Below are listed the most important information about education, work, recent activities and achievements. Short bio and some photographs to download are available on the bottom of this page.
Education and Work
Aleksander Nowak was born in 1979 in Gliwice. He began his music education with private lessons of guitar and piano (with Mrs and Mr Dzierzgowscy), and continued with guitar training in Bogusław Pietrzak’s class, at The State Music School in Gliwice, where he also made his first steps as a composer, under supervision of Ukrainian composer, Uliana Biłan.
In 2001 he began composition studies with prof. Aleksander Lasoń at The Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, and after graduating with distinctions he continued education until May 2008 with Dr Steve Rouse at the University of Louisville (USA).
In the meantime, during various masterclasses and other informal meetings, he also consulted his work with such composers as: Simon Bainbridge, Leslie Basset, Zbigniew Bujarski, Sebastian Currier, John Gibson, Eugeniusz Knapik, Peter Lieberson, Per Norgard, Krzysztof Meyer and Steven Stucky.
Currently he works at the Academy of Music in Katowice, at the Chair of Composition, where he teaches Orchestration and Composition.
Performances, Presentations and Publications
His compositions were performed by such artists and ensembles as: Urszula Kryger, Oksana Rapita, Piotr Pławner, Eugeniusz Knapik, Naomi Oliphant and Dan Weeks, Helga and Klauss Storck, Lasoń Ensemble, Silesian Quartet, The London Sinfonietta under David Atherton, AUSKO Orchestra under Marek Moś, LEOPOLDINUM Orchestra under Ernst Kovacic, The New Music Orchestra and Camerata Silesia under Szymon Bywalec, Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra under Michał Klauza, Silesian Philharmonics Symphony Orchestra and Choir under Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk, Chamber Philharmony Pardubice under Marko Ivanovic and Warsaw CELLONET Group under Andrzej Bauer during many concerts and festivals in Poland and abroad, such as: Velvet Courtain Festival in Lwow (Ukraine), Polish Music Festival in Krakow, NOSPR Premieres Festival in Katowice, Summer Music Festival in Rycerka Górna, New Music Festival in Louisville (USA), Przemyśl Music Autumn, Musica Polonica Nova Festival or International Warsaw Autumn Festival.
In June 2007, his piece Fiddler’s Green and White Savannas Never More was presented by the Polish Radio at the 54 UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers in Paris. In May 2010 his chamber opera Sudden Rain directed by Maja Kleczewska was premiered at the National Opera in Warsaw.
He is a co-author of music in Konstanty Kulik’s film In Search of a Legend showed succesfully on many international film festivals, and broadcasted by the Planete Television, and of several soundtracks in video productions.
In 2009 the first monographic CD of Aleksander Nowak’s works Fiddler’s Green was releasd, published by the Silesian Society of Music, and the Polish Radio in Katowice.
Since 2008 his compositions has been published by the Polish Music Edition and the Euterpe Edition.
Commissions and Achievements
His works were commissioned by e.g.: Polish Music Festival in Krakow, Silesian Guitar Autumn: in Tychy, Warsaw Autumn Friends Society with support of the Ernst von Siemens Foundation in Munich, International Warsaw Autumn Festival, Polish Composers' Union, Foundation of the Promotion of Young Cellists.
He is a laureate of The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage "Młoda Polska" Scholarship, Moritz von Bomhard Fellowship, Silesian Marshall Award, President of Gliwice City Award and The University of Louisville Dean’s Citation. In 2008 his piece Last Days of Wanda B. was among the seven final nominees to the prestigious OPUS Award given by Polish Public Media.
Other Activities
Since 2008 he is a co-therapist in Music Therapy programe at the Special Care 24hrs Facility for Abused and Neglected Children in Katowice-Bogucice.
He took part in several sailing expeditions, e.g. to Spitsbergen in 2005 and through the Northwest Passage in 2006, in its’ first stage – from Poland to Iceland.
He is a member of the Polish Composers’ Union. Since January 2011 Aleksander Nowak is the President of the Katowice Branch.
Short Biography