Janusz Olejniczak: Pianist in Oscar-winning The Pianist and renowned Frederic Chopin interpreter dies aged 72
Polish musician and teacher Janusz Olejniczak, who played the piano parts in the 2002 Oscar-winning film The Pianist, has died at the age of 72.
In a statement, his family said he died on Sunday (October 20) of a heart attack, as they paid tribute and described him as having “extraordinary musical sensitivity, especially in the interpretations of music by Frederic Chopin” which brought him “international fame and recognition”.
Aleksander Laskowski, a spokesman for the national Frederic Chopin Institute, said staff were “deeply saddened” by Olejniczak’s death. Laskowski described him as “one of the most outstanding contemporary performers of Chopin’s music”, also on period instruments, and a superb teacher.
Composer and conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk, who was a personal friend, said Olejniczak’s “sensitive soul and extraordinary talent transpired throughout his interpretations” in which he created a “unique aura”. Maksymiuk said he had lunch with Olejniczak on Sunday and they discussed his “great plans” which he was determined to pursue despite his health problems.
Olejniczak’s international career was launched in 1970 when, aged only 18, he was a laureate of the 8th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. Commentators said he bore a physical resemblance to the romantic-era composer, a trait that even led Olejniczak to play the role of Chopin in the 1991 film The Blue Note by director Andrzej Zulawski.
In 2002, Olejniczak recorded the piano parts for Roman Polanski’s The Pianist. His hands can be seen playing the piano in the film, for which Polanski won the best director Oscar and Adrien Brody won the best actor award.
Olejniczak also performed contemporary music, including by the acclaimed, late Polish composer Wojciech Kilar. Born on October 2 1952 in Wroclaw, Olejniczak began his piano education at the age of six.
He studied in Warsaw, Paris and Essen. For many years he was on the jury of the Chopin piano competitions, and, since 2018, of the two editions of the Chopin competition on period instruments.