Adam Klocek

Cellist and conductor, winner of the 2014 Grammy Award, described by Krzysztof Penderecki as "one of the most promising conductors of the younger generation." In 2004, the artist won a competition for the position of assistant conductor to Maestro Jan Latham-Koenig, artistic director of the Wroclaw Philharmonic and the "Vratislavia Cantans" festival. From 2006 to 2020, he served as general and artistic director of the Kalisz Philharmonic, and since 2011 he has been artistic director of the Young Polish Philharmonic orchestra. In 2012, he also became artistic director of the B. Huberman Philharmonic in Czestochowa. Since September 2020, he has served as general director of the institution. Adam Klocek studied at the Musikhochschule in Cologne and the Hochschule fur Musik Hanns Eissler in classes: Maria Kliegel and Boris Pergamenschikow. Successes at national (first prize at the D. Danczowski Competition in Poznan, 1992) and international cello competitions in Cologne, Munich and New York, among others, as well as awards and scholarships (C.M. von Weber, Interlochen Center for Arts, European Broadcasting Union EBU) resulted in performances at major music centers. His concert plans have included an invitation to participate in the first performance under the baton of the composer of K. Penderecki's Concerto grosso, representation of Poland at the Europalia festival, the inauguration of the 8th Lutoslawski Forum at the National Philharmonic, and a concert tour of the USA and the Far East. For the premiere recording of 'Concerto Grosso' with the National Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of A. Wit, the artist received the 'Fryderyk 2002' award. In January 2003 he performed at the gala concert inaugurating the 'Year of Krzysztof Penderecki' at the National Philharmonic. In September 2004, together with Sinfonia Varsovia, he premiered Krzesimir Debski's Cello Concerto, written for him. Together with Leszek Możdżer he performed in a duo, described by the BBC as "sensational," whose album became the bestseller of 2005, and both artists were the only representatives of the world of classical music to perform during the gala birthday concert of TVP Kultura. He was bound by a phonographic contract with Universal Music. Between 1999 and 2016, he played Antonio Stadivari's 1717 instrument. He currently plays on a Giuseppe Rocca 'ex Tortelier' instrument from 1848. After a period of intensive career as a solo cellist in 1993-2003, the artist began conducting. Among others, he assisted Maestro Jacek Kaspszyk during preparations for the staging of "Nabucco" by G. Verdi at the Grand Theater - National Opera. This continued when he won a competition for assistant conductor to Maestro Jan Latham-Koenig at the Wroclaw Philharmonic. As a cellist and conductor, Adam Klocek has performed with world-renowned artists such as: Shlomo Mintz, Heinrich Schiff, Joshua Bell, Vadim Repin, Misha Maisky, Nelson Goerner, Yulianna Avdeeva, Valery Afanassiev, Krzysztof Penderecki, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Randy Brecker, Boris Pergamenschikow, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Antoni Wit, Sophia Gubaidulina, Freddy Kempf, Sayaka Shoji, Wanda Wiłkomirska, Jadwiga Rappe, Leticia Moreno. The album "Preisner's Voices" (SONY Music) featuring the artist received triple platinum status. September and October 2013 saw two new premieres of Z. Preisner's music featuring Adam Klock as conductor and soloist: "Four Colours of Łódź" and "Diaries of Hope" (Barbican Hall in London with the Britten Sinfonietta and Lisa Gerrard of the Dead can dance). As a conductor and cellist, Adam Klocek was invited to participate in the inaugural gala concert of the ICE International Congress Center in Cracow. On the initiative of Adam Klock, Włodek Pawlik's composition "Night in Calisia" was created in 2010. Released in the fall of 2012, the album "Night in Calisia," recorded with Włodek Pawlik's Trio, trumpeter Randy Brecker and the Kalisz Philharmonic Orchestra, received the first Grammy Award 2014 in the history of Polish jazz, also receiving many national awards (including the Rzeczpospolita daily's album of the year) and triple platinum status. The artists performed at the gala concert of the 2014 Fryderyk Awards at the Congress Hall in Warsaw. In 2019, the artist released an album recorded with soloist Astrig Siranossian and the Sinfonia Varsovia orchestra for the Swiss Claves label. The album received top European recording honors including the highly prestigious German "Preis der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik," a nomination for the 2019 International Classical Music Awards, Resmusica magazine's "Clef d'Or" and "Clef de Mois," the highest rating of "5*****" by the prestigious French magazine Diapason and "5*****" by Classica magazine, and "un evenement" and fortisissimo ffff by Telerama magazine. The year 2021 brought the artist another nomination for the International Classical Music Awards. Adam Klocek is the artistic director of international music festivals: "Multimedia Amber Road Festival", the B. Huberman International Viola Festival and "All Sides of the World" in Pulawy. He is also the artistic director and jury member of the International Reszko Vocal Competition in Częstochowa. He is a lecturer at the Academy of Music in Cracow with a doctoral degree and a professor at the F. Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. As a composer, he has written chamber, symphonic and film music. As a juror, he has participated in many competitions and reviews, including the "FAMA" International Artistic Campus (2010-19), the K. Wiłkomirski Competition in Poznań (2018), the Young Musician's Competition in Jasło (2018, 2019), the CEA Cello Competition in Warsaw (2019), the "Bronisław Huberman" International Chamber Music Competition (2019). Bronislaw Huberman (as chairman of the jury and originator), the Reszko International Vocal Competition (artistic director 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019), juror of the Viva Calisia International Vocal Competition (2018, 2019). In 2008 Adam Klocek was awarded honorary membership of the Russian Composers' Union. In October 2013, he received the Medal of the National Education Commission. In August 2014, the Minister of Culture awarded the artist the Silver Medal "Gloria Artis." He was also honored with the 2020 Medal of Merit for the Greater Poland Region, the Award for Artistic Achievement of the Marshal of the Silesian Region (2022), the Award in Culture of the Mayor of the City of Kalisz on several occasions, the Award in Culture of the Mayor of the City of Częstochowa, the Special Award of Merit for the City of Kalisz 2014, and the Award of the Rector of the Academy of Music in Krakow on several occasions.