Janusz Siadlak is the initiator and organiser of many cultural events, including the Academic Musical Meetings, the Musicalia Czestochoviana, Music in the Temples, and the Palatial Concerts, as well as the Bach Family Music Festival in Częstochowa organized annually since 2010. He is also a co-founder and the artistic director of the Polish Chamber Voices. From January 2003 to August 2009 he held the position of choirmaster at the Śląsk Song and Dance Ensemble.
He is a graduate of the Music Education Faculty of the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa and the Postgraduate Choirmasters Course at the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz, which he completed with honours. He has participated in seminars, symposia and courses led by eminent conductors and specialists in world choral music, including Prof. Heinrich Poos from Frankfurt, Hans Jaskulsky PhD from the Conservatory in Bochum, Hikaru Hayashi PhD from the University of Tokyo, Uwe Gronostay from the Berlin Philharmonic, Prof. Tatsuya Murata from Tokyo and Director of the Polish Chamber Choir Jan Łukaszewski.
Siadlak’s area of particular interest is exploring means of deepening sensitivity to sound quality and expression, enriching the range of tonal quality of singers’ vocals in order to maximize the homogeneity of the sound of a choir.
Siadlak won the Special Prize of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage for his contribution to Polish musical culture.
Source: artist's own materials, transl. GS, January 2015
Awards and Honours:
- Award for best chamber choir, at the Legnica Cantat Competition, Legnica 1995
- 1st Prize - the Presentations of Choral Ensembles of Częstochowa Province, Czestochowa 1997
- 2nd Prize - Festival of Sacred Music, Rumia, 1997
- Grand Prix - the Choral Music Festival, Częstochowa,1998
- Artistic Scholarship of Mayor of Częstochowa, 1997
- 1st Prize - XXV International Festival of Orthodox Music in Hajnówka
- Distinction for the conductor - Festival of Sacred Music in Rumia, 1998
- Award of the Mayor of Częstochowa for the lifetime achievements, 1999
- 1st Prize - China International Chorus Festival of the Golden Pearl, Beijing (China), 1999
- 3rd Prize - International Choir Festival, Cantonigros (Spain), 1999
- Grand Prix - II Choir Festival of Łódź, 1999
- 1st Prize - II Festival of Choral Music, Częstochowa, 2000
- Bene Merentibus - the University of Technology in Częstochowa Chancellor's Medal, 2000
- Grand Prix - First National Days of Choir Music, Bytom, 2000
- The President of Częstochowa Award for outstanding achievements in the field of music, 2001
- Award for the conductor - X Myślenicki Choral Festival, 2001
- Man of the Year 2000 - Life of Częstochowa Award, 2001
- 1st prize - XIX International Festival of Orthodox Music, Hajnówka, 2001
- 1st Prize - Contest of Christmas Carols at the Myślenice Festival of Choirs, Myślenice, 2001
- 1st Prize - XXXVI Festival of Choirs, Międzyzdroje, 2001
- 3rd Prize - the International Choir Festival, Gorizzia (Italy) 2001
- Art Event of the Year 2000 - John Lennon in Memoriam concert, chosen by the readers of Gazeta Wyborcza
- Artist of the Year 2000 - Gazeta Wyborcza's poll 2002
- Honorary Citizen of the City of New Britain (Connecticut, USA), 2004
- Honorary Citizen of the City of Berisso (Argentina), 2005
- 3rd Prize - the International Choir Festival Магутны Бога, Mogilev (Belarus), 2005
- 1st Prize - I Silesia Choir Competition, Katowice, 2006
- Merited to Culture - Polish Minister of Culture Award, 2008
- Special Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, 2010
