BIOGRAPHY

    Graduated from the Academy of Music in Warsaw, in the class of Professor Jerzy Artysz. She improved her skills under the supervision of Professor Irina Archipowa in Moscow. She has won prizes in competitions in Poland and abroad, e.g.:
  • competitions in s'Hertogenbosch,
  • Tchaikovsky competitions in Moscow,
  • competitions in Barcelona, where she received a special prize for performing Spanish Songs.

     

    In 1982 she became a soloist of the Great Theatre in Warsaw, where she has sung main parts in operas from period: baroque, 19th century works, contemporary operas.

    She has performed a rich oratorio-cantata repertoire, including works of the greatest baroque, classical and romantic composers as well as 20th century works, which she presented during Warsaw Autumn and Wratislavia Cantans.

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        Lively and unusually spontaneous interpretation as well as a rich temperament and dark, sensual voice make her an exceptionally good performer of Spanish music and the part of Carmen, which she has played abroad.
    She has also played the part of an opera singer in Marek Nowicki's film "Night scenes".

    Jadwiga Teresa Stępień has given numerous concerts in all European countries, in the Philippines, Brazil, Uruguay and Turkey.

    She has worked with many distinguished orchestras and conductors.
    In 1995 she initiated and produced a performance "On the Road", based on Sephardic songs, first on stage in the Royal Castle in Warsaw, under the auspices of the ambassadors of Israel and Spain. The performance was shown in Gdańsk, during the International Music Festival "Musica Antiqua Europa Orientalis" in the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz and also during the International Music Festival in Łańcut, broadcasted by satellite. Furthermore, the artist performed a recital of Sephardic songs at the International Festival of Jewish Culture in Cracow, in 1996.
    In March 1997 she gave a performance in New York together with a celebrated American pianist Chaim Freiberg.

        Her records "Al Amor" and "Sephardic Songs" received a nomination to "FRYDERYK", a prestigious award of the Polish phonographic industry, in 1996 and 1997. During the ceremony of award presentation "FRYDERYK", broadcast by Polish TV in April 1998, she performed a recital of Sephardic songs from her last record released in 1998.


    In 1998, in recognition of her artistic achievements, she was asked to teach master class in South Korea.

    In April 1999 she was awarded a Medal of M. Anielewicz (for "Sephardic Songs" among other things) presented to those who have contributed to preserving the heritage of Jewish culture in Poland.

    In 1999, she released a new record - "Songs" of I. J. Paderewski. (The first anthology existing on the phonographic market)

    Year 2000 she gave concerts in the Ukraine and Russia (Moscow) in memory of the Polish Nobel Prize Winner W. Reymont.

    In 2001 she received diploma and medal from the Polish Government for the above-mentioned writer. In 2001 she received diploma and medal from the Polish Government for the above-mentioned writer.

    June of 2001 she was invited to become a member of Soroptimist International The First Club of Warsaw.

    J.T. Stepien recorded in the same year for Polish Radio 21 songs of the composer St. Niewiadomski.

    The year of 2002 was very eventful as the artist sang many recitals / Kammermusik.
    At the Royal Castle in Warsaw with pianist Mariusz Rutkowski, in Germany /Düsseldorf with pianist Yasuko Yamaguchi, in Stockholm with Mirosław Feldgebel and in Belgian Brussels with Maksymilian Bielecki.

    In 2003 the year of the 20th anniversary of the Royal Castle concerts, J.T. Stępień, as one of their longstanding soloists performed in Carnival Bel Canto.

    In June /July of 2003 she was invited to Uruguay/Montevideo to perform with the Philharmonic Orchestra there, Polish composer Karol Szymanowski. Three hymns to the poetry of Jan Kasprowicz and Stabat Mater.

    In September the same year a new CD with J.T.Stępień "Soul of Kresy" songs by Polish composer Stanisław Niewiadomski came out.

     
    The year of Poland joining the Europeen Union 2004 was very eventful also for the artist.

    In 2004, springtime another CD has been recorded by Jadwiga Teresa Stępień/pianist Mariusz Rutkowski, Complete songs by Jan Ignacy Paderewski, edited by Acte Préalable.

    She was elected and became Founder President of the Soroptimist International Warsaw "Dom Polski" Club. The Charter was handed to her by S.I. Federation President Heidrun Konrad at the Royal Castle of Warsaw in the presence of Minister Prof. dr Danuta Hübner; who herself acted as patron at the occasion and became Honor Member of the S. I. Warsaw "Dom Polski" Club .

    Together with Urszula Bartkiewicz, Małgorzata and Mirosław Feldgebel, she closed the ceremony with a concert for Guests and Soroptimists from 12 countries.

    The following month June 15th the artist J.T. Stępień performed at the Festival "Le Mois Molière" in Versailles – France together with pianist Jean de Saint Guilhem.