Maciej Zieliński

Maciej Zielinski (born March 29, 1971) is the award-winning Polish composer, arranger and music producer, known for his contemporary classical and film scores, songs and original television music. His contemporary classical music has been awarded at 8 composers’ contests, including two international competitions and it was performed at many international festivals, including the Warsaw Autumn Festival and ISCM World Music Days. He has written scores for popular Polish movies and for independent US productions. In 2019 he received "Best Score" award at the "New Filmmakers LA Awards" in Los Angeles and nomination for "Crystal Pine Award" at the International Sound and Film Music Festival in Croatia. In 2016, 2017, and 2020 he received nominations for the Polish Film Academy Award - "Eagle" (Polish: Polskie Nagrody Filmowe: Orły) in "Best Music" category. In 2012 he was nominated for "Fryderyk" – the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (Związek Producentów Audio-Video, ZPAV) in the category "Composer of the Year". His music has been released on nearly 30 albums.

Contemporary classical music Maciej Zielinski's contemporary classical music is frequently performed at major contemporary classical music festivals, including: the Warsaw Autumn (Warszawska Jesień) in Poland, the Warsaw Music Encounters (Warszawskie Spotkania Muzyczne) in Poland, the Poznan Spring Festival (Poznańska Wiosna) in Poland, the Musica Polonica Nova in Wrocław, Poland, the International Festival of Sacred Music "Gaude Mater" in Częstochowa, Poland, the 14th Synthesizer-Musik-Festival in Braunschweig, Germany, Musica del Novocento in Rome, Italy, the Park Lane Festival in London, UK, the ISCM World Music Days, Romania, and the Presteigne Festival, Wales.

His music has been released on albums published by EMI Music Poland, Universal Music Poland, PWM Edition, Dux Records, ZPR Records, Polskie Nagrania Muza, Acte Préalable and the Polish Radio. The album that contains "I String Quartet" performed by DAFO String Quartet, published by PWM/Dux, received the "Fryderyk 2000" Award. September 2011 saw the release of his classical monographic album "Across the Millenniums – Music from the Turn of the Millenniums". In 2013 his album "V Symphony" received nomination for the "Fryderyk 2014" award in the category "Best album of the Year". In April 2000 the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music selected his composition "Lutoslawski in Memoriam" for oboe and piano for their syllabus in English Schools. His compositions have been awarded at many composers’ contests, including two international competitions (2nd Prize at the Sixth Synthesizer-Musik-Festival in Braunschweig, Germany and 3rd Prize at the International Composers' Contest Jihlava'96, Czech Republic). He was nominated for "Fryderyk 2012" Award in the category "Composer of the Year" (co-nominees: Krzysztof Penderecki and Wojciech Kilar).

Film music

Maciej Zielinski's film music is ranging from contemporary classical scores to soundtracks influenced by popular, electronic and jazz music. He frequently combines contemporary electronic sounds with acoustic instruments. He has written scores for numerous popular Polish productions, including "Never Ever" (Polish: "Nigdy w życiu") and "Just Love Me" (Polish: "Tylko mnie kochaj") dir. by Ryszard Zatorski, "the Photographer" (Polish: "Fotograf") dir. by Waldemar Krzystek and "Crime Detectives" (Polish: "Kryminalni") dir. by Ryszard Zatorski and Piotr Wereśniak. He also worked on several independent US productions, including "Initials S.G." dir. by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia, premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Films with his soundtracks boast an audience of over 10 million in Poland, while his released soundtrack albums have achieved golden and platinum status. In 2019 he received "Best Score" award at the "New Filmmakers LA Awards" in Los Angeles for his music to "Alaska is a Drag" dir. by Shaz Bennett. In the same year he received nomination for "Crystal Pine Award" at the International Sound and Film Music Festival in Croatia for the music to "What a country!" dir. by Vinko Brešan. In 2016, 2017, and 2020 he received nominations for the Polish Film Academy Award - "Eagle" (Polish: Polskie Nagrody Filmowe: Orły) in "Best Music" category for the scores to "the Photographer" dir. by Waldemar Krzystek, "Humble Servants" and "Servants of War" dir. by Mariusz Gawryś.

Popular music, songs and arrangements

As an arranger and music producer, Maciej Zieliński works with the most popular artists of the music scene in Poland, including Ania Dąbrowska - album "Wear trousers or a skirt?" (Polish: W spodniach czy w sukience?) and Kayah - album Kayah & Royal String Quartet. His song "Who Knows" performed by De Su girls band, premiered in 2001 has reached radio top charts in two consecutive years (2000, 2001). The song was also released in Hungary in 2008, sang by Hungarian singer Barbee (Hungarian title „Hógömb"), however it did not earn the popularity of the original version in Poland. His songs from the film "The Stand-ins" performed by Kayah and "Tango de amor" from the movie "Never Ever" have also enjoyed significant popularity in Poland. Maciej Zieliński has composed hundreds of TV commercials’ soundtracks, which have won him awards for the best music in TV commercials. These include Tytan’93 at Crackfilm Festival in Cracow and Kreatura’2000 award in Warsaw.

Scholarships, roles, positions

Maciej Zieliński received scholarships from the Minister of Culture and Art (1995) and the British Council (1998). In 1994–1996 he served as deputy chairman of the Youth Circle of the Polish Composers' Union (Polish: Związek Kompozytorów Polskich). He was a moderator at the 20th International Course for Young Composers in Radziejowice in 2000 and served as its director in 2003. He was a member of the National Jury of the ISCM World Music Days (2002, 2004), and of the Tadeusz Baird and "Musica Sacra" Composers’ Competitions. In 2002-2007 he served as a deputy president of the Polish Section of ISCM. In 2013 he was elected deputy president of the Polish Composers’ Union for 2013-2015 period. He is a member of ZAiKS - the Polish Society of Authors and Composers. In 2011-2012 he has been giving lectures as a visiting professor at the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź (postgraduate studies). During the 2011 - 2012 art seasons Maciej Zielinski was appointed Composer-In-Residence at the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Selected works

2020 - Three Dreams and a Lullaby for cello and piano 2020 - Impressioni Concertante for wind quintet 2018 - Time Capsule for symphonic orchestra 2016 - Accello Tanguero for cello, accordion, string orchestra and percussion 2016 - That time of year for six voices 2015 - Sonore for orchestra 2014 - Violincerto for violin and chamber orchestra 2013 - Between Yesterday and Tomorrow for flute, viola and harp 2013 - Concello for cello and string orchestra 2012 - "V" Symphony 2011 - Barocode I for violin, viola and string orchestra 2010 - Concerto Inquieto for clarinet and orchestra 2006 - Shining for string orchestra 2004 - Trio for M.B. for clarinet, violin and cello 2004 - Sololis for solo piano 2003 - Fallen Angel for percussion and tape 2000 - Oratio for solo organ 1999 - Brass Quintet 1999 - Lutosławski in memoriam for oboe and piano 1998 - Capriccio for chamber orchestra 1997 - Abruzzo – Imaginary Landscape for chamber orchestra

1996 - Symphony No. 1 1996 - A. for alto saxophone and piano 1996 - Shining for string orchestra 1996 - Tractus for unaccompanied mixed choir 1996 - Three Phrases for clarinet, trombone, cello and piano 1995 - Piano Concerto No. 1 1995 - Clouds for tape 1995 - Capriccio for solo violin 1995 - Domine, quis habitabit for unaccompanied mixed choir 1994 - Alone in a Crowd... for alto saxophone and tape 1994 - Vox Humana for percussion and amplified cello 1994 - String Quartet No. 1 1993 - Musica per archi A.D. 1993 1993 - Sonata for accordion 1993 - Capriccio for clarinet and piano 1993 - Perchoir for mixed choir and percussion 1992 - Miniatures for chamber orchestra 1991 - Variations for solo clarinet 1991 - Concertino for clarinet and piano 1989 - Miniature for string quartet

Filmography

2019 – "Servants of War" dir. by Mariusz Gawryś 2019 – "Initials S.G." dir. by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia 2018 – "What a Country!" dir. by Vinko Bresan 2018 – "Desolation" dir. by David Moscow 2017 – "With rhythm of the heartbeat" dir. by Piotr Wereśniak 2017 – "Just Friendship" dir. by Filip Zylber 2016 – "Alaska is a drag" dir. by Shaz Bennett 2016 – "The Tale of Old Miller" dir. by Pavel Grytsak 2016 – "Humble servants" dir. by Mariusz Gawrys 2015 – "Natureland" dir. by Malcolm Murray 2015 – "Sucked in" dir. by Piotr Weresniak 2015 – "Put the siren on" dir. by Leszek Korusiewicz 2014 – "Photographer" dir. by Waldemar Krzystek 2011 – "Oh, Charles 2" dir. by Piotr Weresniak

2010 – "Baby Project" dir. by Adam Dobrzycki 2008 – "It is not as you think, Honey" dir. by Slawomir Krynski 2008 – "Agents" dir. by Piotr Weresniak (TV Series) 2008 – "Darling, don't lie" dir. by Piotr Weresniak 2008 – "Once again" dir. by Mariusz Malec 2007 – "Why not!" dir. by Ryszard Zatorski 2007 – "Shades of happiness" dir. by Natalia Koryncka(TV Series) 2006 – "Stuntmen" dir. by Marcin Ziebinski 2006 – "Just love me" dir. by Ryszard Zatorski 2004 – "Crime detectives" dir. by Ryszard Zatorski (TV Series) 2004 – "Never ever" dir. by Ryszard Zatorski 2000 – "A very Christmas story" dir. by Dariusz Zawislak 1997 – "Germans" dir. by Zbigniew Kaminski 1996 – "Street games" dir. by Krzysztof Krauze