Klaudia Pasternak
contemporary music composer and opera conductor
I was born in Warsaw, into a musical family. I made performance debiut when I was 5, on the stage of the Grand Theater in Warsaw, as a supernumerary child in such operas as: Moniuszko’s Halka (directed by Maria Fołtyn), Mozart’s The Magic Flute (directed by Marek Weiss-Grzesiński) and Rimsky-Korssakov’s The Golden Cockerel (directed by Laco Adamik).
My musical education began when I was 7 years old. At 11 I started playing the drums while at 12 I wrote my first work – Suite for piano. I continued to play drums in the Jozef Elsner State Music School (2nd level) where I attended the improvization and composition classes. Then I became interested in conducting – at first in choral and then symphonic. In 2004/2005 I graduated from The Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw with two majors: composition and opera-symphonic conducting.
In 2000 and 2005 I was nominated to a prestigious award “Polityka’s Passports” for outstanding young artists creating in various artistic fields, founded by the leading Polish weekly “Polityka”. In 2000 I participated in the 20th International Composition Class in Radziejowice organized by the Polish Society for Contemporary Music and tutored by Christina Asher and Louis Andriessen. In 2003 I participated in conducting master classes in Austria, tutored by Polish conductor Antoni Wit. In 2005 I attended composition master classes in France, taught by an American composer Betsy Jolas. In 2003 I was invited to the United States where I lead a series of lectures at the University of Oregon of my own composition work and the Polish contemporary music. During that stay my choral piece Sancte Angele Dei was performed a number of times by Oregon Repertory Singers. In 2016 I took part in the 4th edition of master classes for film music composers as part of the FMF – Film Music Festival in Krakow, tutored by Holywood score editor Daniel Carlin. In 2016 I conducted the world première of my own work written for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone and strings entitled Songs of my own words ordered and performed as part of my cooperation with the Jan Kiepura Mazovian Music Theatre in Warsaw.
Memberships in the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAiKS), the Polish Association of Performing Artists (SAWP) and the International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) with position of the Vice-President since 2018.
Concerts and festivals
My works have been performed in Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, France, Italy, USA, Switzerland, Sweden and Japan. Some of the festivals and concerts in which my music has been performed:
“Young Talents’ Concert” in the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, “Schumannfest 2004” Festival in Dusseldorf, Germany, Oregon Bach Festival Composer Symposium in Portland, USA, choral festivals in Florida, Portland, Chicago, USA, multiple performances in the Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio of the Polish Radio in Warsaw, including the concert of the “Warsaw Generations” series, a concert in the Music Academy in Lucerne, Switzerland, 20th Organ Seminar in Legnica, 4th Festival of Passion and Paschal Music in Poznan, 7th International Festival of Sacral Songs “Lapskie Te Deum”, a concert of the Arizona State University, USA, a concert of the Northern Arizona University, USA, “Ars-Liturgica” Concert in Torun, performances in the Music Theatre in Lublin and in the University of Music in Warsaw, 24th Choral Meetings in Gliwice, 10th Witold Lutosławski Contemporary Music Festival in Szczecin, Polish days of the “Musikhost” Contemporary Music Festival in Denmark, “Musica Sacra” International Festival in Czestochowa, 6th European Choral Meetings in Warsaw, 8th International Choral Competition in Slovenia, Lent Concert in The Grand Theater in Warsaw, “Polish Contemporary Music” concert in the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, concert of the Circle of the Youth of the Polish Composers’ Association (ZKP) accompanying the “Warsaw Autumn” Festival, choral concert in Kyoto, Japan, concert of the Warsaw Branch of the Polish Composers’ Association (ZKP) in the “Musical Seasons – Autumn” series, choral concert in Göteborg, Sweden.
Media
My music was broadcast in Polish Television (TVP), Polish Radio, Kampus Radio, Bis Radio, radio stations in Germany and Denmark.
In 2005 I started to work with Polish Television (TVP2) – I wrote music to the TV show entitled Creative Valley which focused on looking for new talents and promoting young artists. In 2008 TVP invited me to participate in the show as a juror. My task was to select and award the most interesting music pieces sent in from all over Poland.
Recordings
In 2005 the Ave vere choral piece was recorded and published on a CD by the Acte Prealable publishing company. It was also recorded by the “Musica Viva” choir and released on a CD entitled “Credo” in 2006. In that same year the Pacific Youth Choir recorded my work Ave Stella Matutina and included it in the CD album entitled “Songs of Light”. In 2007 I recorded my own works in cooperation with the Recording Studio of Radio Katowice. In 2010 the concert with the piece entitled Sancte Angele Dei performed by Ensemble Academy Kyoto was published on a DVD in Japan.
Performers
Over the years I have collaborated with many outstanding artists and musicians who have played my music, including Silesian String Quartet, Mark-Andreas Schlingensiepen’s notabu.ensamble, Pacific Youth Choir conducted by Mia Savage, Alla Polacca choir of The Grand Theater in Warsaw, The Wilanow String Quartet, Maria Gabrys – pianist, Paweł Wrobel – organist, Marek Bracha – pianist, Oregon Repertory Singers choir conducted by Gil Seeley, Częstochowa Philharmonic, Dariusz Samol – saxophonist, Paweł Siwczak – pianist, Adam Bogacki – double bass player, Camerata Silesia, Grzegorz Szostak – bass-baritone, Musica Viva Chamber Choir of the Poznan University of Economics and Business, Music Theatre in Lublin, Jan Kiepura Mazovian Music Theatre, Academic Choir Camerata Jagellonica of the Jagiellonian University, Vocal Art Ensemble, Ensemble Academy Kyoto, Grażyna Szapolowska – actress, Marcin Bronikowski – baritone.
Conducting
In 2003 I cooperated with the Baden Sinfonietta orchestra in Austria as part of master classes. In 2005 I entered into a cooperation with the Częstochowa Philharmonic where I conducted the première performance of my own composition entitled Fantasy on the Theme of Schumann, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in B-flat minor and Schumann’s Symphony No. 1. In that same year, in France, conducted the closing concert ending the master classes with Betsy Jolas. In the 2007/2008 season I worked as a conductor in the Music Theatre in Lublin where I prepared the première of the Verdi’s La Traviata and had the opportunity to conduct performances as Der Vogelhändler, Fiddler on the Roof and Die Fledermaus and worked on a number of performances such as The Gypsy Baron. I have also been one of conductors during the 60th Anniversary of the Music Theatre Jubilee Concert where I directed the extracts from A. J. Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and my own overture opening the concert entitled Opertura. In the 2008/2009 season I started to work for the Mazovian Music Theatre in Warsaw where I conducted such concerts and performances as Die Fledermaus featuring Daniel Olbrychski. I also worked on the première of the Countess Maritza operetta and for the purposes of that performance I made a jazz arrangement of the piece called Orfeum (for voice and orchestra) which was then performed by Grażyna Szapołowska. In 2009 I entered into cooperation with the Grand Opera in Łódź where I prepared the première of the Weber’s Der Freischütz. In 2016 I renewed my cooperation with the Mazovian Music Theatre in Warsaw where I took a position of a music director supervising the preparation of my own composition entitled Songs of my own words.
Awards and scholarships
At the age of 16 I received a composition prize first ever. At the age of 19 came first international composition award. I am first Polish female composer (second after K. Penderecki) who received three composition awards in the U.S. Since then, here are some of the numerous:
Scholarship granted by the Fund for Supporting the Artistic Activity of the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAiKS), 2017
Artistic scholarship granted by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, 2016
Scholarship granted by the Fund for Supporting the Artistic Activity of the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAiKS), 2016
Scholarship granted by the Fund for Supporting the Artistic Activity of the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAiKS), 2015
Finalist of the International Composition Competition “Unique forms of continuity in space” organized by the Italian Institute in Melbourne, Australia, 2010
Scholarship granted by the Fund for Supporting Artistic Activity under the program of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, 2006
2nd Award (the first award was not granted to any composer) in the Fifth International Composition Competition “Città di Pescara” in Italy, granted for a piano composition entitled Seven Faces of…, 2006
“Young Poland” Scholarship for outstanding creators granted by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, 2005
Honor in the International Composition Competition held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz, awarded for a string quartet piece entitled Devil’s elbow, 2004
Scholarship granted by the Fund for Supporting the Artistic Activity of the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAiKS), 2003
Honor in the International Composition Competition “Waging Peace through Singing” in the USA for a composition entitled Kayo, 2002
Highest Honour (1st Award) in the International Composition Competition “Waging Peace through Singing” in the USA, awarded for a work written for an a cappella mixed choir and entitled Sancte Angele Dei, 2002
Top Honour (2st Award) in the International Composition Competition “Waging Peace through Singing” in the USA, awarded for a choral composition entitled Pieśń (Chanson), 2002
Honour in the International Composition Competition “Jihlava 2002” in the Czech Republic awarded for a work written for an a cappella female choir entitled Pieśń (Chanson), 2002
2nd Award in the 7th Composition Competition “Musica Sacra” in Częstochowa, granted for a work written for an a cappella mixed choir and entitled Ave vere, 2002
3rd Award in the Ivan Spassov International Composition Competition in Bulgaria, granted for the composition entitled Kayo, 2001
3rd Award in the 9th Adam Didur All-Poland Composition Competition in Sanok, granted for a work written for a bass voice and piano and entitled Kayo. The jury was presided by Krzysztof Penderecki, 2001
Artistic scholarship granted by the Minister of Culture and Arts, 2000
3rd Award in the 3rd International Composition Competition “Premio città di Pescara” in Italy, granted for a piano composition entitled Cogitationes, 2000
1st Award in the 2nd All-Poland Composition Competition “Patri Patriae” in Katowice for a piece dedicated to John Paul II, received for a piece written for a string trio and entitled Obrazki z Tatr (Pictures from Tatra Mountains). The jury was presided by Wojciech Kilar, 1998
3rd Award in the 2nd All-Poland Composition Competition accompanying the International Eucharistic Congress “Liturgia Sacra” in Opole received for a piece written for a mixed choir and organ and entitled Missa brevis, 1997
3rd Award in the 1st All-Poland Composition Competition for the Best Carol in Będzin received for the sacral piece entitled Jesus written for voice and piano with an arrangement for a 4-voice mixed choir, 1996
Newest compositions
Extrapolation for tuba, 2017
Roman Novellas, ballet triptych dedicated to Janka Rudzka, for dancers, soprano, baritone, choir and orchestra, 2016
Songs of my own words for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone and strings, 2016
Jekyll & Hyde case study, violin duet (transcription for violas), 2015
Mysterium Iniquitatis, oratorio for mezzo-soprano, actor and organ, 2015
Music for media
Indigo, documentary movie trailer, Poland/France, 2017
Creative Valley, TV show, Polish Television TVP2, 2005
