Andrzej Roman Kurylewicz (<small>Polish pronunciation</small>: ; 24 November 1932 â 12 April 2007), was a Polish composer, pianist, trombonist, trumpet player and conductor. His works range from classical music, including both chamber and orchestral music, to theatrical, film, ballet, and jazz. He was shaped in the tradition of classical music and pioneered Polish jazz, pursuing a parallel career. He gained nationwide popularity by writing music for Janusz Morgenstern's 1976 TV series Polskie drogi.
Kurylewicz was born in Lwów, Second Polish Republic (now Lviv, Ukraine). His musical education began at the Lwów Music School under Stanisà Âaw Ludkiewycz when he was aged 6. From 1946 to 1950, he continued his education at the Instytut Muzyczny in Gliwice. Between 1950 and 1954, he studied classical piano under Henryk Sztompka and composition under Stanisà Âaw Wiechowicz at the Paà Âstwowa Wyà ¼sza Szkoà Âa Muzyczna in Kraków. In 1954, he was excluded from academic life owing to Kurylewicz's professional involvement with jazz and his refusal to join the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR, or Polish Communist Party).
In 1954, by invitation of Wà Âadysà Âaw Szpilman, Kurylewicz accepted a full-time position at the Polish Radio in Kraków and found his own ensemble, Sekstet Organowy Polskiego Radia. In 1957, he became the first Polish musician from behind the Iron Curtain to receive the first prize at the Stuttgart Jazz Festival in West Germany. In 1958, he married the singer Wanda Warska and wrote his Opus 1 for piano solo, Somnambulicy and film music for Ostatni Strzaà Â. The following year, he made his debut as a theatre music composer with KsiÃ à ¼Ã Niezà Âomny by Juliusz Sà Âowacki and directed by Mieczysà Âaw Kotlarczyk. In addition, he wrote music for the film "Powrót", directed by Jerzy Passendorfer. From 1964 to 1966, he directed the Orkiestra Polskiego Radia i Telewizji in Warsaw and lost this position after his second refusal to join the PZPR. In the period of 1964-68 he wrote his Opus 2, Concerto na tematy Adama JarzÃÂbskiego (I, II, III).
In 1965, Kurylewicz set up Piwnica Artystyczna Kurylewiczów together with his wife, Wanda Warska, and was joined by his daughter Gabriela Kurylewicz in 1987. From 1969 to 1978, he became the founder and leader of the ensemble Formacja Muzyki Wspóà Âczesnej (Contemporary Music Formation), known for performing contemporary jazz and European avant garde music, and they travelled in the West. He established himself as a theatrical composer, working together with directors such as Mieczysà Âaw Kotlarczyk, Zygmunt Hübner, Adam Hanuszkiewicz, and Erwin Axer, and wrote film music for Jerzy Passendorfer, Janusz Morgenstern (Polskie drogi 1976), (Lalka 1977, Droga, Domy z deszczu), Janusz Majewski (Sublokator, Lekcja martwego jÃÂzyka), (Nad Niemnem), and Janusz Zaorski, (Panny i Wdowy).
From 1970 onwards, Kurylewicz mainly composed classical music: solo instrumental works (for example Piano Crumbs for piano, Impromptu avec Romarin for harpsichord, Due Pezzi Semplici for organ, Drzeworyt I and II for flute, Moods for double bass and Tubesque for tuba); sacred music (Missa Brevis, Te Deum, Five Psalms after the Roman Missal, Ave Maris Stella, Ave Maria); chamber works (String Quartets I, II, III and IV, String Trio Dormitina and three piano trios Trio per Tre, Tango Rubio, El Dancion Sentimental); piano quintets (Gabriela, Larghetto Kamienie Staromiejskie) and brass trios and quintets. Moreover, he wrote for string orchestra (Psalm 60, Szkic do Krajobrazu, Sonet, Serenata Leopolitana, Witraà ¼ w Miejscowoà Âci N.) and symphonic orchestra (Schema Quatro per Quatro, Adagio da Dramma, Suita Symfoniczna Pan Tadeusz, Suita Symfoniczna Polskie Drogi, two Symphonic Poems In Verona and Godzina siàZnià ¼a, Symphonic Sketch DziesiÃÂàSekwencji Nad Niemnem and Msza Warszawska).
Kurylewicz wrote congenial song cycles set to the poems of Jan Kochanowski, Juliusz Sà Âowacki, Zygmunt Krasià Âski, Cyprian Kamil Norwid, Stefan Garczyà Âski, Alexander Pushkin, Reiner Maria Rilke, Osip Mandelstam, Czesà Âaw Mià Âosz, Halina Poà Âwiatowska, Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, Jarosà Âaw Iwaszkiewicz, Stanisà Âaw Grochowiak, Zbigniew Herbert, Carmina Burana, German baroque poets, Julia Hartwig, Ludmià Âa Marjaà Âska, Gabriela Kurylewicz and lyrics by Wanda Warska and Agnieszka Osiecka.
In 1999, Kurylewicz established the Kurylewicz Trio (Andrzej Kurylewicz - piano, Paweà  Paà Âta - double bass, Cezary Konrad - percussion) which Bohdan Pociej described as "enchanting by its lightness, charme, elegance, taste, precision, concise harmonies, innovative variations, form and lyricism." During the last years of his life he performed piano works by Karol Szymanowski and Frederic Chopin. Every Monday, with his Kurylewicz Trio, with Wanda Warska and Gabriela Kurylewicz he performed in the Piwnica Artystyczna Kurylewiczów. In 1984 he became the Composer in Residence of the City of Wilhelmshaven (West Germany) and in 1989 he began a collaboration with the University of Kansas (USA).
Kurylewicz died of a heart attack in his sleep on 12 April 2007 in Konstancin-Jeziorna and was buried at the Powàzki Cemetery in Warsaw. From 2007, according to the will of the composer, Gabriela Kurylewicz and her '"Fundacja Forma" published the critical and complete edition of his Opera Omnia, and initiates and produces the annual festival of music and poetry, the "Andrzej Kurylewicz Music Days". His music is performed at the "Piwnica Artystyczna Kurylewiczów" in Warsaw and regularly at Steinway Hall in London; the complete list of his works is available on the website of the Piwnica Artystyczna Kurylewiczów and Fundacja Forma.
As Andrzej Kurylewicz Quintet: