| Józef Świder was born in 1930 (august, 19th) in Czechowice. He studied piano under Stefania Allinówna at the Academy of Music in Kattowitz, musicology under Adam Mitsch and composition under Bolesław Woytowicz. Afterwards he completed his knowledge of composition under Goffredo Petrassi in Rome. Since 1952 he is working as a lecturer for composition and musicology at the Academy of Music in Kattowitz (since 1979 as a professor), where he was dean and vice dean for many years. Furthermore he is professor at the Silesian University in Cieszyn (he was head of the institute for music education for 15 years) and he leaded the postgraduate studies for choir conducting at the Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. Following persons studied under him: Aleksander Lasoń, Andrzej Dziadek and Wiesław Cienciała. He is composer and member of the jury at competitions of the Polish choir association. Świder was also director of the association of Silesian singers and instrumentalists.
He has been awarded numerous merits: The silver and golden cross of merit, the gentleman’s and officer’s cross, the prize of the ministry for culture and art; the award of the ministry for education for his pedagogical works, the award of the chair of the council of ministers for his children’s works; the accolade of the president of the city of Kattowitz, silver and golden merit „Zasłużonemu w Rozwoju Województwa Katowickiego” (merits for the development of the voivodship Kattowitz). |
