Walter Prystawski, CM (born 12 February 1933)"Walter Prystawski"
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'', by Fred Foran, 7 February 2006 is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

classical violinist, conductor and teacher. For many years he was the concertmaster of the

National Arts Centre Orchestra The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NAC Orchestra) is a Canadian orchestra based in Ottawa, Ontario. The NAC Orchestra's primary concert venue is Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre. Since its inception, the Orchestra has commissioned more ...

in Ottawa.

Early life and education

Prystawski was born in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. He studied violin from 1944 to 1953 with Elie Spivak at the Toronto Conservatory of Music, graduating with an Artist Diploma of the Faculty of Music,

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

in 1953.

Career

Prystawski joined the

Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toron ...

in 1953."Arts Centre Orchestra Leader Set"
''Winnipeg Free Press'', 14 June 1969, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. page 81 He was a member of the CBC Symphony Orchestra from 1953 to 1959. He moved to Lucerne,

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

to attend masterclasses with Austrian violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan, and subsequently became a member, then concertmaster, of the chamber orchestra

Lucerne Festival Strings The Lucerne Festival Strings is one of Switzerland's most frequently touring chamber orchestras, which for decades was closely associated with the Lucerne School of Music, being for many years an "ensemble in residence". History The orchestra ...

. He toured with the ensemble in Europe, South Africa and the Middle East. Prystawski recorded extensively as member and soloist for Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft, and taught in the professional training program for violinists at the Konservatorium Dreilinden in Lucerne, Switzerland. He was First Concertmaster of the Basel Orchester Gesellschaft in Basel, Switzerland. Prystawski returned to Canada as founding Concertmaster of the

in Ottawa. Beginning in 1969, he appeared as soloist with the Orchestra for more than three decades. His first European tour with the orchestra was in 1973. He also performed as a recitalist, guest soloist, and chamber music player in recital and on radio. Prystawski purchased a "J.B.Guadagnini" violin for $12,000 for the

National Arts Centre The National Arts Centre (NAC) () is a Arts centre, performing arts organization in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre (building), National Arts Centre building. History The NAC was one ...

. He became full owner of the instrument later; the violin was worth about $400,000 in 2006. He taught at the University of Ottawa in the 1970s. He was named a member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

in 1999. Prystawski served on juries or as an assessor for the

Montreal International Music Competition The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) is an elite-level competition for classical musicians who are interested in pursuing an international career as a professional concert artist. Established in 2001 by the late André Bourbeau a ...

, the Conservatoires du Quebec, the Canada Council, CBC music competitions, the

City of Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core of the Ottawa–Gatinea ...

and various music festival competitions. Doctor of the University,

University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa (), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a Official bilingualism in Canada, bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ot ...

, 2001. Director, Sylva Gelber Foundation 1998 – . Prystawski retired from the National Arts Centre Orchestra in 2006 after conflicts with its music director,

Pinchas Zukerman Pinchas Zukerman (; born 16 July 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor. Life and career Zukerman was born in Tel Aviv, to Jewish parents and Holocaust survivors Yehuda and Miriam Lieberman Zukerman. He began his musica ...

. He performed with the orchestra in a series of farewell concerts conducted by Mario Bernardi."Violin News & Gossip, Op. 2, No. 41"
''Violinist'', 2 July 2006

Family

Prystawski is married; he and his wife Victoria have two grown children: Linda, an actor and Laurence, a lawyer.

References

External links

* https://www.discogs.com/artist/834642-Walter-Prystawski * https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/44f75f6d-0ff8-4d61-8ddf-b2a5357e1d7f * https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/walter-prystawski-5511730890?q=Ron {{DEFAULTSORT:Prystawski, Walter 1933 births Living people Canadian classical violinists Canadian male classical violinists Musicians from Toronto Members of the Order of Canada 21st-century classical violinists 21st-century Canadian male musicians 20th-century Canadian violinists and fiddlers 21st-century Canadian violinists and fiddlers Canadian male violinists and fiddlers Toronto Symphony Orchestra members Concertmasters