Janina Skowronska

Janina Skowronska (8 February 1920 – 1992)^[1] was a Polish composer^[2][3] who is best remembered for her arrangements of folk songs, and for creating Little Chopin, a children’s musical based on the life and works of Frederic Chopin.^[4]

Skowronska was born to a Polish family in Germakowka (then in the USSR, now in Ukraine). She studied music at the State Music College  in Wroclaw, Poland, and with Tadeusz Szeligowski. She received a diploma in 1961.^[5]

Skowronska’s compositions included:

Chamber

• Theme and Variations (string quartet)^[5]

Orchestra

• Symphony^[5]

Piano

• Preludes^[5]
• Rondo^[5]
• Waltz^[5]

Theatre

• Little Chopin (for children)^[4]

Vocal

• Children’s Songs^[6]
• Drugi Brzeg (soprano, oboe, two clarinets and horn)^[5]
• “Golden Rain”^[7]
• Moda Pani Czepca Nie Ma (mixed chorus)^[5]
• O Wy Corne Kawki (folk song; mixed chorus)^[5]
• Od Krakowa do Wroclawia (folk dance suite; chorus and orchestra)^[5]
• Parodie (text by W. Marianowicz; baritone, soprano, bassoon and string orchestra)^[5]
• Pokoju Czas (text by R. Heniszowa; mixed chorus)^[5]
• Samotne Drzewa (text by L. Turkowski; mixed chorus)^[5]
• Suite of Folk Dances (text by Andrzej Waligórski; orchestra and chorus)^[5]
• “Tu Bedziemy” (text by A. Burcia; voice and piano)^[5]
• Two Folksongs (soprano and piano)^[5]
• U.F.O. (for soprano and eight instruments: clarinet, cello, six percussion)^[8]
• Ziemio Moja (mixed chorus)^[5]