We are happy to announce that on 11 December 2020 the President of the Republic of Poland signed a new bill altering the name of the Academy of Music in Kraków. Beginning from 1 January 2021, the name of our Academy is going to be: “Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków”.

Let’s go back a little: On 22 June 2020, the Senate of the Academy of Music in Kraków, acting at the request of the Composition Department community dated 31 March 2020, submitted an application to the Minister of Culture and National Heritage to name the Academy after Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020) – an outstanding composer, conductor, pedagogue, alumnus, professor, rector and doctor honoris causa of the Academy. The new law, drafted by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, was adopted by both chambers of the Parliament of the Republic of Poland in November and December, and last Friday it was signed by President Andrzej Duda.

We are proud to be the first university in the world to be named, as of 1 January 2021, after that great Artist, who, while being a citizen of the world, throughout his whole life remained loyal to Poland, Kraków and, in a very special way, to his alma mater – the Academy of Music in Kraków.