1925
Evening courses run in Zakopane by Andrzej Bednarz are transformed into the Stringed Instrument Making Section of the local Timber Industry School.
The publication of Tomasz Panufnik’s monograph Sztuka lutnicza. Studja nad budową instrumentów smyczkowych [The Art of Lutherie. Studies on the Construction of Bowed String Instruments],Warsaw.
1929
The National General Exhibition in Poznań. The Crafts Pavilion hosts a presentation of the output of Polish luthiers awarded medals for the outstanding qualities of their instruments.
1930
A Stringed Instrument Section is established in the State School of Craft and Industry under the initiative of Tomasz Panufnik, who himself teaches lutherie there (1930-1935).
1934
The publication of both volumes of Tomasz Panufnik’s Technologia lutnicza [The Technology of Violin Making], Warsaw.
1936
The first Polish luthiers’ competition in Warsaw, with the participation of some 40 luthiers – both professional and amateur. A resolution concerning the creation of a Luthiers’ Union in Poland.
A Violin-Making Exhibition in Kraków – first place for violin quartet awarded to Franciszek Borówka- Borowiecki, from Lublin.
1945
The Museum of Musical Instruments is opened in Poznań, under the initiative of Zdzisław Szulc (from 1950 a branch of the National Museum in Poznań). Its collection includes professional, amateur and folk stringed instruments. Currently one of the most interesting collections of stringed instruments in Europe (approx. 300 historical items).
1949
Stringed instruments are presented in the Museum of Wielkopolska in Poznań by Zdzisław Szulc (an exhibition marking one hundred years since the death of Fryderyk Chopin).
1952
The exhibition ‘The Polish Violin’ is opened in theMuseum of Musical Instruments in Poznań (accompanying the Second ‘H. Wieniawski’ International Violin Competition).
A stringed instrument making class is established in the State Secondary School of Art Technology in Zakopane (recruitment ceased in 1956, renewed from 1975).
1953
23 June – The appointment of the Organising Committee of the Polish Association of Artist Violin Makers (chair – Zdzisław Szulc; secretary – Marian Wyka; committee member – Zbigniew Wiszniewski).
27 June – The first session of the Organising Committee (National Museum in Poznań).
1954
23–24 April – The Association Organising Congress (in the Columned Hall of the Ministry of Culture and the Arts in Warsaw); the adoption of a statute and the election of an administrative team: Executive Board (president – Feliks Konstanty Pruszak), Committee of Eligibility (chair –
Tadeusz Wroński) and Board of Control (chair – Czesław Olszewski).
A special concert, with leading Polish violinists performing on instruments built by Polish luthiers (Warsaw).
The International String Quartet Competition in Liege – the first participation of Polish luthiers (members of the association).
1955
29 March – The ZPAL Executive Board obtains its own headquarters (16/18 Krakowskie Przedmieście, Warsaw).
25 May-3 June, Warsaw – The First National Competition for Contemporary Polish Violins, with the participation of 46 luthiers (145 instruments).
A commercially orientated violin-making exhibition, organised under the auspices of the Poznań International Trade Fair.
1957
1–11 November – the First ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: Fourth Prize for Eugeniusz Gosiewski.
Marian Wyka becomes the first Polish juror of an international luthiers’ competition (Liege).
1959
The Polish Association of Artist Violin Makers is awarded honorary membership of the Italian National Artistic Lutherie Association (ANLAI).
2 October – A directive issued by the Minister of Culture and the Arts calls into being the Technical School of Stringed Instrument Making in Nowy Targ.
1960
19 September – a directive issued by the Minister of Culture and the Arts calls into being (under the initiative of Marian Wyka) the Collection of Stringed Instruments.
1961
7 April, Warsaw – the ceremonial opening (as part of the General Assembly) of the ZPAL Collection of Stringed Instruments. Its core consists of prize-winning instruments from international and national luthiers’ competitions, supplemented by donations and purchases. It currently numbers 252 instruments (end of 2003).
5–30 May – the Second ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań.
1964
The jubilee celebrations of the ZPAL’s 10th anniversary (exhibitions in Poznań and Bydgoszcz, a concert on Polish stringed instruments at the State College of Music in Warsaw and by the Łódź
Quartet on POLONIA model instruments. The first honorary memberships are awarded).
1965
28–29 February, Warsaw – the first violin-making seminar (concerning the principles behind the construction of violins and issues related to acoustics and sound), organised by the ZPAL. [In total, up to the year 2004, the ZPAL organised approx. 50 seminars, symposiums and courses.]
1967
15–24 September – the Third ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: Third Prize awarded to Piotr Kubas.
1969
17–18 May, Warsaw – a symposium devoted to lutherie in the Polish People’s Republic, summarising the union’s achievements to date.
1972
4–14 May – the Fourth ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: Fifth Prize for Mieczysław Bielański.
1973
The creation of a separate stringed instrument making class in the ‘Mieczysław Karłowicz’ State Secondary School of Music in Poznań (since 2001 the ‘MieczysławKarłowicz’ Secondary School of Music in Poznań).
1977
30 June–10 July – the Fifth ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: First and Fourth Prize awarded to Józef Bartoszek, Fifth Prize to Franciszek Marduła.
1978
The creation of a lutherie class (within the Department of Bowed String Instruments) at the then State College College of Music (since 1981 ‘I. J. Paderewski’ Academy of Music) in Poznań.
1979
The union’s Silver Jubilee: a cycle of concerts at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw (January) and the BWA gallery in Zakopane (March); the exhibition ‘The Most Outstanding Works of Lutherie from the years 1954-1979’ (March) in Zakopane, subsequently transferred to the Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań; the First International Seminar on Stringed Instrument Making in Świdry Małe (April).
14–20 October, Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań – the First ‘Z. Szulc’ Polish National Luthiers’ Competition, organised by the ‘H. Wieniawski’ Musical Society under the initiative of the ZPAL Executive Board.
1980
The Polish luthiers’ organisation changes its name: from the Polish Association of Artist Violin Makers to the Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers.
1981
9–19 May – the Sixth ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań.
1983-1986
Four numbers of the periodical Lutnictwo [Lutherie] are published by the ZPAL (Editorial Committee: H. Harajda, W. Kamiński (chair), A. Kucharska, A. Łapa, S. Marduła).
1984
10–16 November, Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań – the Second ‘Zdzisław Szulc’ Polish National Luthiers’ Competition.
1986
2–11 May – the Seventh ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: First Prize won by Jan Bobak, Third Prize by Jerzy Piórko.
1987
15–21 November, Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań – the Polish National Luthiers’ Competition (for 3/4 violins and 3/4 cellos), combined with a violin-making seminar, both events organised by the ZPAL in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the death of Stradivarius
(including the participation of an Italian delegation).
1988
Moscow – a presentation of Polish instruments as part of an exhibition organised at the ‘M. Glinka’ Museum of Musical Culture.
1989
16–18 October, Poznań – the Third ‘Zdzisław Szulc’ Polish National Luthiers’ Competition (extended to include a bow category).
1991
2–11 May – the Eighth ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: First Prize – Jerzy Piórko; Second Prize – Tadeusz Słodyczka; Third Prize – Stanisław Król; Fourth Prize – Antoni Krupa.
1993
An exhibition of contemporary stringed instruments organised by the ZPAL Executive Board, combined with the sale of accessories (an event accompanying the International Music Course in Łańcut). This has become a permanent fixture in the calendar of events prepared by the union.
1994
The creation of a Department of Artistic Lutherie at the ‘I. J. Paderewski’ Academy of Music in Poznań.
The ZPAL’s 40th anniversary celebrations; the jubilee General Assembly is combined with a special concert.
1–4 December – The First ‘Włodzimierz Kamiński’ Polish National Luthiers’ Competition, organised at the ‘I. J. Paderewski’ Academy of Music in Poznań.
1995
1–22 October, National Philharmonic in Warsaw – the exhibition ‘The Luthier’s Art in Poland’, accompanying the Thirteenth ‘Fryderyk Chopin’ International Piano Competition.
1996
11–18 May – the Ninth ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition in Poznań: First and Second Prize for Krzysztof Mróz.
The competition is accompanied by the exhibition ‘“Give a Pole Only God and a Fiddle”: The History ofLutherie on Polish Soil up to the Second World War’, presented at the Museum of Musical Instruments.
1998
29 May–20 June, Moscow – the ‘Piotr Tchaikovsky’ Luthiers’ Competition sees the greatest international success of Polish lutherie to date: seven medals, prizes and honorary mentions in the violin, viola and bow categories.
26 September, Zakopane – the jubilee celebrations of 70 years of creative work and the 90th birthday of the master Franciszek Marduła (the exhibition ‘The Passions of Franciszek Marduła’ at the ‘Koliba’ gallery).
1999
2–5 November – The Second ‘Włodzimierz Kamiński’ Polish National Luthiers’ Competition, combined with the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of lutherie schooling in Poznań (at the ‘I. J. Paderewski’ Academy of Music in Poznań).
2000
The collective exhibition ‘The Artistic Lutherie of Podhale’ in Zakopane.
2001
6–22 September, Poznań – the jubilee Tenth ‘Henryk Wieniawski’ International Luthiers’ Competition.
The event is accompanied by a symposium, with the participation of eminent luthiers from abroad, and a post-competition exhibition. A catalogue is published of violins which qualified for the second round.
The exhibition ‘Genius Stradivari’ organised at the Museum of Musical Instruments.
2002
The collective exhibition ‘The Magic of the Violin’, promoting Polish lutherie, organised in Lubin.
2003
25–27 April, Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań – a Polish National Seminar on Stringed Instrument Making, organised on the 10th anniversary of the death of Prof. Włodzimierz Kamiński.
2004
21–22 May, Royal Castle in Warsaw – a concert inaugurating the grand celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers.
Calendar of events promoting Polish artistic lutherie organised in 2004
21 May – Warsaw, Jubilee gala concert at the Royal Castle
22 May – Warsaw, Polish National Seminar on Stringed Instrument Making: ‘The Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers – 50 Years Work’
5 June – Wrocław, Concert at the ‘W. Lutosławski’ Philharmonic: ‘Contemporary Polish Artistic Lutherie at the Philharmonic’Presentation of the violin makers of Lower Silesia: ‘How is a Violin Made?’
4 July–30 August – Warsaw, Exhibition at the Palace Museum in Wilanów: ‘Historical Instruments in the Output of Polish Violin Makers’
18 July – Łańcut, The Castle at Łańcut – concert on contemporary Polish instruments.Exhibition: ‘Contemporary Polish Artistic Lutherie’
4 –30 August – Zakopane, Concert and exhibition: ‘Contemporary Artistic Lutherie in Podhale’
6 October – Warsaw, Concert at the ‘F. Chopin’ Academy of Music:‘Polish Luthiers, Composers and Musicians’
16–19 November – Poznań, Third ‘W. Kamiński’ Polish National Luthiers’ Competition
19–20 November – Poznań, International Symposium on Stringed Instrument Making:‘Contemporary Polish Lutherie and its Place in European Artistic Lutherie’
19 November – 31 December – Poznań, Exhibition at the Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań:‘Vielle, “Gamba” and Lute – Historical Instruments in the Output of Polish Violin Makers’
2005
25-26 June, Mąchocice, 16th General Meeting of ZPAL Members
2-4 December, Wisła, National Violin Making Seminar
8-20 July, Łańcut, Exhibition of instruments and sales of musical accessories
2006
7-13 May, Poznań, 11th International H. Wieniawski Violin Making Competition
11-13 May, Poznań, 5th International Violin Making Symposium „Twórczość klasyków lutnictwa a współczesna sztuka lutnicza” (Violin Making Classics and Contemporary Violin Making Art). Publication of like-titled bulletin
12 May, Poznań, Extraordinary General Meeting of ZPAL Members: changes to articles of association, establishment of ZPAL Stringed Instrument Rental
9-20 July, Łańcut, Exhibition of instruments and sales of musical accessories
7-10 December, Zuberec (Slovakia), National Violin Making Seminar
2007
28 April – 1 May, Dolny Kubin (Slovakia), International Polish-Czech-Slovak Violin Making Symposium held during „Violino Arvenzis 2007” International Violin Making Competition
2008
25-27 April, Kudowa Zdrój, National Violin Making Seminar held during International V. Metelka Violin Making Competition in Nachod (Czech Rep.)
14-15 November, Poznań, National Violin Making Seminar, as well as participation in event to mark thirtieth anniversary of violin making dept. at I. J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań.
2009
26-27 June, Swolszewice,, 17th General Meeting of ZPAL Members, member subscription established
21-24 October, Poznań, 4th National W. Kamiński Violin Making Competition
24 October, Poznań, National Violin Making Seminar held during Competition
2010
18-20 June, Karpacz, National Violin Making Seminar dedicated to bow making. German maker Rudolf Neudorfer delivered a lecture „Historia powstania lutniczego ośrodka Bubenreuth i twórczość lutników – budowniczych smyczków z tego ośrodka” (The Emergence of Violin Making Centre in Bubenreuth, and the Centre’s Bow Makers’ Art), shared own bow making experience, as well as exhibited bows from own collection. Rudolf Neudorfer presented ZPAL with self-made high-quality bows (2 violin, 1 viola, 1 cello)
26-28 November, Książ Wielki, National Violin Making Seminar
2011
8-14 May, Poznań, 12th International H. Wieniawski Violin Making Competition
8-14 May, Poznań, Competition-accompanying exhibition „Franciszek Marduła – lutnik, pedagog, sportowiec” (Franciszek Marduła – Violin Maker, Educator, Sportsman) organised by Alicja and Stanisław Marduła
13 May, Poznań, 6th International Violin Making Symposium held during Competition. Lecturers: Patrick Robin (France), Roger Hargrave (Great Britain), Bartłomiej Marduła (Poland), Stanisław Marduła (Poland)
14-15 October, Szymbark nr Gorlice, Preview of exhibition „Sercem i dłutem – dorobek twórczy pracowni lutniczej Rodziny Mardułów” (With Heart and Gouge: Artistic Output of Marduła Family Violin Making Workshop). ZPAL members awarded medals „Zasłużony dla kultury Gloria Artis” (Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture) by Minister of Culture and National Heritage: Alicja Hołoga-Marduła – bronze, and Stanisław Marduła – silver.
2012
16-18 November, Szydłowiec, National Violin Making Seminar at Museum of Musical Instruments in Szydłowiec. Participants also visited the Museum and the town’s historical sites.
2013
21-22 June, Mąchocice, 18th General Meeting of ZPAL Members
6-8 December, Stasikówka nr Poronin, National Violin Making Seminar
2014
6-7 June, Jelenia Góra, Polish-Czech Violin Making Seminar
7 June Jelenia Góra, Paper: „60 lat ZPAL, sylwetki wybitnych twórców – członków ZPAL, działających w okresie 60-lecia” (Sixty Years of ZPAL: Outstanding ZPAL Member Makers Active in the Period) combined with photographic presentation to document key events in ZPAL’s sixty-year operation
22-25 October, Poznań, 5th National W. Kamiński Violin Making Competition
24-25 October, Poznań, National Violin Making Seminar held during Competition
19 November, Warsaw, Concert at F. Chopin University of Music to mark sixtieth anniversary of ZPAL: „Gdy drewno struny dostało …” (When Wood Got Strings…) dedicated to ZPAL founder-members: Irena Dubiska, Eugenia Umińska, Wanda Wiłkomirska and Tadeusz Wroński. Concert performed on instruments made by members of ZPAL
2015
5-7 June, Vysoké nad Jizerou, Czech Rep., Polish-Czech Violin Making Seminar. Programme featured papers, exhibition of instruments of the Czech School, and visit to Museum of Instruments in Paseky. Trip to Sklenarice and Paseky, locations where outstanding Czech violin maker families were based.
2016
8-15 May, Poznań, 13th International H. Wieniawski Violin Making Competition
13 May, Poznań, 7th International Violin Making Symposium held during Competition. Lecturers: Marcus Klimke, Germany; Raymond Schryer, Canada; Patryk Frankowski, Poland; Andrzej Kepel, Poland.
7-9 October, Żagań, National Violin Making Seminar held in Żagań at invitation from Stanisław Piniuta, chairman of Halina Czerny-Stefańska Music Association. Besides papers, programme of event included visits to Prince’s Palace, Museum of POW Camps, Post-Augustinian Library, and organ concert at Cathedral.
2017
April 2016 – March 2017, Collaboration with Institute for Music and Dance on development of Internet portal „Skrzypce w zbiorach polskich” (The Violin in Polish Collections) dedicated to musical instruments, incl. the Stringed Instrument Collection. Ca. one hundred and fifty 4/4 violins from the collection have been digitised.
30 May–3 June, Prague, Events to accompany International Violin Making Competition in Prague
23-24 June, Mąchocice, 19th General Meeting of ZPAL Members
1-3 December, Murzasichle, National Violin Making Seminar
2018
18-19 May, Poznań, Events to mark fortieth anniversary of Chair of Artistic Violin Making at I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music. International Violin Making Seminar, concert „Muzycy lutnikom” (From Musicians to Makers)
23-24 November, Zakopane, National Violin Making Seminar organised in collaboration with management of Amalgamated Fine Art Schools and „Sokół” (Falcon) Gymnast Society in Zakopane to mark 88th anniversary of Polish violin making schooling. Exhibition „88 lat szkolnictwa lutniczego. Absolwenci i ich instrument” (Eighty-Eight Years of Violin Making Schooling. Graduates and Their Instrument ) and concert to accompany the seminar.
2019
14-17 March, Szklarska Poręba, National Violin Making Seminar (incl. Open Violin Maker Giant Slalom Skiing Championships)
23-26 October, Poznań, 6th National W. Kamiński Violin Making Competition. Organiser: Academy of Music in Poznań, co-organisers: ZPAL and H. Wieniawski Musical Society. Name „6th National W. Kamiński Violin Making Competition” changed to „6th W. Kamiński Violin Making Competition”.
26 October, Poznań, International Violin Making Seminar to accompany Competition.
2021
8-14 May, Poznań, 14th International H. Wieniawski Violin Making Competition.
Competition unavailable to members of the public (due to COVID pandemic restrictions). Instruments were presented in detail in media and on event’s webpage; competition catalogue was published.
2022
26-29 May, Niedzica, National Violin Making Seminar
9 December, Warsaw, 20th General Meeting of ZPAL Members
2023
1-4 June, Świeradów, National Violin Making Seminar
25-28 October, Poznań, Festival of Violin Making Art
25-26 October, Poznań, Festival-accompanying event: Exhibition of ZPAL-Member-Made Instruments
25 October, Poznań, Celebrations to mark fiftieth anniversary of violin making courses at M. Karłowicz Secondary School of Music in Poznań. Embedding of ZPAL-endowed plaque to commemorate Professor Włodzimierz Kamiński who initiated violin making class at the School in 1973
2024
1-4 May, Vienna, Trip of over thirty ZPAL members to Vienna: visits to town’s historical sites and Museum of Musical Instruments
17-20 October, Duszniki Zdrój, National Violin Making Seminar
November, Warsaw, Work on digitisation of instruments from Stringed Instrument Collection (violas and cellos) and on development of new Internet webpage
2025
9-17 May, Poznań, 15 International H. Wieniawski Violin Making Competition
16 May, Poznań, 8th International Violin Making Symposium held during Competition. Lecturers: Antoine Nedelec, USA; Frank Ravatin, France; Andrzej Łapa, Poland; Marek Pielaszek, Poland; Jan Jakub Lipiński, Poland. Lecture of Professor Andrzej Łapa: https://www.zpal.pl/2025/06/02/70-lat-zwiazku-polskich-artystow-lutnikow