The Polish Society of Double Bassists was founded in 1994. We were inspired to create the society by the world-famous double bass soloist Gary Karr. Maestro Karr gave double bass masterclasses and performed on May 20, 1992 in Wojnowice Castle, Poland. Irena Olkiewicz observed the Polish double bass community's great interest and established The Polish Society of Double Bassists with the assistance and encouragement of Maestro Karr. We organized a first national masterclass in 1994, conducted by the outstanding soloist, teacher, musicologist and luthier, Professor Thomas Martin from GB. He also supported our society and we have continued to offer international masterclasses at the Wojnowice Castle and Wroclaw Academy of Music, conducted by outstanding professors like: Thomas Martin (GB), David Walter (USA), Klaus Trumpf (Germany), Francois Rabbath (France), Antonio Araque (Spain), Zdzislaw Prochownik (Canada), Gottfried Engels (Germany), Milošlav Gajdoš (Czech Republik), Radoslav Sasina (Slovakia), Aleksander Chilo (Russia), Irena Olkiewicz, Bonawentura Nancka, Adam Cegielski, and Jacek Niedziela (Poland). Accompanists at these masterclasses were Ewa Warykiewicz, Andrzej Jungiewicz and Marek Werpulewski. During these masterclasses we have had approximately 200 active participants and guests from abroad. We have organized some 80 double bass concerts and lectures, many in memory of celebrated Polish professors like Adam Bronislaw Ciechanski, Tadeusz Pelczar and Wiktor Gadzinski. We publish the first Polish bass magazine, "KontraBasista", which reaches many double bassists in Poland and other countries. We also placed a plaque on Krupnicza Street No 15 to commemorate concerts by Serge Koussevitzky and Gary Karr in Wroclaw's Old Auction Concert Hall. The society was honored by The David Walter Charitable Trust in 2000, and the governor of Wroclaw Province in 1995. The Polish Society of Double Bassists was represented at conventions of the International Society of Bassists in 1997, 2001 and 2003. As guests of the International Society of Bassists, we had help Polish double bassists take part in international competitions and obtained scholarships for graduates of Polish Academies of Music.

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