He doesn't consider himself a great artist, and in his opinion, music is a tough way to make a living. That's why he chose the academic career. Dr. Maciej Walczyński from the Department of Applied Computer Science is the next guest in our #JestemzPWr #JestemzWIT series. By profession, he is an Assistant Professor in our Faculty and a teacher at the ALO academic high school. After work, he plays the trombone, leads the Jazz Dreamers band, and collects instruments.

Dr. Walczyński comes from a musical family. As he explains, he probably didn't know that there was an alternative to going to music school. His dad is an arranger and began his musical journey as a horn player. His sister was a violinist, and now she is an English teacher at a high school.

– Recognising the difficulties in the music industry, I chose an alternative but equally intriguing career path as a scientist and a lecturer. This allows me to think about music as a pleasure for me – emphasises Dr. Maciej Walczyński.

The researcher successfully merges the worlds of science and music. Together with Dr. Mark Kopel, I am working on algorithms that automatically translate sound waves into musical notation.

The band and the album

After high school, Dr. Walczyński took a break from the trombone. As he admits, he owes his comeback to his wife Nadia, his mother, and, among others, the WUST Big Band. That's where the scientist found people who were interested in jazz from the 1920s.

– We formed the first lineup of Jazz Dreamers at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Over time, the band became more professional. It now includes two WUST students, Piotr Kluzo and Mateusz Muzioł. We have graduates from music schools. I also study jazz trombone at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław – says Dr. Walczyński.

– I play popular music. I don't consider myself a great artist and I feel good about playing dance music for ordinary people. Jazz had exactly such a role when it was created – he adds.

A few years ago, the dancers from the Lindy Szau Association reached out to the members of Jazz Dreamers, and as the musicians emphasise, "there was chemistry." Since then, the group's repertoire has been developed in consultation with the dancers. We are looking for the most danceable tunes possible. The band started playing at dance parties and swing festivals all over Poland. They also receive international invitations from countries such as the Czech Republic, Germany, and Finland.

– I’m trying to show the band members how to respect their listeners and dancers. During the gig, we must be prepared, efficient, and professional – emphasises the researcher.

– We met musicians representing top bands from England, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Today I feel confident when comparing our skills. We train hard and strive for perfection – he adds.

The Jazz Dreamers band also has their own compositions and adaptations of classic pieces. They used the WUST studio to record the album "Happy Feet" available on Spotify. The next one is expected in the first quarter of 2025. The nearest opportunity to listen to the musicians will be on 1 February at the Old Monastery.