Jacek Sykulski is a composer, conductor and
choirmaster. He graduated from the Jerzy Kurczewski Choir School and the
Academy of Music in Poznań where he studied clarinet and composing in Prof.
Florian Dąbrowski’s class. He studied also in Toronto. Sykulski gained
recognition as a composer in 1991 writing music to "Abba Father" (lyrics by
father Jan Góra OP) - the anthem of the 6th World Youth Day - that became
one of the most famous religious songs in the world. In 2000, Sykulski’s
Academic Choir of Poznań University won the Giovanni Paolo da Palestrina
Choral Competition in Rome performing for the first time Sykulski’s "Kyrie".
World premieres of his other pieces took place, among
others, in New York City in 2002 ("Peace Meditation" and "Dance in the Fire"
written for the 1st anniversary of September 11), in Berlin Haus des
Rundfunks in 2003 ("Voices from the Past" written for the 60th anniversary
of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising) and in Kraków in 2004 ("The Mass of St.
Jack"). In 2005 Sykulski composed music to a documentary film about John
Paul II, and in 2006 - a piece titled Missa 1956 commissioned by the
President of Poznań for the 50th Anniversary of Poznań June Uprising.
Since 1996 Jacek Sykulski has been a conductor and an
artistic director of the Academic Choir of Adam Mickiewicz University in
Poznań. In 2003 he was appointed director of the Poznań Boys’ Choir. He also
directs his own chamber ensemble Nova Gaudia. With all those groups he gave
numerous successful concerts in the most prestigious concert halls and
churches of the whole Europe, as well as Canada, the USA, China, Japan and
Taiwan.
His pieces of music and musical arrangements enjoy
high esteem and warm reception by both musical critics and audiences.
Sykulski won numerous prizes, got many honorable mentions and his pieces are
performed by renowned artists. He recorded a dozen of CDs and programs for
the Polish Television, BBC Radio and SFB Radio Berlin. He sits on a jury of
several competitions and organizes many workshops both in Poland and abroad.
In his work, Sykulski constantly experiments searching for new forms of
musical expressions, thanks to which his ensembles set new trends not only
in Polish but also in international choral singing.
translated by Joanna M. Lewicka
avemariasongs.org
