Gedymin Grubba
Gedymin Grubba (b. 1981) in Gdansk, Poland started his piano lessons in his hometown Gdansk-Zaspa (Poland) at the age of five. He later attended piano class and clarinet class in the Stanislaw Moniuszko Primary Music School in Sopot, before continuing his musical education in the organ class of Roman Perucki at Fryderyk Chopin Secondary Music School, Gdansk, qualifying with honors. In 2006, he graduated from the Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdansk, where he studied organ with Prof. Roman Perucki and composition with Prof. Eugeniusz Glowski.
He has attended numerous master classes both in Poland and overseas, focusing principally upon the interpretation of organ music and improvisation. The master classes, to date totaling 14, include those given by world-class organists such as: Prof. B.K. Bryndorf; Prof. E. Doll; Prof. F. Klinda; Prof. J. Laukvik; Prof. J.P. Lecaudey; Prof. L. Lohmann; Prof. D. Roth; Prof. A. Schoof; Prof. M. Strohhäcker; Prof. J.C. Zehnder; Prof. W. Zerer; Dr S. Göttelmann; Prof. J. Gembalski (master class in improvisation); and, Prof. M. Sawa (one-year master class in improvisation).
Beginning his public performance career in 1996, Gedymin has already given over 1000 concerts throughout Europe (Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom) and also in North America (Canada, Mexico, USA – 16), South America (Brazil, Bolivia, Chile), South Africa, Asia (Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong), Australia and New Zealand. He is the most active Polish concert organist. Each year he performs in about one hundred concerts globally, not only as a soloist, but also as: a chamber music player, composer and as a conductor. In 2010 he was the main adjudicator at the Organ Music Society of Sydney Young Organists’ competition in Sydney, Australia. From 2012 to 2014, he was a member of the chapter at the Municipal Council Mayor Pelplin and for the years 2012 to 2017 he was elected president of the chapter on Ageing Tczew, an organisation responsible for awarding prizes and distinctions in the field of cultural activity. He is regularly invited to perform the opening and final concerts as well as concerts receiving new or restored or reconstructed organs.
Among the notable places he is proud to have performed are: Brasov (RO) – Basilica, Carcassone (FR) – Cathedral, Dublin (IE) – Cathedral, Gdansk-Oliwa (PL) – Cathedral, Grodno (BY) – Cathedral, Hong Kong – the Cultural Center, Kaliningrad (RU) – Cathedral, Leeds (UK) – Cathedral, Lezajsk (PL) – Basilica, Lichen (PL) – Basilica, Loreto (IT) – the Sanctuary, Moscow (RU) – Cathedral, Pelplin (PL) – Cathedral, Riga (LV) – Cathedral, Rochester (UK) – Cathedral, Rome (IT), Rotterdam (NL) – St Laurenkerk, Saint Lipka (PL) – the Sanctuary, San Francisco (USA) – Cathedral, Santander (ES) – Cathedral, Sydney (AU) – Cathedral, Sydney (AU) – the University, Toronto (CA) – Cathedral, Washington (USA) – NCCC, Wellington (NZ) – Cathedral, Vilnius (LT) – the University.
He is a laureate of many organ and composition competitions and has been presented with three grants from the President of Gdansk.
In 1999, at the age of only 18, Gedymin Grubba initiated The International Festival of Organ Music at the Pelplin Cathedral and continues in the role of Festival Director. The Festival is one of the most significant and prestigious cultural events of its kind in Europe, successfully bringing artists and audiences from around the world. It is thanks to the Festival the reconstruction of the unique baroque organ (dated to XVII century) in the cathedral was possible and was first used in 2003. In 1999, he also initiated a series of Chamber Music Evenings in Koronowo. In 2009, Gedymin Grubba was rewarded for his cultural activity with the prestigious “Mestwin” award and in 2011 he received a medal for his contribution to the City and Municipality Pelplin.
Since 2003, Gedymin has been the Chairman of the Promotion of Art Gabriel Fauré Foundation in Gdansk, an organisation which arranges approximately fifty different concerts in Poland each year. These are principally concert series, and include the festivals in Pelplin, Koronowo and Naklo at Notec (since 2009).
In 2008 Gedymin Grubba composed a monumental vocal-instrumental music piece “Sinfonia Jubilate”. The composition was commissioned by the Co-operative Savings and Credit Unions in Poland, Stefczyk’s SKOK, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. The music was combined with lyrics written by John Paul II, S.H. Lubomirski and Z. Herbert and the work was dedicated to His Excellency Cardinal Joseph Glemp in acknowledgement of his years of ministry to the Church, the Nation and Poland. The World Premiere of “Sinfonia Jubilate” was held in Warsaw’s Grand Theater-National Opera. The composition has been repeatedly broadcast by the Polish Television and Polish Radio, and 150.000 copies of the DVD of this event have been released.
In 2011 he was asked to compose a special piece on the occasion of beatification and in 2014 of canonization of John Paul II. The music pieces were written as a tribute from the young musicians from Gdansk to the Polish Pope. The compositions “Santo Sub o! Welcome home!”and “Sanctus” were recorded and were broadcast on the Polish Radio. The CDs and a full score of the pieces were presented to the Vatican.
He is also the author of an official hejnal of the City Pelplin and of the famous Sanctuary in Wiele in Poland.
Until 2012, he was a member of the Polish Composers’ Union Youth Circle and since 1996 he has been a demonstrator of the world famous organ in the Cathedral in Oliwa.
He has made several recordings for Polish, European and World radio and TV (also as a conductor), as well as solo CD recordings (16 CDs and 1 DVD). He took part in the recording of the CD “The Great Organ of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Gdansk Oliwa”, which was nominated for the “Fryderyk 2006” award and in 2009 got a gold record award. His CD recording of the organ in Pelplin Cathedral in 2008, was the first professionally released album of the Cathedral organ, and his 2010 CD release of the organ at Polish Army Cathedral in Warsaw in 2010 was the first album recorded after the instrument was reconstructed. In 2012, at the invitation of leading organisations ORGANZ in New Zealand he has recorded a CD on the restored organ of St Peter’s Church in Wellington (and partially realized in the church of St John in Chicago, USA).
Since 1988 he has been working as an organist in churches of Gdansk Diocese. He has also been involved in the training and education of young organists, who are now take positions of musicians in the churches of Gdansk. The significant places in which he has been organist are the Cathedral in Oliwa and St Nicholas Church in Gdansk (one of the most famous organs in Poland).
Gedymin frequently is called upon to gives consultations and master classes all over the world (Australia, Belarus, Canada, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, USA…).
The official website of the artist: www.gedymin.org