dr hab. Leszek Wiśniowski
Leszek Wiśniowski (nickname Hefi) – flutist, composer, and educator. Graduate of the Jazz and Popular Music Department at the Academy of Music in Katowice in the flute class of Prof. Jerzy Jarosik, and of doctoral studies at the Academy of Music in Kraków. Winner of numerous awards and distinctions, including: International Competition for Young and Debuting Jazz Bands Jazz Juniors (Kraków 1993), 1st Jazz Standards Competition (Siedlce 1996), Ministry of Culture and Arts Award (1998), New Tradition Competition (Warsaw 2001), Scholarship of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding artistic achievements (2015), Kosciuszko Foundation Scholarship (2018), 2nd Prize at the international Flute Jazz Artist Competition during the NFA Convention in Chicago (2023). In 2024 he received the honorary badge of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage “Merit for Polish Culture.”
He is primarily associated with jazz and contemporary music. Member of the American National Flute Association and the Polish Muzyka Centrum Association. He has recorded seven solo albums and contributed to thirty others. He performed solo parts on soundtracks for nine films with music by Krzesimir Dębski and Zygmunt Konieczny. He has collaborated with prominent figures of the world jazz and avant-garde scene, including flutists Jamie Baum and Robert Dick. He has premiered numerous contemporary works.
He regularly takes part in major international flute events – NFA Conventions: Orlando 2018, Salt Lake City 2019, Chicago 2023, Atlanta 2025. In 2018 he appeared at the concert “Tribute to Dave Valentin” in Orlando (USA), performing alongside flute luminaries such as Ali Ryerson, Rebecca Kleinman, Ernesto Fernandez, Orlando “Maraca” Valle, Nestor Torres, and Mark Vinci.
Leader of the HeFi Quartet. He has performed and recorded in Asia, the Americas, and Europe.