The ARTISTS of the festival

originally from Mikołów, was a double bass student of professor Wiktor Gadziński at the Academy of Music in Katowice. Mr. Przybyła graduated with top honors in 1962. During his studies, he began working with the National Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio and Television in Katowice (NOSPRiT). He was the principal bassist with the orchestra from 1973 until his retirement in 2002. His other duties outside of the orchestra was playing solo recitals and also performing on many solo recording projects. He recorded the Serge Koussevitzky’s Double Bass Concerto with NOSPRiT. Polish Radio Katowice recently republished these recordings. Over the years Gerard performed with many different ensembles. He was a guest musician in the World Philharmonic Orchestra in Montreal, Canada. Gerard has been and continues to be a very active professor of the double bass. He has many successful students that have been prizewinners at many contests and auditions. A number of his graduates are working in prestigious symphonic orchestras and ensembles in both Poland and around the world. He is the first teacher in Silesia to organize a double bass ensemble (duos, trios and quartets) in his school. Gerard is also the primary arranger of the group. His ensembles have been very successful in many competitions throughout Poland and Slovakia. He is deeply involved in musical education of children, proving many times that even a child as young as 7 years old can accomplish the daunting task of learning the double bass. For his achievements in the field of education, he received awards from the Ministry of Culture, the City Council and a medal from the Commission of National Education.