Aleksander Nowak writes music for different sizes of instrumental and vocal-instrumental ensembles, from solo, through chamber, to symphonic and stage. Smetimes he also creates film music and soundtracks for various audio-visual projects, using traditional instrumentation, and occasionally also electronic sources.
Education and Work
Aleksander Nowak was born in 1979 in Gliwice. His music education began with private lessons of guitar and piano (with Mrs and Mr Dzierzgowscy), and continued 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 careful supervision of Ukrainian composer, Uliana Biłan.
In 2001 he started composition studies with prof. Aleksander Lasoń at The Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, and after graduating with distinctions he continued education under Dr Steve Rouse at the University of Louisville (USA), obtaining a Master of Arts degree in May 2008.
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, Krzysztof Meyer, Marc Satterwhite and Steven Stucky.
Currently he works as an Assistant (lecturer) at the Academy of Music in Katowice, at the Chair of Composition, where he teaches Orchestration and Information Technologies. Since 2008 he also cooperates with the Chilid company, which produces video in media.
Performances, Presentations and Publications
His compositions were performed by such artists and ensembles as: Urszula Kryger, Piotr Pławner, Eugeniusz Knapik, Naomi Oliphant and Dan Weeks, Helga and Klauss Storck, Lasoń Ensemble, The London Sinfonietta, Aukso Orchestra, Leopoldinum Orchestra, The New Music Orchestra in Katowice, Silesian Philharmonics Symphony Orchestra and The Silesian Quartet, 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 or International Warsaw Autumn Festival. His music was also many times broadcasted by the Polish Radio. In May 2010, his chamber opera Sudden Rain had its' premiere 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 came out, published by the Silesian Society of Music, and the Polish Radio in Katowice.
Since 2008 his scores are being published by the Polish Music Edition, and Euterpe Edition.
Commissions and Achievements
His works were commissioned by: 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 and The Silesian Quartet.
He is a laureate of e.g.: 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’ Society.
Short Biography