SEBASTIAN SZYMAŃSKI
www.Szymanski-Composer.com

Composer, conductor, and educator, multiple scholarship recipient from the ZAiKS Authors’ Association and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. He is a member of numerous artistic and academic organizations and a laureate of many composition competitions, including a nominee for the FRYDERYK 2023 award. He graduated in composition under prof. dr hab. Paweł Łukaszewski at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (UMFC), and his interdisciplinary doctoral thesis earned the Rector’s Award at UPJPII. He is the author of over 70 compositions, performed by renowned artists in Poland and abroad.

Awards (selected):

• Nomination for the FRYDERYK 2023 award in the „Album of the Year Chamber Music – Duets” category for Sebastian Szymański’s album SONGS to words by Karol Wojtyła and Roman Brandstaetter performed by prof. Anna Mikołajczyk-Niewiedział and prof. Marcin Tadeusz Łukaszewski. March 23, 2023 ZPAV.

• Award of the Rector of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Cracow for the BEST DOCTORAL THESIS. Subject of the work: „Sacrum in the composition of the mass – searches and hopes. A Liturgical and Musical Study”. Promoter: Fr. Rector prof. dr hab. Robert Tyrała. 08/12/2022 Cracow.

• Distinction (the main prize was not awarded) for the piece Psalm 123 for mixed choir SAB (2022) during the National Composition Competition as part of the National Choral Forum Wrocław City of Music, 10/10/2022 Wrocław.

• 1st place award for O orzchis Ecclesia to the words of St. Hildegard of Bingen for mixed choir, trumpet and organ (2020) during the 5th International Composers’ Competition Fide et amore, 13/11/2020, Katowice.

• Grand Prix for the piece Intrada for symphony orchestra for the unveiling and covering of the miraculous figure of Our Lady of Sorrows in the arts, literature and music competition „Our Lady of Limanowska in my life”. September 10, 2016. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows in Limanowa.

• Distinction for the piece Jesus, I trust in you for mixed choir in the category: Choral piece a cappella during the 1st National Composition Competition in Kalisz to poems by Fr. Jan Twardowski. January 29, 2016. Aula im. prof. Jerzy Rubiński, Faculty of Pedagogy and Art in Kalisz, University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań.

Music:

Composer of over 60 works written on a diverse set of instruments, including great symphonic, vocal and instrumental forms; choral, orchestral and chamber music.

Full list of compositions:
https://szymanski-composer.com/muzyka/

Most important pieces (selected):

• A series of 7 songs to words by Roman Brandstaetter for soprano solo and piano (2022);
• Karol Wojtyła’s Musical Biography – a cycle of 3 songs for solo soprano, piano and tape (2020);
• Mass of Hope – Missa Spei for mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2017-2019);
• Anthem of the 5th Synod of the Tarnów Diocese (2017);
• I Sinfonia – Carmen Propheti for mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2016);
• Awakening to the words of Fr. Jan Twardowski for solo soprano and baritone, mixed choir and a symphony orchestra (2015);
• Septem Dolórum Beátæ Maríæ Vírginis for female vocal sextet, church bells and authorities (2017-2016);
• Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi for four solo voices, two choirs and symphony orchestra (2010);
• Intrads accompanying the unveiling and covering of miraculous images and figures in: Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows in Limanowa, Sanctuary of Lord’s Transfiguration in Krużlowa, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Łukawiecka.

Music performances (selected):

• Planetarium | Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw (2023, 2024);
• Philharmonic Karol Szymanowski in Kraków (2022, 2020);
• Pfarrkirche St. Peter und Paul, Görlitz (Germany) (2022);
• Philharmonic Henryk Wieniawski in Lublin (2021);
• Wawel, Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslas in Kraków (2019);
• Église Saint-Maclou in Rouen (France) (2019);
• National Forum of Music in Wrocław NFM (2019);
• St. Stanisław Kostka in Łódź (2018);
• University of Michigan School of Music (USA) (2018);
• The Temple of Divine Providence in Warsaw (2016);
• Köthen (Germany) (2016);
• Alter Ratssaal, Baden-Baden (Germany) (2016);
• Kaliska Philharmonic (2016);
• The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (2014);
• Baltic Philharmonic for them. Frederic Chopin in Gdańsk (2014);
• TVP1 Telewizja Polska in Warsaw (2009);
• Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw (2008);
• The Camaldolese Underground at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw (2008).

Artists performing the composer’s works (selected):

• soloists: Christian Krämer, Justin Snyder, Kai Schumacher, Marcin Łukaszewski, Anna Mikołajczyk-Niewiedział;
• conductors: Jan Łukaszewski, Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny, Paweł Łukaszewski, Michał Klauza, Bartosz Michałowski, Stanisław Strączek;
• ensembles: the Polish Chamber Choir, the Choir of the Warsaw-Prague Cathedral Musica Sacra, the Polish National Youth Choir, the Cracow Opera Choir, the Cracow Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, the Border Guard Representative Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra

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