm Nay, Melanie Hofmeyr-Burger, Ventura Rosenthal, Isabel Bradley, Miro Thakarian, Carel Henn, Shamil Louftrachmanov, Etienne Malan, Kobus Malan, Susan Mouton, Peta-Ann Holdcroft,Zbyszek Kobak, Robert Gillespie, Aukse Trinkunas, Rennet Bower, Olga Tshihelashvili, Sigrun Seifert, Tatiana Ignatieva and Federico Freschi.
Youth Development
Bernard's significant contribution to music development amongst the youth in Gauteng was the initiation of the Orchestra's annual Youth Concerts. These concerts have become an annual community highlight and is supported and appreciated by a diverse audience. These concerts provide the opportunity for young students to play solo works accompanied by the Orchestra, thereby enabling them to reach a higher level of performance, perform in front of a wider audience and stimulate their musical development. Countless young musicians audition for this privilege every year and display their talent and abilities by performing difficult pieces of music to a very high standard.
String Instruments
Bernard has a deep interest and knowledge of string instruments. This interest was fuelled during his studies in Poland, when he had the privilege of visiting local violin makers in Wroclaw and observing them at work. When he moved to Johannesburg he realised that there was a shortage of trained violin restorers, and has since been involved in restoring and maintaining countless precious instruments locally and regionally. In 1988 he visited Germany for a Restoration Course. He has studied the subject extensively and remains one of the regions' few qualified string instrument restorers.
