Chair of Composition

The Chair of Composition focuses outstanding Polish composers whose creative work resulted in numerous successes worldwide. Members of the Chair of Composition deal with artistic, academic and teaching work, preparing future music creators. The aim of the studies is that students acquire a vast range of skills related to composition, with special emphasis on contemporary composition techniques. The Chair of Composition is responsible for the group of subjects taught both at the Department of Composition and Theory of Music and at other Departments, such as: Composition, Harmony, Harmony Exercises, Counterpoint, Orchestration, Study of Instruments, Score Reading, Contemporary Composition Techniques, or Electronic Music. In 1999, at the initiative of Marian Borkowski, the following specialist labs were created: Contemporary Composition Techniques Lab (headed by Asst. Prof. dr hab. Ignacy Zalewski), and Orchestration and Study of Instruments Lab (Asst. Prof. dr Andrzej Karałow).

Since 1990, part of the Chair of Composition has also been the Chopin University Electronic Music Studio formerly called Computer Music Studio, which was founded at the initiative of Prof. Włodzimierz Kotoński. The Studio’s artistic achievements cover over 200 compositions produced by the UMFC students and graduates, as well as other creators collaborating with the Studio. Since the beginning of its existence, the Studio has annually organised concerts devoted to the presentation of its latest productions and it has co-organised artistic events, courses and academic conferences.

Electronic, Film and Theatre Music  is a new package of subjects aimed for students majoring in composition and students from other departments who are interested in composition and production of electronic, film and theatre music, using the state-of-the-art technologies meant for creating music and multimedia works, and utilising computer tools in performance practice. Part of this package are such subjects as: Film Music Composition, Theatre Music Composition, Live Electronics Production, and more.

The Chair of Composition publishes materials from sessions, books from the field of contemporary music analysis, composition techniques, music aesthetics, and contemporary music performance. Since 2000, its employees have also taught classes as part of the two-year Postgraduate Studies in Composition (supervisors: Prof. Marian Borkowski [2000-2008], Asst. Prof. dr hab. Alicja Gronau-Osińska [since 2008]).