In the years 1969-1974 he studied composition under supervision of Piotr Perkowski and Romuald Twardowski at The Higher State School of Music in Warsaw (currently the Chopin University of Music). In the years 1980-1981, as part of a scholarship granted by the French government, he completed supplementary studies under the supervision of Oliver Messiaen in Paris.
He is a laureate of numerous awards and distinctions received as part of composition competitions, among others, in 1973 he received First Prize at the composers’ competition devoted to pedagogic work in Wrocław for 'Piano concert for the youth no. 1' (1973), in 1975 – Second Prize at the composers’ competition during the 9th Polish Piano Festival in Słupsk for 'Concertino per pianoforte e orchestra' (1975), in 1976 – First Prize at the Competition for Young Composers of the Polish Composers’ Union for 'Gradito per orchestra' (1976), in 1980 – distinction at the 19th Concorso Internazionale di Composizione 'Premio CittÁ di Trieste' for 'Concerto pesante per tuba e orchestra' (1978), that same year – the Award of the city of Darmstadt at the Chopin-Gesellschaft competition for 'Symphonie concertante per pianoforte e orchestra' (1979), two-time First Prize at the competition held by the Warsaw Branch of the Polish Composers’ Union: in 1982 – for the piece 'Intrada, elegia i postludium' for organ (1982) an in 1985 – for 'Songs of Orpheus' for countertenor, flute, oboe and harp (1985), in 1986 – Valentino Bucchi Prize in Rome for 5 pieces for piano for children 'Forest Hikes' (1985), in 1992 – Third Prize at the Karol Szymanowski Composers’ Competition for 'Music from Zawrat' for double bass and piano (1991), in 1997 – First Prize at the abovementioned competition for 'Hombark – Concerto per violino e archi' (1995) and the Award of the city of Gdańsk at the composition competition organised to celebrate 1000 years of Gdańsk for a symphonic poem for mixed choir and grand symphonic orchestra 'Hymnus Gedanensis' (1986-1997).
Moreover, he was honoured with numerous national orders, among others, Silver Cross of Merit (1996), Medal of the National Education Commission (2004) and Gloria Artis Silver Medal (2009).
Sławomir Czarnecki is a member of the Society of Authors ZAiKS, Polish Composers’ Union and the Karol Szymanowski Music Society (where he holds the position of a Deputy President). Since 2011 he has been President of the Warsaw Branch of the Polish Composers’ Union. Owing to his endeavours, the Spotkania Muzyczne Foundation was established at the Warsaw Branch in 2014.
Compositions of Sławomir Czarnecki have been incorporated into the repertoires of such recognised performers as violinist Krzysztof Jakowicz, celloist Tomasz Strahl, Amadeus Orchestra, Concerto Avenna Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw and choir Schola Cantorum Gedanensis. A number of the composer’s works have been published by Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne and TONOS from Darmstadt.
Apart from his work as a composer, he is also active as an educator. After graduation, he started working as a teacher of theory at the Józef Elsner Second Grade State Music School in Warsaw, where he currently teaches composition. In the years 1989-1992 he served as Deputy Director of that educational institution. Sławomir Czarnecki was one of the initiators behind the establishment of the Students’ Music Forum – a festival organised since 1996 at the Józef Elsner Second Grade State Music School, during which pieces composed by students and graduates of that school are presented. In 2006 he received the title of Doctor Habilitatus of Music Art in the artistic discipline of composition and music theory at the Faculty of Composition, Music Theory, Rhythmics and Artistic Education of the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź. Since 2006 Sławomir Czarnecki has worked at the Institute of Music Education of the Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, currently in the position of the Associate Professor.
Compositions
- Canzona da chiesa, Op. 1 [version I] per violino e organo (1968)
- Canzona da chiesa, Op. 1a [version II] per violino e pianoforte a 4 (1968-75)
- Prelude and nocturne, Op. 2 for flute and piano (1969)
- Cantata Igor Strawiński in memoriam, Op. 3 for mixed choir and orchestra (1971)
- Two toccatas, Op. 4 for piano (1971-1973)
- Symfonietta, Op. 5 per orchestra (1973)
- Piano Concerto for Youth no. 1, Op. 6 (1973)
- Piano Concerto for Youth no. 2, Op. 7 (1974)
- Songs for children for voice and piano (1974-1986)
- Prelude, Op. 8 for orchestra (1975)
- Concertino per pianoforte e orchestra, Op. 9 (1975)
- The Spring, Op. 10, songs for soprano and chamber ensemble (1976)
- Gradito, Op. 11 per orchestra (1976)
- Piano-Trio, Op. 12 (1977)
- Concerto pesante, Op. 13 per tuba e orchestra (1978)
- Sonata per clavicembalo, Op. 14 (1979)
- Symphonie concertante, Op. 15 per pianoforte e orchestra (1979)
- String quartet no. 1, Op. 16 (1980)
- Sonata pastorale, Op. 17 per flauto e pianoforte (1980)
- Intrada, Elegia e Postludium, Op. 18 per organo (1982)
- The Mourning Sonata, Op. 19 for violin and piano (1982)
- String Trio, Op. 24 (1983)
- Lamentationes, Op. 20 for 9 voices and 10 strings (Jerzy Popiełuszko in memoriam) (1984)
- Cantata Laudate Dominum, Op. 21 per soprano solo, basso solo, coro e orchestra (1985)
- Songs of Orpheus, Op. 22 for countertenor, flute, oboe and harp (1985)
- Forest Hikes, Op. 23, 5 pieces for piano for children (1985)
- Saxophone quintet (1987)
- Capriccio, Op. 25 per due violoncelli (1988)
- Trio basso, Op. 26 per viola, violoncello e contrabasso (1988)
- Three Visions, Op. 27 per organo (1988-90)
- The Spring, Op. 11a [version II], songs for soprano and piano to the lyrics by Halina Poświatowska (1989)
- Concerto per contrabasso e archi, Op. 28 (1991)
- Music from Zawrat, Op. 29 for double bass and piano (1991)
- Eucharistic songs for voice and organ (1992)
- Seven small etudes for piano, Op. 30 (1992)
- Via Crucis, Op. 31 per organo (1993)
- Hombark – Concerto per violino e archi, Op. 32 (1995)
- Hymnus Gedanensis, Op. 34, a symphonic poem for mixed choir and grand symphonic orchestra (1997)
- String quartet no. 2 'Spiski', Op. 33 (1997)
- Wałaski, Op. 35, a characteristic choreographic poem for string orchestra (1997)
- The Sabała Interludes, Op. 36 for oboe (1998)
- Tocatina, Op. 38 for piano for 4 hands (2000)
- The Jasna Góra Mass, Op. 37 for soprano, bass-baritone, mixed choir and orchestra (2000)
- The Tatra Sonata, Op. 39 for piano (2001)
- The Jubilee Cantata 'Let the Song Fly', Op. 40 for choir and symphonic orchestra to the lyrics by Or-Ot (2001)
- The Lily Concerto, Op. 41 for 2 violins and string orchestra (2002)
- The Jura Concerto, Op. 42 for 4 violins and string orchestra (2004)
- Two folk songs, Op. 43 for 3-voice female (or children’s) choir (2004)
- Concerto Lendinum, Op. 44 per violoncello e violino ed archi (2004-2005)
- Corona Mariae – Hymni in honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis Regina Poloniae, Op. 45 for mixed choir (2004-2006)
- The concertante symphony 'Baltic' for piano and orchestra (2015)
- Divertimento (2017)
Author: Małgorzata Kosińska, Polish Music Information Centre, Polish Composers’ Union, January 2002; update: November 2016, AG.
