Born on 26th of November 1971 in Częstochowa. Marcel Chyrzyński forged his musical background at the Academy of Music in Kraków, studying composing under Marek Stachowski and receiving an honours degree in 1995, as well as instrumentation under Krzysztof Penderecki and electronic music under Marek Chołoniewski. He rounded out his musical education with Fulbright scholars Richard Boulanger, Cindy McTee and Rodney Oaks. In 1998 he obtained a PhD in composition, and in 2010 – a habilitation degree. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of Composition (specialising in composition, instrumentation and the fugue) at the Academy of Music in Kraków. In 1994 he received a grant from the city of Kraków, followed by another endowment from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in 2006.
He demonstrated his talents at a wide array of competitions, such as the Internationale Akademie für Neue Komposition in Schwaz in Austria (1994), XV Summer Composition Courses in Białystok (1995), 3rd Internationale Werkstatt für Neue Musik und Computer w Stuttgarcie (1995), 4th Contemporary Music Workshops Kraków/Stuttgart (1996) and the Summer Composition Courses in Radziejowice (1996, 1997), training under masters, such as Paul Paterson, Sylvano Bussotti, Claude Lefebvre, Joji Yuasa, Bogusław Schaeffer, Lidia Zielińska and Hanna Kulenty.
As a young composer he received first prize in the Andrzej Krzanowski National Competition for Young Composers in Bielsko-Biała both in 1988 (for Miniature for solo clarinet) and 1990 (for Three Preludes for clarinet and piano). In 1994 he received first prize at the 3rd Adam Didur National Composition Competition in Sanok for Four Lyric Poems on Love for baritone and piano. His Piece for Orchestra (1994-95) received a distinction at the Polish Radio Programme 2 Composition Competition in Warsaw in 1996. He also received third price at the 2nd and 3rd editions of the Musica Sacra National Composition Competition in Warsaw: in 1996 for Psalm 88 for mixed choir a capella and in 1997 for ...similes esse bestiis for mixed choir a capella. His Ferragosto per tromba, pianoforte e batteria won first prize at the Tadeusz Baird Young Composers Competition in Warsaw in 1997.
He has been a regular member of the Polish Composers Union since 1995 and a member of the board of the Kraków affiliate. As of 2005 he has served as a member of the board of the entire Union. As of 1998 he has been a member of the ZAiKS Artists Association and as of 2005 of the Polish Association for Electro-acoustic Music. Since 2014 he has been the director of the International Festival of Krakow Composers.
His compositions have been performed internationally, including Poland, Austria, Germany, UK, France, Holland, Italy, Spain, Greece, Kosovo, Romania, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, South Korea, Australia, New Zeland, Japan, Mexico, USA, Canada, Republic of South Africa as well as across Eastern Europe. He has participated in festivals across Poland, including Silesian Days of Contemporary Music, the MOSAICO Music Festival in Kraków, Festival of Polish Music in Krakow, Warsaw Autumn Festival, Musica Modern in Łódź, Musica Polonica Nova in Wrocław, Gaude Mater International Festival of Sacred Music in Częstochowa, Days of Krakow Composer's Music, New Music New Faces in Krakow, Festival of World Premieres in Katowice, Poznań Music Spring Festival and 'Music in Old Krakow' Festival; and across Europe, including Internationale Studienwoche für zeitgenössiche Musik in Hamburg, FIU Music Festival in Miami, Vitebsk Music Festival, International Contemporary Music Festival "Contrasts” in Lviv, The New Music Scene of Prishtina in Kosovo, Festival International de musique en Catalogne in Ceret, Cadaques International Festival of Music in Spain, UltraSchall Festival für neue Musik in Berlin, ZXZW Festival in Tilburg, Focus Music Festival in New York, International Contemporary Harpsichord Festival 'Procembalo' in Padua, Festival de Clarinete in Mexico City, Golfstream 6 Festival of Contemporary Music in Kiev, Kiev Music Fest, Sügisfestival in Tallinn and Cool Capital Biennale in Pretoria.
His works have represented the face of contemporary classical Polish music across the world, his piece Ferragosta per tromba, pianoforte e batteria (1994) and Quasi Kwazi I for solo clarinet (1998) were presented in Australia at the Dimensions of Time and Silence showcase in 1998. In 2000 he presented Extended Perception of Echo for Strings (1992) at the Midem Classique 2000 exhibition in Cannes. Recordings of his works have been published by Polish Music Publishing Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne and released as DUX, PWM-DUX, ZPR Records, Acte Préalable, Instytut Sztuki. Performances of his pieces have been aired on Polish Television, as well as on the radio in Poland, Holland, Finland, Germany and Australia.
Chyrzyński is a composer of acoustic, electro-acoustic and electronic music. He also wrote music for theatrical pieces such as Słowa Boże (Divine Words) by Ramón del Valle-Inclán, Pan Paweł (Mr. Paweł) by Tankred Dorst, Zabawa (The Party) by Sławomir Mrożek, Phaedra's Love by Sarah Kane, Legoland by Dirk Dobbrow, Tatuaż (Tattoo) by Dea Loher, Wścieklizna Show (Rabies Show) i Pokolenie porno (Porno Generation) by Paweł Jurek and Testosterone by Andrzej Saramonowicz.
He is also a performing musician, adept at playing the clarinet, saxophone, synthesizer, EWI (Electronic Win Instrument) and noise generators. He performs concerts with the (MCH)2 group, which he founded together with Marek Chołoniewski. Their repertoire includes their own compositions in electro-acoustic music and interactive music.
Major Compositions:
- Miniatura for solo clarinet (1988)
- Trzy Preludia for clarinet and piano (1990)
- For you for solo vibraphone (1991)
- Haiku for voice, clarinet, processing and computer (1991)
- Pamiętam... (I remember) for soprano and string quartet (1992)
- Extended Perception of Echo for Strings (1992)
- La Musique d'adieu pour Orchestre à cordes (1993)
- Trzy dialogi (Three Dialogues) for oboe and bassoon (1993-94)
- Cztery liryki miłosne (Four Lyrical Poems on Love) for baritone and piano (1994)
- Quasi Kwazi for solo clarinet (1994)
- Piece for String Orchestra (1994-95)
- Piece for Orchestra (1994-95)
- Überraschung Cfaj for clarinet, processing, two synthesizers and computer (1995-96)
- in c for clarinet, viola (or violin) and piano (1996)
- Psalm 88 for mixed choir a cappella (1996)
- Per diem clamavi in nocte coram te for mixed choir a cappella (1996-97)
- Quasi Kwazi II for solo clarinet (1997)
- Ferragosto per tromba, pianoforte e batteria (1997)
- ...similes esse bestiis na chór mieszany a cappella (1997)
- Quasi Kwazi III for solo clarinet (1998)
- Tribute to miles for trumpet and percussionist (1999)
- Concerto 2000 for clarinet and symphonic orchestra (1999-2000)
- Chamber Concerto 2000 for clarinet and symphonic orchestra (1999-2000)
- forMS... for solo viola (2001)
- EXCH-33 for EWI and magnetic tape (2002)
- Reflection No. 1 for string quartet (2003)
- Reflection No. 2 for solo harpsichord (2005)
- Strade di Venezia for flute, clarinet and bassoon (2005-2006)
- Mahamudra for electronic instruments (2006)
- Beelden for amplified flute, harpsichord and magnetic tape (2006)
- Dry Pieces for wind quintet (2007-2008)
- Meditation No. 1 for saxophone and symphony orchestra (2010-2011)
- Fuyu no sakura for mezzosoprano and cello (2011)
- Ukiyo-e for string orchestra (2012)
- Reflection No. 3 for two pianos (2013)
- Farewell for cello and piano (2013)
- Psalmus XXIII (Dominus regit me) for mixed choir a cappella (2013)
- Dance of Death for clarinet and piano (2013)
- Malchera. Concerto for Harp and Symphony Orchestra (2014)
- Betelgeuse for violin, cello and piano (2014)
For more on the composer, see: www.chyrzynski.com
Also see: Electroacoustic Music in Poland
Author: Małgorzata Kosińska, Polskie Centrum Informacji Muzycznej, Związek Kompozytorów Polskich (Polish Music Information Centre, Polish Composers Association). December 2002. Updated: June 2016, AG. Translated by AMG November 2013.
