COURSES DATES:
25-31.08.2025
Marcel Chyrzyński – composition
Marcel Chyrzyński (b. 1971) obtained his Master’s degree (with honours) from the Academy of Music in Krakow in 1995, where he studied composition with professor Marek Stachowski, orchestration with professor Krzysztof Penderecki, and computer music with professor Marek Chołoniewski and Fulbright scholars Richard Boulanger, Cindy McTee and Rodney Oakes. He perfected his compositional skills at many courses both in Poland and abroad, where he worked under the guidance of such prominent composers as among others: Paul Patterson, Sylvano Bussotti, Claude Lefebvre, Joji Yuasa, Bogusław Schaeffer, Lidia Zielińska, and Hanna Kulenty. In 1998 he was awarded a doctorate in composition and got his habilitation in 2010. 2014–19 he has been the head of the Institute of Composition, Conducting and Music Theory at the Krakow Academy of Music. Since December 2020, he is employed as a professor at his alma mater. On February 22, 2021, the President of the Republic of Poland awarded him the title of professor.
He has been a visiting Professor in Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City), South Africa (University of Pretoria, University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg), South Korea (Yeungnam University in Daegu, Inje University in Gimhae), Slovakia (Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava) and the United States (University of Southern California in Los Angeles, New York Conservatory of Music) and Poland (Institute of Musicology, Jagiellonian University, Academy od Music in Bydgoszcz), as well as at the Takefu International Composition Workshop in Japan and Seoul International Music Festival in South Korea.
Since 1995 he has been a member of the Polish Composers’ Union and in 2005-07, 2009-11 and 2013-27 a member of the Main Board of PCU (in the 2023-25 term – as vice-president). Since 2005 he also became a member of the Polish Society for Electroacoustic Music. Since 2014 he has been a general and artistic director of the Krakow International Festival of Composers. Since 2016 he has been a president of the Krakow Branch of the Polish Composers’ Union.
He won many awards at various composition courses, like the 1st prize for „Ferragosto per tromba, pianoforte e batteria” at the Tadeusz Baird Composition Competition for Young Composers in Warsaw (1997). „Haiku No. 3” for solo flute received a distinction in the National Flute Association (USA) competition in the Newly Published Music Competition (2021). In 2025, he was awarded the Silver Medal twice in the international competition Global Music Awards (USA) in the category of contemporary classical – composer: for pieces from the albums “Marcel Chyrzyński – Chamber Works” and “Marcel Chyrzyński – Clarinet pieces”.
His works have been performed in most European countries as well as in Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Panama, USA, and Canada. His compositions are published by PWM and Edition Ferrimontana – Frankfurt, they appeared on twenty five CD albums (by DUX, ZPR Records, Acte Préalable, Instytut Sztuki, PWM-DUX, Polskie Radio, AM in Krakow, Phasma-Music, PGMaudio, PWM Edition, Orpheus Classical and Requiem Records) and on Polish Television and Korean KBS; they were also featured by many radio broadcasts in Poland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Estonia and Australia.
Marcel Chyrzyński has received numerous awards and distinctions for his work, teaching and organizational work promoting contemporary music, including: the Creative Scholarship of the City of Krakow (1994), the Scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2006, 2009, 2014, 2019), the Medal of the National Education Commission awarded by the Minister of National Education (2017), the Silver Medal for Long Service awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland (2022), the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis awarded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2023), the Honoris Gratia Badge awarded by the President of the City of Krakow in recognition of services to Krakow and its citizens (2024), the Annual Award of the Polish Composers’ Union (2024) and the Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for creative achievements (2024).
At the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow he has got a class of composition. His students and graduates win first prizes in international composition competitions.