program "composing commissions" (B)

composer and music life organiser, b. 28 Feb. 1953 in Warsaw, d. 5th April 2021 in Podkowa Leśna. In 1974-75 he studied philosophy at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw (now the Cardinal Wyszyński University), later – in 1977-82 – composition with Marian Borkowski at the Academy of Music in Warsaw, from which he graduated with honours. He also participated in international courses for composers conducted by François-Bernard Mâche (Pécs 1980), Iannis Xenakis (Salzburg and Delphi 1985) and Olivier Messiaen (1987).

He has received a number of awards for his compositions, incl. in 1981 – 3rd prize in the 1st Polish National Competition for a work for a cappella choir in Legnica for his Pensées for 3 choral groups (1977) and an honorable mention in the 2nd Polish National Composition Competition for a chamber work in Białystok for Kammerkonzert for 14 soloists – chamber musicians (1981); in 1983 – 1st prize in the category of choral works in the Warsaw Composition Competition organised by the Polish Composers' Union for Locomotive for 4-part children's choir a cappella to Julian Tuwim's poem (1983); in 1985 – a special award in the "Music Today 1985" International Composition Competition in Tokyo for Thanatos for flute solo (1984-85).

He was a professor of composition at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, where he also taught score reading, introduction to composition and instrumentation, which was the focus of his interests. In 1999-2002 and 2005-2008, he was vice-dean of the FCUM Department of Composition, Conducting and Theory of Music, and in 2008-2012 dean of this department. In 2012-2016, he was head of the Department of Composition. He supervised doctoral dissertations of, among others, Dariusz Przybylski, Eunho Chang, Krzesimir Dębski and Ignacy Zalewski.

For many years he has been engaged in the promotion of musical culture. He organised over 200 concerts devoted mainly to contemporary music, including the series: Presentations of Young Composers, Encounters with Contemporary Music, Young Musicians for Young Audiences (Warsaw, 1979-81). In 1983-87 he was the organiser and artistic director of the International New Music Forum in Warsaw. In 1990-92 he was president of the Jeunesses Musicales de Pologne, and in 1990-94 – vice-president of Percussive Arts Society Poland. Simultaneously, in 1986-98 he was music director of the Polish Radio Theatre and an editor in the Polish Radio "BIS" Programme. Together with Stanisław Skoczyński and Mariusz Stowpiec he founded the Modus Group. He was a musical advisor to the French Institute in Warsaw and a jury member of the International Radio Festival Prix Italia (Peruggia 1989). In 2000 he founded a periodical about music and related arts – "Muzyka21" – of which he was editor-in-chief until 2001. He was also chairman of the classical music section of the ZAiKS Association of Authors (2006-2013) and its treasurer (since 2006).

Marcin Błażewicz was associated with Edition Svitzer (Denmark), which represented him since 2008. His composition Concerto rustico was published in Edition Schott series. His works were commissioned by institutions such as the Institute of Music and Dance, Polish Radio SA, French Government, Kolberg Percussion Stuttgart, Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra, Svitzer Edition, International Guitar Festival in Tychy, the city of Stuttgart, Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln, World Brass Ensamble, the US Embassy in Poland, Australian Embassy in Poland, French Institute, Krakow Opera, national philharmonics and theatres.

His works are performed in many countries around the world: from China through Europe to the United States. They are routinely performed by such soloists and ensembles as Piere-Yves Artaud (France), Stephanie Strait, Matthew Coley and Mark Ford (USA), Jessie Chang (China), Stefan Diaconu (Romania), Tiit Joannes (Great Britain), Johan Bridger (Denmark), Daniel Belikov and Denis Morozov (Russia), Marta Klimasara and Flugeschlag-Quartett (Germany), World Brass Ensemble and many others. In Poland his music is performed by Agata Igras-Sawicka, Monika Wolińska, Tadeusz Domanowski, Stanisław Skoczyński, Leszek Lorent, Łukasz Długosz, Klaudiusz Baran, Karolina Mikołajczyk, and Ivo Jedynecki. Five original CDs with the works of Marcin Błażewicz have been released so far.

His work has been the subject of many publications and seminars in Poland and abroad (Germany, USA), as well as master's theses, doctoral and postdoctoral theses. In 2015, Leszek Lorent published a book Ineffabilis dedicated to the composer's percussion pieces.

Marcin Błażewicz received the Stanisław Wyspiański Award for lifetime achievement as a composer (1988) and – twice – the Prix Italia (1989, 1990). In 2018, he received the 100th Anniversary Award of the ZAiKS Association of Authors.

From 1998 he was a member of the Polish Composers' Union.

updated: 2021 (ac)

kompozycje

literatura wybrana