On the 21st of September, composer, music theoretician and conductor Henryk Czyżewski, an ordinary member of the Polish Composers' Union since 1974, died in Lublin at the age of 86...
Henryk Czyżewski was a co-founder of the Youth Circle of the Polish Composers’ Union; he also belonged to the Polish Society of Contemporary Music.
As a conductor, he led choirs in musical institutions and universities in the Tricity (PWSM, Medical Academy, University of Gdańsk, State Opera and Baltic Philharmonic, Musical Theater in Gdynia). He performed with the choir of the University of Gdańsk, of which he was the founder, for 13 years, winning a number of awards in Western Europe. He led the Youth Symphony Orchestra at the Municipal Cultural Center in Gdańsk (1971-72). He performed approximately 600 concerts in over 20 countries around the world.
As a teacher he worked, among others, at the PWSM in Gdańsk (1964-1976) and the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (1987-99).
He was awarded the badge ‘For Merit to Gdańsk’ (1971), ‘Distinguished Cultural Activist’ (1976) and the Silver Cross of Merit (1981).
May he rest in peace.
Photography: Ewa M. Zarzycka.