Marek Stachowski (composer)

Stachowski was born March 21, 1936 in Piekary Śląskie and died in Kraków on 3 December 2004.

Apart from his creative work, Marek Stachowski was also a highly respected educator. From 1967 he gave composition classes at the State Higher School of Music in Kraków, from 1981 as a full professor. In this role he taught many of the younger and middle generations of Polish composers. Between the years 1993-1999 and 2002-2004 he was rector of the Academy. He also lectured in composition at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem, during the summer courses at Durham University, and gave seminars as part of Gaudeamus Music Week. He served on many juries of competitions for composers and performers, including the Krzysztof Penderecki Competition in Kraków.

From 1963 to 1968 Stachowski studied composition under Krzysztof Penderecki and music theory at the State Higher School of Music in Kraków (today known as Academy of Music in Kraków), from which he graduated with honours. During his studies at the State Higher School of Music in Kraków (today known as Academy of Music in Kraków) he achieved his first international successes: in 1968 the prize during the International Competition of the 'Gaudeamus' Foundation for the piece entitled Musica Con una Batuta del Tam-tam; the first prize during the Artur Malawski Competition for Composers for the piece Neusis I as well as the award for Sequenze Concerttatii received during the Competition for Young Musicians organised by the Polish Composers’ Union. The following year he won second prize in the International Competition organised by the 'Solidarity Committee' in Skopje for his piece entitled Chant de l'espoir. In 1970 Audition for flute, cello and piano was Marek Stachowski's first piece which was performed during the Warsaw Autumn festival. In 1971 he was awarded the third prize during the National Competition for Composers for the cantata 'Słowa do wierszy W. Broniewskiego' ('Words for the W.Broniewski's Poems'). He was three times awarded during the International Tribune of Composers (UNESCO) in Paris: in 1974 for Neusis II, in 1979 he was again awarded for the Divertimento for string orchestra and in 1990 for III String Quartet written on the request of the BBC Bristol. In 1974 he received the first prize in the Karol Szymanowski Competition for the piece entitle Thakurian Chants. In 1975 he was giving lectures at the Yale University (USA). One year later he received the musical prize of the city of Mönchengladbach for the piece entitled Poeme sonore. In 1984 he received the prize of the Polish Composers’ Union.

In 1952 Stachowski began attending the piano classes given by Stanisław Czerny at the State First Level Music School in Kraków. In 1959, at the State Second Level Music School he obtained a diploma in piano on a "fast-track" basis, and also in 1960 in the theory of music. In 1962 he married Maria Jabłońska.

Marek Stachowski (21 March 1936 – 3 November 2004) was a Polish composer. He received many awards and won many competitions for composers, including 1st prize at the K. Szymanowski Competition in 1974.