He studied at the Music Academy in Wrocław, a southwestern Polish city with which he was later associated for many years, as director of the local symphony orchestra and a professor at the academy.
He also held a role as director of Wrocław’s Wratislavia Cantans Festival and of the Chopin Festival in the nearby town of Duszniki.
Strugała worked with several leading Polish orchestras and has developed a fine international career, appearing with several orchestras in Germany, the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra in Ankara, and the Radio Orchestras in Prague, Helsinki and Stockholm.
He has also performed with the Yomiuri Nippon orchestra in Tokyo, the City of London Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players.
The long list of outstanding soloists who have performed under his baton includes Argentine pianist Martha Argerich, Spanish soprano Victoria de los Ángeles, Austrian pianist Paul Badura-Skoda, Russian cellist Natalia Gutman, Polish-British violinist Ida Haendel, British cellist Steven Isserlis, and British pianist John Lill.
Strugała has won numerous awards for his artistic achievements as well as state distinctions.
He has a fine collection of batons that includes unique specimens dating from the mid-19th century, from countries such as Britain, Belgium, Austria and Germany.
The collection has been displayed in several cities in Poland and abroad.
(mk/gs)