TWARDOWSKI, Romuald (1930-2024)

He was born on 17th June 1930 in Vilnius. His first contact with music was in 1942 when he started learning to play the violin with W. Gelarda. As a student of the State University School of Music of the Lithuanian SSR he met T. Baird and H. Czyż in Vilnius. This meeting confirmed the composer in his decision to leave Vilnius, which he did after obtaining the School’s diploma in 1957. In Warsaw where he came to live he was admitted to the third year of studies in Bolesław Woytowicz’s music composition class at the State Higher School of Music. He graduated from it in 1960. In 1963 and 1966, as a participant of the French government scholarship program, he supplemented his music composition studies with Nadia Boulanger as his instructor. He was one of the most prolific Polish composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, repeatedly awarded at competitions in Poland and abroad. He was the recipient of awards from the Polish Composers' Union [Związek Kompozytorów Polskich] (1961, 1995), the UNESCO International Composers' Tribune in Paris (1963), the Prince Rainier III of Monaco International Composition Prize (1965, 1968, 1973), among others. His oeuvre consists of more than 300 compositions, most of which have become a permanent part of concert life in Poland and abroad. From 1972 to 2008 he taught at the State Higher School of Music in Warsaw (now the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music). He sat on the jury of many music competitions, including the international Festival of Orthodox Music 'Hajnówka', which he initiated. For his artistic activity he was honored with many awards, including: Knight's Cross (1974) and Officer's Cross (1985) of the Order of Polonia Restituta, Order of St. Mary Magdalene of the First Degree of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church (1996), Gold Badge with a Diamond of the Polish Association of Choirs and Orchestras [Związek Chórów i Orkiestr] (2007), The Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture (2010), Special Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2015). Romuald Twardowski cooperated with the Publishing House EUTERPE since 2007. He died in Warsaw on 13th of January 2024.