Krzysztof Penderecki

Member of the Honorary Committee

His unmistakable musical language makes the Pole Krzysztof Penderecki one of the most widely performed of contemporary composers. His extensive output - as well as many works for the stage, he has composed five symphonies, various solo concertos, chamber works and vocal pieces - has won Penderecki many international prizes.

In 1961 his "Threnos,” dedicated to the victims of Hiroshima, won worldwide acclaim, and Penderecki was awarded the UNESCO prize. The "St. Luke Passion,” first performed in Münster cathedral in 1966, was the start of the composer’s international breakthrough. With honorary doctorates from a number of universities, Penderecki is now a welcome guest in the great concerthalls of the world, both as a composer and as a conductor.

(March 2006)