Professor Marian Borkowski
Composer, musicologist, pianist, teacher, and organizer of musical life,
was born in 1934 in Pabianice (Poland).
He studied composition with Kazimierz Sikorski and piano with Jan Ekier and
Natalia Hornowska at the Academy of Music in Warsaw (1959–1965; Master of Arts
in 1965). At the same time he studied musicology at Warsaw University under
Józef M. Chominski (Master of Musicology in 1966). In the years 1966–1968,
thanks to a French Government grant, he continued postgraduate studies in
composition with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatory
and American Conservatory in Fontainebleau and with Iannis Xenakis at the Ecole
Pratique des Hautes Etudes, and in musicology under Jacques Chailley and Barry
S. Brook at the Paris University (Sorbonne). Simultaneously, he studied
philosophy with Jean Hyppolite and Jules Vuillemin at the Sorbonne and the
Collège de France. He participated in the International Courses of New Music in
Darmstadt (1972, 1974) and in the courses given by György Ligeti, Iannis
Xenakis, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Franco Donatoni at the Accademia Musicale
Chigiana in Siena (1973, 1975 — Diploma di Merito).
He has been on the faculty of the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw since
1968, as lecturer (1968–1971), assistant professor (1971–1976), associate
professor (1976–1989), full professor (since 1989); deputy dean of the Faculty
of Composition, Conducting and Music Theory (1975–1978), Vice-Rector of the
Academy (1978–1981, 1987–1990), head of the Chair of Music Theory (1993–1999),
dean of the Faculty of Composition, Conducting and Music Theory (1996–1999),
organizer and director of the Postgraduate Studies in Music Theory (1998–2008),
head of the Chair of Composition (1999–2004), organizer and director of the
Postgraduate Studies in Composition (2000–2008). Since 2010 he is the professor
of composition class at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. He
has given lectures and masterclasses in Amsterdam, Belgrade, Breaza, Bucharest,
Cleveland, Cluj, Esztergom, Klagenfurt, Kwangju, Lyon, Mexico-City, Montreal,
Moscow, Olsztyn, Paris, Québec-City, Seoul, Siena, Taegu, Tashkent, Valparaíso
and Vienna.
Since 1989 he has also held visiting professorships in composition or
has served as guest composer at Concordia University, Conservatoire de
Musique du Québec (Québec-City), the University of Montreal, the National
Conservatory of Music in Boulogne-Billancourt (Paris), the Accademia Musicale
Chigiana (Siena), the University of Kansas (Lawrence), the University of
Southern California (Los Angeles), San Francisco State University, Eastman
School of Music (Rochester), Georgia State University (Atlanta), Tulane
University of Louisiana (New Orleans), the University of North Texas (Denton),
Bowling Green State University, Shenandoah University (Winchester), the
University of Charleston, Rice University (Houston), the University of Miami,
William Paterson University of New Jersey (Wayne), Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory
(Berea, Ohio), Southwest Missouri State University (Springfield, U.S.A.),
Hanyang University (Seoul), Seoul Superior Conservatory of Music, Keimyung
University (Taegu), Catholic University of Taegu-Hyosung, Korean National
University of Arts (Seoul), The University of Suwon, Seoul National University,
and Chonnam National University (Kwangju) in Korea.
He has educated several dozen Polish composers including
Joanna Badelek, Renata Baszun, Wojciech Blecharz,
Marcin Blazewicz, Maria Borecka, Katarzyna Bortkun-Szpotanska, Artur Cieslak,
Dorota Dywanska, Aleksandra Garbal, Szymon Godziemba-Trytek, Alicja
Gronau-Osinska, Igor Jankowski, Szymon Kawalla, Jerzy Kornowicz, Aleksander
Kosciów, Bartosz Kowalski, Renata Kunkel, Dariusz Lapinski, Pawel Lukaszewski,
Marcin Tadeusz Lukaszewski, Emilian Madey, Aldona Nawrocka, Ryszard Osada,
Grazyna Paciorek-Draus, Maria Pokrzywinska, Pawel Przezwanski, Roman
Rewakowicz, Jedrzej Roch-Rochecki, Piotr Spoz, Pawel Sprync, Pawel Strzelecki,
Lucja Szablewska, Dariusz Szankin, Wojciech Szmidt, Seweryn Scibior, Hadrian
Filip Tabecki, Marek Towianski, Tadeusz Trojanowski, Marcin Wierzbicki,
Slawomir Wojciechowski, Slawomir Zamuszko, Maciej Zielinski, Maciej Zóltowski,
and has also offered instruction to many foreign undergraduate,
postgraduate and doctoral students, e.g.
Boris Alvarado-Gutierrez (Chile), Robin Chemtov (Canada), Choi Chun-hee
(Korea), Alessandra Ciccaglioni (Italy), Joe Cutler (Great Britain), Gwon
Sung-hyun (Korea), Hong Jin-pyo (Korea), Kim Jin-keum (Korea), Lee Chong-man
(Korea), Lee Mi-jin (Korea), Daniel Luzko (Paraguay/USA), Ginger Mayerson
(USA), Paul Scriver (Canada), Tony Srouji (Canada), Brian Thompson (Canada),
Fanny Tran (Belgium), Gabriel Mãlãncioiu (Romunia).
His students and graduates have won over 300 awards and honourable
mentions at national and international composers’ competitions.
His compositions have been performed in concerts in 25 European countries
as well as in Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Cuba, Iran, Jamaica,
Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, South Korea and USA, as well as at over 100 festivals,
including those in Aix-en-Provence, Berlin, Bilbao, Darmstadt, Esztergom, Geneva,
Kwangju, Lisbon, Los Angeles, Lviv, Madrid, Meadville, Metz, México-City,
Munich, Paris, Pusan, Salzburg, Santa Cruz, Seoul, St. Petersburg, Taegu,
Utrecht, Valparaíso, Viitasaari, Warsaw and Witten. Many of his compositions
were recorded for radio and television in more than 25 countries. His
discography includes over 50 LPs and CDs on such labels as Acte Préalable, DUX,
Global Sound Media (Seoul), GM Records, MTJ, Musica Sacra Edition, Muza,
Olympia (London), Polonia Records, ProViva Intersound (Munich), Sound-Pol,
Gamma CD and Veriton.
Marian Borkowski has given piano recitals in Poland, France, Italy, Canada,
Great Britain, South Korea, USA, Austria and Russia. He has also recorded many
of his own and other composers’ pieces for radio, television as well as on
several labels.
His research output includes over 20 theoretical studies on contemporary
music, notably modern compositional techniques, analysis of 20th and 21st century
music, modern orchestration techniques, the time factor in new music, problems
of music sonology, Webern’s compositional techniques, serial music, Polish
contemporary music and the teaching of composition. He has participated in
numerous conferences, symposia and festivals in Poland and abroad
(over 70).
He is a member of many music organizations in Poland, Belgium, Japan and
the United States. He served as a deputy chairman of the Warsaw Branch of the
Polish Composers Union (1971–77). He is the founder and Artistic Director of
the ‘Laboratory of Contemporary Music’ Festival (since 1985) and President of
the ‘Laboratory of Contemporary Music’ Association (since 1995). He has sat on
the juries of many competitions for composers and performers (Belgrade,
Florence, Paris, Esztergom, New Orleans, Seoul, Suwon, Taegu, Valparaíso,
Guadalajara).
Marian Borkowski is a prize winner of the Young Composers’ Competition in
Warsaw (1966), the G. B. Viotti International Composers’ Competition in
Vercelli (1969), the Karol Szymanowski Competition for Composers in Warsaw
(1974), the International New Music Composers Competition in New York (1990), and
many awards and nominations to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk”
(1998–2012). His honours also include the Award of the Minister of Culture and
Art (1976, 1980, 1982, 2004, 2008), the Silver Cross of Merit of the Republic
of Poland (1977), the Silver Medal Premio Vittorio Gui (Italy, 1979), the Medal
of the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw (1981), the Knight’s Cross of the
Order of Polonia Restituta (1984), the Badge of Merit in Culture (1985), the
Medal of the 40th Anniversary of People’s Poland (1985), the Commander’s Cross
of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2002), the Plaque of Honour of the Chopin
Academy of Music (2004), the Medal of Honour of the Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Valparaíso (2004) and the Silver Olympic Laurel (2004). He
received an honorary membership of the Musica Sacra Association (2004) and the
Karol Nicze Music Society (2006). In 2005 he received an honorary citizenship
of the town of Pabianice. In 2008 he received an honorary award of the Polish
Composers’ Union, and the Gloria Artis Silver Medal for compositional
achievements. In 2009 he received The Saint Albert Award, in 2010 — the Medal
of Merit for Fryderyk Chopin University of Music and Award of Author’s
Association ZAiKS. He also received the “Fryderyk” Award of the Polish
Academy of Phonography in the “Composer of the Year” category (2011), the Medal
of the Commission of the National Education (2012), and the “Grand Prix” from
the Rector of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (2012).
Compositions
·
Two Mazurkas
for piano (1958)
·
Variations
for piano (1959)
·
Toccata
for piano (1960)
·
Sfere
for chamber orchestra (1961)
·
Sonata
for piano (1961)
·
Lyrical Preludes
for soprano and piano, with words by Konstanty I. Galczynski (1962)
·
Visions I
for solo cello (1962)
·
Fragmenti
for piano (1962)
·
Aria
for soprano and seven instruments (1963)
·
Acclamations
for four choirs, six instrumental groups and organ, a setting of Byzantine
texts (1964)
·
Dram
for orchestra (1966)
·
Epitaphium
for female choir and instrumental ensemble (1968)
·
Lullaby
for a cappella mixed choir (1970)
·
Limits
for orchestra (1971)
·
Children’s Christmas carol
for alto, baritone, mixed
choir and organ, with works by Józef Szczawinski (1971)
·
Selection for 5
for chamber ensemble (1972)
·
Images I
for any solo voice (1973)
·
Comes
for chamber ensemble (1974)
·
Psalmus
for organ (1975)
·
Norwidiana 75
for female voice and chamber ensemble (1975)
·
Images II
for any solo string instrument (1975)
·
Romantic Interludes
for piano (1976)
·
Variant
for instrumental ensemble (1976)
·
Speranza
for flute and piano (1976)
·
Vox
for any solo wind instrument (1977)
·
Dialoghi
for two pianos (1977)
·
Mont
for orchestra (1978)
·
Spectra
for solo percussion (1980)
·
Dynamics I
for six percussionists (1981)
·
Mater mea
for a cappella mixed choir, with words by Krzysztof K. Baczynski (1982)
·
Apasionante
for two instruments (string and brass) (1983)
·
Concerto
for any solo string instrument and orchestra (1985/86)
·
Pax in terra I
for female voice, four guitar groups and tubular bells (1987)
·
Pax in terra ll
for female voice, percussion and organ (1988)
·
Prolog
for trumpet and organ (1990)
·
Adoramus
for a cappella mixed choir (1991)
·
Ritornel
for orchestra (1992)
·
Hosanna I
for mixed choir and four instruments (1993)
·
Christmas carol I
for a cappella mixed choir,
with works by Anna Bernat and Jan Wecowski (1995)
·
Regina caeli
for a cappella mixed choir (1995)
·
Kassándra
for female voice, mixed choir and orchestra (1996/97)
·
De profundis
for mixed choir and orchestra (1998)
·
Metallica
for brass quintet (1999)
·
Ave. Alleluia. Amen I
for a cappella mixed choir (2000)
·
Con-Son
for string orchestra (2001)
·
Dix
for brass quintet (2002)
·
Visions II
for string orchestra (2003)
·
Visions III
for string quartet (2003)
·
Symphony No. 1 – Dies irae
for mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2004)
·
Hymnus
for mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2005)
·
Libera me
for a cappella mixed choir (2005)
·
Sonus
for instrumental ensemble (2006)
·
Pax in terra III
for female choir, strings and percussion (2007)
·
Sanctus
for a cappella mixed choir (2009)
·
Hosanna II
for mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2009)
·
Symphony No. 2 – Hymnus
for mixed choir and symphony
orchestra (2005-2009)
·
Christmas carol II
for bass and mixed choir,
with works by Anna Bernat and Jan Wecowski (2010)
·
Dynamics II
for six percussionists (2010)
·
Lux
for a cappella mixed choir (2010)
·
Pater noster
for a cappella mixed choir (2011)
·
Lux aeterna
for mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2008–2011)
·
Ave. Alleluia. Amen II
for six male voices (2011)
·
Symphony No. 3 – Requiem
for mixed choir and symphony
orchestra (1998–2011)
·
Cantus
for six saxophones (2012)
·
Lullaby II
for a cappella mixed choir (2012)
·
Gloria I
for a cappella female choir (2012)
Gloria II
for a cappella mixed choir (2012)
Discography
LP
-
Children’s
Christmas carol
– Veriton SXV
772 (1975)
-
3
Andersen’s Fables
– Veriton SXV
805 (1978)
-
Romantic Interludes
– Veriton SXV 806 (1979)
-
Vox
– ProViva ISPV 102 (1980)
-
Dialoghi
– Veriton SXV 817 (1981)
-
Vox
– Polskie Nagrania • Muza SX 1806 (1982)
-
Christmas
carol I
/
Christmas
carol II
– Veriton SXV
896 (1984)
-
Mater mea
– Veriton SXV 897–898 (1985)
-
Images II
– Polskie Nagrania • Muza SX 2459 B (1986)
-
Speranza
/ Fragmenti / Spectra / Images
II – ProViva ISPV 137 (1987)
-
Psalmus
– Veriton SXV 882 (1987)
-
Speranza
– Veriton SXV 870 (1987)
-
Fragmenti
– Polskie Nagrania • Muza SXL 0827 (1987)
CD
-
Fragmenti
– Olympia Compact Discs Ltd.
OCD 316 (1989)
-
Romantic
Interludes
/ Dialoghi –
Olympia Compact Discs Ltd. OCD 394 (1993)
-
Pax in
terra II
– Polonia Records CD
020 (1994)
-
Spectra
– Polonia Records CD 027 (1994)
-
Images
II
– Polonia Records CD 028 (1994)
-
Regina caeli
– DUX 0251 (1996)
-
Christmas carol I
– DUX 0275 (1996)
-
Christmas
carol I
/ Christmas carol II
– Gamma GCD 017 (1997)
-
3 Andersen’s Fables
– MTJ 022 (1997)
-
Christmas
carol I
/ Christmas carol II
– GM Records GMM 253–2 (1998)
-
Adoramus
– DUX 0108 (1998) (Nomination to Polish Academy
of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 1998”)
-
Psalmus
– Acte Préalable AP 0005 (1998)
-
Norwidiana 75
– Acte Préalable AP 0008 (1998)
-
Fragmenti
– Keimyung University CD (1999)
-
Toccata
/Fragmenti – Acte Préalable AP
0016 (1999)
-
Pax in
terra II
/ Limits / Adoramus
/ Regina caeli / Variant / Hosanna I / Dram / De
profundis – Acte Préalable AP 0038 (1999)
-
Toccata
– MT 2006/6 (2000)
-
Dram
/ Hosanna I / De profundis – PBR
CD-R 001 (2000)
-
De
profundis
/ Selection for 5
– Acte Préalable AP 0011/12 (2001)
-
Hosanna
I
– Acte Préalable AP 0098 (2001)
-
Ave •
Alleluia • Amen
– Acte Préalable AP 0100
(2001) (Nomination to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk
– 2001”)
-
Variant
– Global Sound Media CD 001 (2002)
-
Variant
– DUX 0393 (2002) (Nomination to Polish Academy
of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2002”)
-
Images
III
– Acte Préalable AP 0107 (2004) (2 Nominations
to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2004”)
-
Ave •
Alleluia • Amen
– Acte Préalable AP 0100
(2004) (2 Nominations to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk
– 2004”)
-
Vox
/ Dram – Acte Préalable AP 0109 (2004) (Nomination
to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2004”)
-
Pax in
terra II
– Acte Préalable AP 0133
(2005) (2 Nominations to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2005”)
-
Psalmus
– DUX 0522–23 (2005) (Nomination to Polish
Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2005”)
-
Dies
irae
– Acte Préalable AP 0197 (2005)
-
Speranza
/ Selection for 5 / Norwidiana 75
– The Mystery of the writing CD (2006)
-
Prolog
/ Toccata / Images II / Psalmus
/ Dialoghi / Vox / Visions I / Fragmenti / Speranza
/ Spectra – Musica Sacra Edition MSE 010 (2006)
-
Dies
irae
– Musica Sacra Edition MSE 011 (2006) (2 Nominations
to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2006”)
-
Libera
me
– Musica Sacra Edition MSE 018 (2008) (Nomination
to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2009”)
-
Hymnus
/ Pax in terra II / Adoramus / Regina
caeli / De profundis / Ave • Alleluia • Amen / Libera me /
Hosanna I / Dies irae – Musica Sacra Edition MSE 020 (2008) (2 Nominations
to Polish Academy of Phonography Award “Fryderyk – 2009”)
-
Sanctus
– MFMS „Gaude Mater” / Polskie Radio Program II,
CD (2009)
-
Christmas
carol II
– Musica Sacra Edition
MSE 027 (2010) (“Fryderyk” Award of the Polish Academy of Phonography – 2011”)
-
Limits
/ Selection for 5 / Variant / Visions
II / Dynamics II / Norwidiana 75 / Dram – Musica
Sacra Edition MSE 030 (2010) (2 Nominations to Polish Academy of Phonography
Award “Fryderyk – 2011”)
-
Ave •
Alleluia • Amen
– Musica Sacra Edition
MSE 028 (2011)
-
Mazurka
– DUX 0795 (2011)