The Cracow-based singer Grzegorz Turnau will perform at the Lentz Villa on Saturday, 16th December 2023 at 7 p.m., as part of our ICONS OF CULTURE series.
Following his debut at the 20th Student Song Festival in Cracow (1984 – 1st prize for Znów wędrujemy / We’re wandering again to words by K.K. Baczyński), Turnau was invited by Piotr Skrzynecki to appear at Cracow’s famous cabaret Piwnica pod Baranami (Cellar under the Rams), where he performed for 13 years. Turnau is also the author of theatre and film music. He has given nearly 3,000 concerts with his ensemble. His performances continue to enjoy undiminished interest among audiences keen on original, masterful sung poetry forms.
Turnau’s collaborators have includes such artists as Ewa Małas-Godlewska, Anna Maria Jopek, Dorota Miśkiewicz, Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz, Zbigniew Preisner, Beata Rybotycka, Andrzej Sikorowski, Stanisław Soyka, Justyna Steczkowska, Magda Umer, and Wojciech Waglewski.
Among his numerous accolades, one should mention the Golden Cross of Merit, the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture, an honorary citizenship of the city of Inowrocław, nine Fryderyk Awards of the Polish Phonographic Academy, two Wiktor Awards of the Polish public TV broadcaster TVP, Grand Prix of the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, Mateusz Award of Polish Radio Channel 3 and two Superjedynka awards of TVP1 and RMF FM radio.
Grzegorz Turnau will be accompanied on the stage by saxophonist Leszek Szczerba.
Leszek Szczerba is a Cracow-based jazz musician, member of, among others, Groborz-Kudyk Quintet and Ryszard Styła’s Spektrum Session. As a permanent member of Turnau’s ensemble since 1994, he has performed on a clarinet and all types of saxophones. He is also a member of Śrubki music band.