fot. Małgorzata Kujda

Composer, music theorist, and academic teacher.
Graduate of the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław in composition (class of Prof. Zygmunt Herembeszta) and music theory, earning diplomas with distinction in both specializations. During his studies, he was a two-time scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and Art. He also completed Postgraduate Studies in the Management of Educational and Cultural Institutions.

Professionally associated with the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław. In 1998 he completed the first-level qualification procedure, in 2005 received the degree of Doctor Habilitated of Musical Arts, and in 2014 the title of Professor of Musical Arts. Laureate of awards, distinctions, and state honors. His compositional output has become the subject of scholarly discussions and analyses.

Composer

Krystian Kiełb’s compositional work includes dozens of pieces across a wide range of genres and forms of instrumental, vocal, and vocal-instrumental music. His works have been premiered and performed in Poland and abroad, including in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, and the USA. They have been performed at music festivals, interpretation courses, performance competitions (including as obligatory works), and included in the repertoire of artistic institutions.

Academic Teacher

At the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław, Krystian Kiełb teaches composition and leads doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s seminars in composition and music theory. Over 24 years of teaching, he has lectured on subjects such as special composition, general composition, counterpoint, fugue, advanced harmony, tonal harmony, methodology of harmony teaching, piano improvisation, and music analysis.

He has supervised and reviewed numerous theses, including in composition, music theory, music education, music therapy, and management of educational and cultural institutions. By 2016, under his supervision, 23 students had graduated (7 in composition, 15 in music theory, 1 in music education), and 61 had completed postgraduate studies in Management of Educational and Cultural Institutions. In the same period, he supervised 5 and reviewed 3 doctoral dissertations, reviewed 7 habilitation procedures, and served as chair or member of habilitation committees as well as reviewer in proceedings for the title of doctor honoris causa.

Research and Outreach
Alongside artistic and teaching work, he conducts research and popularization activities. He is the author of scholarly, popular-scientific, and journalistic texts. He has presented papers, lectures, and talks at conferences, symposia, scientific sessions, interpretation courses, and public outreach events. His research interests include music theory, philosophy of music, and contemporary compositional techniques, often with an interdisciplinary approach.

Organizational and Cultural Leadership
Organizational and cultural activities hold an important place in Krystian Kiełb’s career. From 2008 to 2016 he served as Rector of the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław, and from 1999 to 2005 as Vice-Rector. Since 2017 he has been Head of the Chair of Composition at the Academy, and in 2020 was once again appointed Rector of the institution. Between 2005–2006 he headed the Section of the History of Silesian Musical Culture, and from 1998–2008 coordinated the Academy’s participation in the Lower Silesian Science Festival, where he also served on the Program Council. From 2002–2008 he directed Postgraduate Studies in Management of Educational and Cultural Institutions. Appointed an Expert of the Minister of National Education in 2000, he took an active role in implementing the Bologna Process in Polish higher education (especially in arts education), culminating in his appointment to the Bologna Experts Team by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. He has been a member of numerous collegial bodies, including: Accreditation Commission of Art Schools (2002–2012, Chair 2009–2012), College of Vice-Rectors of Wrocław and Opole Higher Education Institutions (1999–2008), Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (2008–2016, member of the Education Committee from 2012), College of Rectors of Wrocław and Opole (2008–2016, Vice-Chair 2014–2016), Council of the Lower Silesian Bureau for the Promotion of Graduates (2000–2005), From 2009–2015 he was a member of the Monitoring Committee for the Regional Operational Program of Lower Silesia (2007–2013) as representative of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. In 2013 he was appointed to the ambassador network promoting women’s activities. Since 2015 he has been a member of the Council for Arts Education at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and since 2016 of the Committee on Musical Professions. Between 2017–2019 he served as an expert for the Polish Accreditation Committee, and in 2019–2020 as a member of the first term of the Council of Scientific Excellence and the first University Council of the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music. In 2020, the Rectors of Polish arts universities entrusted him with the position of Chair of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Arts Universities. He has often been invited as a juror for various music competitions.

Major compositions:

oratorios :

• Between Love and Death – dramatic rhapsody for four solo voices, narrator, mixed choir, and large symphony orchestra, based on texts by Halina Poświatowska (1995)

orchestral works:

• Equale - symphonic sequences for large symphony orchestra (1997)
• Tetrada  for symphony orchestra (2003)
• Epitafium. Andrzej Panufnik in memoriam for symphony orchestra (2006)
• Pentagram for symphony orchestra (2006)
• Furioso -  neoclassical sketch for string orchestra (1994)
• Sinfonietta for string orchestra (1997)
• Presto ardente for string orchestra (1997)
• Phantasma for string orchestra (1997)
• Trzy liryki for soprano, piano, and string orchestra (1993, 2003)
• Concerto for harpsichord and string orchestra (2003)
• Mortis Causa for viola, piano, and string orchestra (2009)
• In Aeternum... 310311 for orchestra (2011)

chamber music :

• Latin Lyrics – a cycle of songs for mezzo-soprano and instrumental ensemble to texts by Ovid (1993)
• Antymuzyka - a cycle for string quartet (1994)
• Possession for string quartet (1994)
• Reed Trio (1994)
• Strukturokształty - quodlibet for three performers (1994)
• Nam desunt vires - song for soprano and piano to lyrics by Ovid (1993/1995)
• I Fed Black Ravens – five songs for solo tenor, double bass, and piano to texts by Tomasz Jedz (1995)
• All My Deaths – a declamatory chamber drama in three episodes for low reciting voice, solo soprano, cello, double bass, bassoon, and percussion, based on texts by Halina Poświatowska (1997)
• Destiny – three songs for solo baritone and piano, based on texts by Halina Poświatowska (2000)
• Resonet in laudibus for vocal ensemble to anonymous Latin text (2001)
• Children's Aphorisms – three miniatures for cello and piano (2002)
• Confession – song for soprano and piano to text by Stanisław Baliński (2002)
• Glimpses – song cycle for soprano and piano to texts by German poets (2002)
• De brevitate vitae - three songs for soprano and piano to words by Lucius Annaeus Seneca (2003)
• Ars vitae – three songs for soprano and piano to words by St. John of the Cross (2003)
• Thoughts – three epigraphs for tenor and harpsichord to words by Angelus Silesius (2006)
• Epipháneia – song for soprano and piano to words by St. John of the Cross (2007)
• Homo mysticus  – five epigraphs for tenor and piano to words by Angelus Silesius (2007)
• Palace of emptiness – song for soprano and piano to words by Ewa Sonnenberg (2008)
• Tadeosiana – song for soprano and piano to words by St. John of the Cross. Tadeusz Luty

  Ad Honores (2008)

• Entre Nous... 280808 - six songs for soprano and piano to words by Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska (2009)

• Versus for organ and saxophone (2017)

• Quando de Grażyna cogito… for baritone and piano, based on the composer’s own text. Professor Grażyna Pstrokońska-Nawratil ad honorem (2017)

• Alter ego for violin, cello, and piano (2018)

• Bagatele for saxophone and piano (2018)

• Epigramma III – etc.  for saxophone and keyboard instrument (2019)

  Hieroglyphos modernos  for viola and piano (2019)
  
  solo works :

• Sonata Sketches for piano (1993)
• Piano Sonata (1994)
• Tritonos - cycle for prepared piano (1995)
• Structures I for solo organ (1998)
• Structures II for solo organ (1999)
• Structures for piano (1999)
• Entrada Festiva  for solo organ (2000)
• Chamber Symphony for solo percussion (2000)
• Hejnał for solo trumpet (2001
• Structures III B-A-C-H for solo organ (2004)
• Entropě for solo double bass (2007)
• Aeras – aphoristic sketches for solo violin (2008)
•  M.F. 150413  for solo piano (2013)
• Modus for solo piano (2015)
• Pars pro toto solo cello (2015)
• Sonoris for solo organ (2016)
• Conatus for solo organ (2017)
• Dodekachordes – dodecachordal study for piano (2017)
• The Paintings for piano (2018)
• cycles of miniatures for solo instruments

theater music :

• Waiting for Don Quixote – music for a play based on a script by and directed by Jacek Głomb (1992)