Synowiec, Ewa (Krystyna)

Synowiec, Ewa (Krystyna), Polish composer, teacher, and pianist; b. Krakow, April 12, 1942. She received training in piano from Ludwik Stefañski (honors degree, 1967) and in composition from Bogustaw Schaeffer (graduated, 1973) at the State Higher School of Music in Krakow. In 1967-68 she held a French government scholarship in Paris, where she completed her piano training with Susanne Roche and Vlado Perle-mutter. From 1966 to 1975 she taught piano at the State Higher School of Music in Krakow, and then piano and composition at the Gdansk Academy of Music, where she became a prof. in 1991.

Works

orch: Szkice (Sketches) for Chamber Orch. (1971); Schizofonia (1971); 72 (1972); Fantazja in B (Fantasy in B) for Trumpet and Orch. (1973; also for Trumpet and Piano); Syntonia for Strings (1976); Concerto for Strings (1978); Spiegel-spiel (1980-81); Concertino for 3 Soloists and Strings (1980); Temat z wariacjami (Theme with Variations) for Strings (1982; also for String Quartet); Trivium for Flute or Marimba and Orch. (1983); Sezon w piekle (Une saison en enfer) (1983); Apokalipsa for Organ and Brass Ensemble (1985-86).CHAMBER: Dwugìos (Two Parts) for Flute and Piano (1966); 4 Duets for Winds (1966); 3 X 4 for Flute, Alto, Saxophone, and Bassoon (1966); 3 string quartets: No. 1 (1966), No. 2, ósemkowy (quaver-note quartet; 1971), and No. 3, Resume (1977; Gdansk, May 16, 1978); Maty kwintet (Little Quintet) for Winds (1967); String Trio (1967); Composition No. 2 for Flute (1968); I+ II for Cello and Saxophones (1968); Quartettino d’archi for Strings (1969); Gra (Play) for 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 Trumpeters (1972); Serial dia Ryszarda for Recorder (1973); Plus ça change—plus c’est la même chose for String Sextet (1973); Fantazja in B (Fantasy in B) for Trumpet and Piano (1973; also for Trumpet and Orch.); Martwa natura (Still Life) I for Flute, Trumpet, Violin, Viola, and Vibraphone (1974), II for 9 Instruments (1974), III, UDMSW for 6 Instruments (1975), and IV for Flute, Trumpet, and Vibraphone (1976); Solo for Percussionist (1975); TV-Poker for Any 4 Winds and Tape (1975); Kompozycja jednostronna (One-Sided Composition) for Violin (1976); Wersja nr 3 (Version No. 3) for Violin (1976); Fantazja (Fantasy) for Violin (1976); Da camera for Flute, Violin, and Cello (1977; Gdansk, March 5, 1978); Postscriptum for Piano and Percussion (1977; Poznan, April 17, 1978); Pory roku (Seasons) for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1978); Sonata for Solo Violin (1980); Temat z wariacjami (Theme with Variations) for String Quartet (1982; also for String Orch.); ABRA... for Oboe and English Horn (1985; Wroclaw, Feb. 20, 1988). KEYBOARD: Piano: Piece for 2 Pianos (1966); Sonata in Open Form (1966); Sonata minima (1967); 2 numbered sonatas (1969, 1980); Change for 2 Pianists (1972); Alternative I for Piano or 2 Pianos (1978) and 77 for Piano or 2 Pianos (1978). Harpsichord: Alternative II for Harpsichord or 2 Harpsichords (1979; also for Piano or 2 Pianos); Quasimodo (1986). VOCAL: Psalm XXII for Alto, Flute, Violin, and Celesta (1967); Psalmodia for Alto and Chorus (1968); Tytus for Voice, Flute, and Cello (1973); Fragmenty do Tekstów Safony (Fragments to Sappho’s Poems) for Voice and 2 Flutes (1974); Dedykacja (Dedication) for Chorus (1983). GRAPHIC: Sinfonietta da camera for Any 10 to 15 Players (1980); Muzyka i mozg (Music and the Brain) for Freely-Selected Players (1982; Katowice, Dec. 16, 1984); Glosy ze sciany (Voices from the Wall) for Orch. (1982-83); NDSL-nulla dies sine linea for Freely Selected Players (1983); DO-DU czyli DOwolny DUet (DO-DU or Free Duet) for Any 2 Players (Katowice, Dec. 12, 1984); aFiMeRaL for Any 4 to 7 Players (1984); Diabolus in musica (1984); Pejzaze z lotu ptaka (Bird’s-Eye View; 1985); Bajka japonska (A Japanese Fairytale; 1987); Obiet-nica poranka (The Promise of Dawn; 1988); Szkoda te) czarownicy na stos (The Lady’s Not for Burning; 1989); *** (1994).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire