Krzysztof Herdzin

Krzysztof Herdzin is one of the most exceptional versatile pianists, composers and arrangers in Poland today. He was born in 1970 in Bydgoszcz, where he attended secondary music school. On graduating from the Bydgoszcz Academy of Music in the piano masterclass of J. Sulikowski and K. Popowa – Zydron ( Class of 1993 ) he became a faculty member of the Academy and has taught there for three following years, coming again to teach in 2010. He appeared in several orchestral concerts: „Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue”, Grieg’s „Piano Concerto in a-minor” and his own „Concertino for piano and orchestra”. He recorded chamber music pieces for the Bayerische Rundfunk in Munich, performed as pianist with clarinettist Wojciech Mrozek, classical saxophonist Pawel Gusnar, violinists Vadim Brodsky, Mariusz Patyra and famous flutists Jadwiga Kotnowska, Agata Igras-Sawicka, collaborated with Yehudi Menuhin’s „Live Music Now” fund based in Germany.

The pianist is one of very few artists in Poland who successfully combine exploring classical, jazz and popular music fields – the latter exemplified by collaboration with many Polish pop stars, such as: Kayah, E. Gorniak , A. Piasek Piaseczny, R. Rynkowski, R. Janowski, A. M. Jopek, K. Groniec, H. Frackowiak, E. Geppert, K. Groniec, L. Prus, I. Santor, E. Bem, A. Serafinska; cooperated with international jazz artists: Maria Schneider, Vinnie Colaiuta, Gregoire Maret, Gil Goldstein, Eddie Henderson, Richard Bona, Oscar Castro Neves, Yami, Jon Lord, Mino Cinelu, Clarence Penn, Gary Husband, Dhafer Youssef.

Krzysztof Herdzin recorded 17 CD as a leader, and as a pianist, composer, arranger and conductor took part in recording of over 200 albums. As a producer and arranger recevied 17 Gold Records and 5 Platinum Records. He has taken part in many television productions for both public and private television stations in Poland. He has been a staff member and lecturer at numerous music workshops and held the function of artistic director of prestigious concerts.

He orchestrated and arranged music by famous Polish composer Jan A. P. Kaczmarek, on the movie „Finding Neverland”, which won an OSCAR’ 2005. His band West won the main prize at the 1990 Jazz Juniors Festival in Cracow. In 1993 he won the third prize at the International Jazz Improvisation Competition in Katowice. He is a double winner of the „Key to Career” at the Pomorze Jazz Autumn in 1989 as member of the band Ostatni Dzwonek and in 1993 as member of KGB. Spotted by jazz talent scouts Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski, Janusz Muniak, Kazimierz Jonkisz and a „legend” of Polish jazz Z. Namyslowski ( 1996 – 2002 ) he has learned the practical aspects of performing in their ensembles.
He’s been a pillar of Jacek Pelc’s City Jazz Trio, Eryk Kulm’s Quintessence/ 96, Mariusz Bogdanowicz’s Back to the Bass. He has worked with M. Kulenty, W. Staroniewicz, A. M. Jopek, E. Bem. E. Geppert, A. Serafinska, D. Miskiewicz, L. Szafran, M. Szczesniak.

K. Herdzin entirely produced many pop records ( among others for: Edyta Geppert, Anna Serafinska, Ewa Malas-Godlewska, Katarzyna Groniec, Dorota Jarema, Leszcze, Irena Santor, Zbigniew Wodecki, Wojciech Gassowski, Maryla Rodowicz ). He has also contributed to musical productions as a pianist and arranger ( „Fame” in Komedia Theater in Warsaw , „Crazy for You” and „Peter Pan” in Roma Theatre in Warsaw ). He was musical director for „Five Guys Named Moe” – 2002′ Roma Theater musical, „End Of The Rainbow” – 2008′ Teatr Stu musical, „Singing In The Rain” – 2012′ Roma Theater musical, „Cyrano” – 2015′ Teatr Muzyczny w Lodzi musical. His current projects include concerts with popular polish jazz and pop artists, and leading his own Acoustic Trio and Big Band.

Krzysztof Herdzin is a highly valued arranger, orchestrator and conductor, his work especially consisting of orchestral and big band pieces.
He cooperted as conductor with: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Orchestre National de Belgique, Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra, Lviv Virtuosos Academic Chamber Orchestra, Polish Radio Orchestra, NOSPR, Sinfonia Varsovia, Sinfonia Viva, Capella Bydgostiensis, Concerto Avenna, Sinfonia Artis, L’Autunno, Pomeranian Philharmony, Kalisz Philharmony, Lodz Philharmony, Lower Silesian Philharmony, Szczecin Philharmony, Katowice Philharmony. He performed in USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Israel, Turkey, Italy, France, Monaco, England, Ireland, Sweden, Netherland, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.

HERDZIN IS COMPOSER OF JAZZ AND FUSION MUSIC, POP SONGS AND ALSO MODERN CLASSICAL PIECES:
– „Concertino” for piano and orchestra
– „Concertino” for woodwind trio and strings
– „Double Concerto” for viola, alto saxophone and orchestra
– „Narrations” for alto saxophone and orchestra
– „Fairytale Stories” for flute or alto saxophone and piano or strings
– „Plaything” for strings
– „Winter Sketches” for symphony orchestra
– „Lirycal Miniatures” for voice and orchestra
– „Looking for Balance” for saxophone , orchestra , jazz ensamble
– „Fantasy on themes from Grazyna Bacewicz’s IV String Quartet” for string quartet , saxophone , jazz trio
– „Chopiniana con Delizia” for clarinet , two accordeons , string quartet
– „Ritmico Alla Zoppa” for six percussionists and jazz trio
– „String Quartet”
– „Assertive Preludium and Nonassertive Toccata” for strings
– „Olender” for chamber orchestra
– „Suite On Polish Themes” for saxophone quintet or strings
– „Three Crowns” for strings
– „Choralis Passeris” for cello and strings
– „Three Sonets from W. Shakespeare” for six voices
– „Sonata La Cascata” for trumpet and piano
– „Cyrano” musical