| I first got an email and then I received a little parcel from Adelaide at the office of SBS Radio. It was Mr Wacław Jędrzejczak sending me his memoirs. This is how our electronic friendship started. We have been in touch for a few years now and frankly I follow the life story of the Jędrzejczak family with great interest.
Listen to a song of K. Szymanowski "Hanka was embroidering" performed by soprano Daniela Jędrzejczak, accompanied by Wojtek Wisniewski
Here is the link to the interview with Daniela Jędrzejczak
After the second concert I have asked Wacław to give us some more insight into his family life, so that we could see a broader picture of his singing granddaughter. Here is his story:
Me and my wife, Wanda, have five children: Tomasz, Stefan, Antoni, Sabina and Monika. So far three of them have started their own family giving us five granddaughters and three grandsons. Obviously all granddaughters have boyfriends and for my 80th birthday in November, all of us - 28 people altogether - went out to a restaurant.
Alicia is the oldest granddaughter. She is a child of Stefan and Basia and a sister of Daniela. She has graduated in physiotherapy at the Adelaide University this year.
Tomasz has got three daughters and a son. The oldest of the girls: Natasha, started legal studies at University, but she did not complete her studies. Natasha has decided to start her career and supervise construction on her own house. I was worried that she did not complete her uni course, but she is an adult and the decision is hers. The younger one, Tamara, took her HSC and decided to take a year out. Tamara has now decided she wants to study forensic science in 2008. The next girl, Samantha, is taking her HSC this year and is still unsure about her future plans. The youngest, son Daniel, is interested in photography, but is still currently studying at high school.
I’m very happy with all their achievements, but I try to give them as little “grandpa's advice” as possible.
The youngest daughter, Monika, has two sons. Eight-year old Anthony is a very gifted pupil and extraordinary sportsman (he takes after his father, Felice). The younger one, Luke, is 4 years’ old and looks very talented, too. Monika is a teacher and works twice a week, so Wanda and I look after Luke once a week. I’m very happy to spend time with them both, but frankly I hate getting up at an “uncivilized” hour - 6.00 am to drive 25km and be on time at Monika’s place.
I greatly enjoyed working with Daniela on the proper articulation of the Szymanowski’s lyrics. Languages have always been my hobby in a way. I know German – I stayed in Germany during and after WW II. I do not want to lose this skill so I read at least one German novel a year. I was lucky after the war in 1949 to complete Polish high school in Germany and took my HSC in Polish. For last 57 years in Australia I have always tried to hone my Polish language skills.
I was studying engineering in Adelaide and have worked as an engineer, so I speak English quite fluently. Anyway, it was a pleasure to translate all the intricacies of Polish speech and Kurpian dialect for Daniela.
Grandpa Jedrzejczak was interviewed by Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek
Translation by Magda Kopydlowska
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