Makuzynski, Witold

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Makuzyński, Witold

Makuzyński, Witold, outstanding Polish- born Argentine pianist; b. Koziczyn, Aug. 10,1914; d. Palma, Majorca, July 17, 1977. He was a student of Turczynski at the Warsaw Cons, (graduated, 1936) and took courses in law and philosophy at the Univ. of Warsaw before completing his training with Paderewski in Switzerland (1936). In 1937 he took 3rd prize in the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. In 1938 he married the French pianist Colette Gaveau and went to Paris. With the coming of World War II, he went to South America in 1940 and became a naturalized Argentine citizen. In 1942 he made his U.S. debut at N.Y.’s Carnegie Hall, and in subsequent years made regular tours of the U.S. and South America. After World War II, he toured in Europe and various other regions of the world. He became well known for his performances of the Romantic repertoire, especially of the music of Chopin.

Bibliography

B. Gavoty, W. M. (London, 1957).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire