Department of Composition and Theory of Music

The Department of Composition and Theory of Music runs teaching activity related to composition and theory of music. It focuses leading Polish composers and theoreticians. The Department’s aim is providing versatile education for its students, allowing for their independent creative and research work, thanks to equipping its graduates with composition, research and practical skills related to composition, orchestration, counterpoint, electronic music (group of subjects called “Electronic, Film and Theatre Music”), illustrative music (film and theatre music) and analysis and interpretation of music pieces, history of music (Polish and foreign), cultural texts and musical styles, musical knowledge, harmony and hearing education.

Working under the guidance of experienced pedagogues, male and female students of the Department have the opportunity to actively participate in many concerts, conferences, courses and workshops organized by the constituent units of the Department: Department of Composition (Head: dr hab. Ignacy Zalewski, prof. UMC), Department of Music Theory (Head: prof. dr hab. Katarzyna Szymańska-Stułka), New Music Study (Head: ad. dr hab. Leszek Lorent), Chopin University Electronic Music Studio (Head: ad. dr hab. Wojciech Błażejczyk), as well as a new music ensemble functioning in cooperation with the Department of Instrumental Studies, the Chopin University Modern Ensemble (artistic director: dr hab. Ignacy Zalewski, prof. UMFC) and the Scientific and Artistic Circle (supervisors: ad. dr Aleksandra Bilińska-Słomkowska, as. mgr Michał Malec). Both departments have faculty studios exploring the most important issues of musical work and musical culture. The Department provides opportunities for male and female students to become widely known in the music market through regular concert activity (opportunities for world premieres during the Concerts of the Department of Composition, the New Music Studio and the Chopin University Modern Ensemble), cooperation with the publishing house Chopin University Press (publication of scores and CD recordings), participation in seminars, conferences and research projects.

The Department's calling card is its graduates, among them. Witold Lutosławski, Paweł Szymański, Paweł Mykietyn, Andrzej Panufnik, Franciszek Maklakiewicz, Henryk Wars, Victor Young, Maciej Małecki, Augustyn Bloch, Marian Borkowski, Elżbieta Sikora, Zygmunt Krauze, Stanislaw Krupowicz, Jerzy Maksymiuk, Bernadetta Matuszczak, Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz, Stanisław Moryto, Marta Ptaszyńska, Jerzy Kornowicz, Krzysztof Knittel, Kazimierz Sikorski, Tomasz Sikorski, Tadeusz Baird, Grażyna Bacewicz, Marcin Błażewicz. Among the honorary professors of the UMFC are those associated with the Department: prof. dr Marian Borkowski and prof. dr Mieczysława Demska-Trębacz. 

The Department cooperates with the leading cultural institutions in the country, including the Polish Composers' Union, the ZAiKS Authors' Association, the “Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music, the Art Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as with universities and cultural institutions at home and abroad. Students of the department participate in the Erasmus+ international exchange program.