Jan A. P. Kaczmarek

Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
Born	Jan Andrzej Paweł Kaczmarek (1953-04-29) 29 April 1953 Konin, Poland
Occupation	Composer
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Elżbieta Bieluszko - Kaczmarek, (1977- div. 2014)
Website	jan-ap-kaczmarek.com

Jan Andrzej Paweł Kaczmarek (born 29 April 1953) is a Polish composer who has lived and worked in the United States since 1989. He has written the scores for more than 50 feature films and documentaries, including Finding Neverland (2004), for which score he won an Academy Award and National Board of Review award. Other notable scores were for Hachi: A Dog's Tale, Unfaithful, Evening, The Visitor, and Washington Square.

Early life and education

Jan A.P. Kaczmarek was born in 1953 in Konin, Poland. Studying music from an early age, he graduated in law studies from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.

Career

In the late 1970s, Kaczmarek started working with Jerzy Grotowski and his innovative Theater Laboratory. He created the Orchestra of the Eighth Day in 1977. He recorded his first album, Music for the End (1982), for the United States (US) company Flying Fish Records.

In 1989, Kaczmarek moved to Los Angeles, California in the US. In 1992 he won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play for his incidental music for 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. His music has been released by Sony Classical, Decca, Varèse Sarabande, Verve, Epic, Milan, and Savitor Records. He gives concerts in the United States and Europe.

In 2005, Kaczmarek received the Academy Award for Best Original Score for Finding Neverland, directed by Marc Forster, on which he worked with music editor Christopher Kennedy, among others. Kaczmarek also won the National Board of Review award for Best Score of the Year and was nominated for a Golden Globe and the BAFTA's Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music.

In addition to his work in films, Kaczmarek was commissioned to write two symphonic and choral pieces for two important national occasions in Poland: Cantata for Freedom (2005) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Solidarity movement, and Oratorio 1956 (2006) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a bloody uprising against totalitarian government in Poznań, Poland. Both premieres were broadcast live on Polish national television.

He received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Reborn Poland (the Order of Polonia Restituta) for his outstanding artistic achievements and the promotion of Polish Culture.

Kaczmarek is a member of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, European Film Academy and Polish Film Academy.

In 2007, Kaczmarek began working to set up a film institute in his home country of Poland. Inspired by the Sundance Institute, he intends for the new institute to serve as a European center for the development of new work in film, theater, music and new media. His Instytut Rozbitek (Rozbitek Institute) opened in 2010.

Kaczmarek is the founder and director of the Transatlantyk Festival, in Łódź (from 2016; 2011-2015 in Poznań), Poland. The first edition of the international film and music festival was organized in 5–13 August 2011, 2nd edition in 15–22 August 2012, 3rd edition in 2–9 August 2013, 4th edition in 8–14 August 2014 and 5th edition in 7-14 August 2015.

Works

Film

Television

Awards

See also

• List of Poles

External links

• Jan A.P. Kaczmarek - Official Site
• Jan A.P. Kaczmarek at the Internet Movie Database
• Jan A.P. Kaczmarek at Culture.pl