Romuald Twardowski

Romuald Twardowski (born 17 June 1930 in Wilno / Vilnius) is a Polish composer.During years of occupation (or World War II), he studied the violin; after the war, he began learning to play the piano and organ. From 1946-1950, he played the organ for several Vilnius churches. From 1952 to 1957, he studied music composition in the conservatory of Vilnius. Afterwards, he moves to Warsaw and continues his studies at the Warsaw Academy of Music from 1957 to 1960, studying under Bolesław Woytowicz. In 1963 and 1966 he studied Gregorian chant and medieval polyphony in Nadia Boulanger's class in Paris. Since 1971 Twardowski has been a professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music.

The 1960s and 1970s were the most fruitful period for the composer. Apart from operas:

"Cyrano de Bergerac" (1962)

"Tragedy or the Story of John and Herod"(1965)

"Lord Jim" (1973)Composed ballets:

"Naked Prince" (1960)

"Wizard's Sculptures"(1963)In the 1980s, he composed operas Maria Stuart and History of St. Catherine which were also performed abroad. Twardowski composed about 200 choral works, compositions for piano and orchestra. Recently his works are still widely performed in Poland and abroad – mainly in Eastern Europe and in United States where e.g. his Trio for violin has been very successful.

He is a laureate of many prizes and distinctions. Just to name few:

1st prize of Polish Young Composers competition,

two Grand Prix in Monaco,

1st Prize of Prague Spring International Music Festival,

2nd place of UNESCO International Composers' Tribune in Paris,

prize of AGEC (1994),

2006 he received Paderewski Award (USA).Twardowski is the jury member of many choir competitions.