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Born on March 1, 1972, in Żary (Poland). In 1997, he graduated from the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław in the composition class of Grażyna Pstrokońska-Nawratil (diploma with distinction). During his studies, he honed his skills by participating in the 2nd International Young Composers Meeting in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, organized by the Gaudeamus Foundation (1996) and in experimental and computer music workshops at the University of Ghent (1997).
Since 1998, he has been professionally associated with the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław. In 2003, he obtained a Ph.D. in musical arts in composition, and in 2012, he achieved a post-doctoral degree (habilitation) in musical arts in composition. In 2020, he was awarded the title of professor of arts by the President of the Republic of Poland.
Currently, he teaches composition and computer music at his alma mater.
Marcin Bortnowski’s compositional work constitutes the core of his activities. It encompasses various musical forms and genres: symphonic, chamber, electroacoustic, choral, and solo music. His works have been performed by ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio in Katowice, the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester in Berlin, the Wrocław Philharmonic, the New Music Orchestra, Aukso - Chamber Orchestra of the City of Tychy, the Amadeus Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra, Orkest de Ereprijs, oh-tone Ensemble, Silesian Quartet, Camerata Silesia - The Katowice City Singers’ Ensemble, and the NFM Boys’ Choir. He has also collaborated with renowned soloists such as Marek Andrysek, Klaudiusz Baran, Andrzej Bauer, Maciej Frąckiewicz, Geir Draugsvoll, Jakub Jakowicz, Christine Pryn, Aleksandra Rupocińska, and Marcin Zdunik.
Marcin Bortnowski’s works have been presented at festivals both in Poland and abroad, including the International Festival of Contemporary Music “Warsaw Autumn”, Ultraschall (Berlin), Kiev Music Fest (Kyiv), Aksamitna Kurtyna (Lviv), Audio Art Festival (Cracow), Polish Contemporary Music Festival “Musica Polonica Nova” (Wrocław), Festival of Premieres (Katowice), and the Autumn Music Festival “Alkagran”. His compositions have also been performed at concerts in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Belarus, Ukraine, Luxembourg, and China. They have been broadcast by radio stations affiliated with the European Broadcasting Union (56 countries) and Polish Television.
Marcin Bortnowski’s compositions have been awarded at national and international composition competitions. He is a laureate of the Tadeusz Baird Young Composers Competition, where in 1995 he received the 1st prize for “String Quartet No. 2” and the 2nd prize for “String Quartet No. 1”, and in 1997, the 2nd prize for “Music for…” for two percussion and two accordions. In 1997, he also won the 3rd prize at the National Composition Competition in Gdańsk for “Symphony No. 1” for a large symphony orchestra, and in 2000, he received the 1st prize at the International Composition Competition PanAccordion 2000 for “Music in Lent” for accordion and string quartet. In 2011, his work “And There Shall Be No Night” for accordion and chamber orchestra represented Polish Radio at the 54th International Rostrum of Composers of UNESCO in Paris. He has been a scholarship holder of the Minister of Culture and Art, the Association of Authors ZAiKS, the Friends of Warsaw Autumn Foundation, Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung, and Deutschlandfunk. For his activities he was awarded the Bronze and Silver Cross of Merit by the President of the Republic of Poland.
Together with Stanisław Krupowicz and Marcin Rupociński, he forms the “Tonus Finalis Ensemble” specializing in electroacoustic music performance.
Marcin Bortnowski’s work is the subject of articles, analyses, scientific publications, and radio broadcasts.
Marcin Bortnowski is also the author of scientific and journalistic publications. He has participated in scientific conferences, conducted courses, and compositional workshops. He has been a reviewer in doctoral, habilitation, and professorship proceedings. He is invited to jury music competitions (compositional and performance). In 2017-2018 and 2022, he was an expert of the Evaluation Team for the science of art and artistic creation at the Committee for the Evaluation of Scientific Units and the Committee for the Evaluation of Science.
He is a member of creative associations: the Polish Society for Electroacoustic Music (since 2005) and the Polish Composers’ Union (since 1999). Since joining the Polish Composers’ Union, he has been actively involved in the work of the Wrocław Branch Board of the Polish Composers' Union, serving as secretary, treasurer, and president. He participated in the establishment of the International Festival of Electroacoustic Music “Musica Electronica Nova” in Wrocław (2005). Currently, he is a member of the Main Board of the Polish Composers’ Union.
