Rev. Professor Kazimierz Szymonik, PhD
Prorector for Research Affairs
Rev. Professor Kazimierz Szymonik (born 1942), conductor and artistic manager of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University (previously Academy of Catholic Theology) Choir. He studied theology at the Częestochowa Branch of the Higher Theological Seminary in Cracow in 1960–66. He also studied music at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw, Musicology Section (1971–76) and the I. J. Paderewski Music Academy in Poznań (1978–81) in S. Stuligrosz’s class. He continued his studies at the K. Lipiński Music Academy in Wrocław under S. Krukowski and at the Institut Catholique in Paris where he specialised in Gregorian Chant.
He is Professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw where he is Head of Church Music. He also teaches at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University where he has been Head of the Chair of Religious Music Performance since 1992 and Curator of the Musicology Section since 1999. In 1995–98 he was Professor at the Bydgoszcz Music Academy. In 1998–2005 he was Head of Church Music at the Cracow Music Academy. He collaborates with the Higher Theological Seminary in Częstochowa where he teaches rhetoric.
He sits on several artistic councils and the juries of many choir music competitions and festivals (e.g., the Polish National Choir Tournament Legnica Cantat, The Choir Song Festival in Międzyzdroje, the International Festival of Sacral Music Gaude Mater in Częstochowa, the Musica Sacra Composers’ Competition the Christmas Carol Festival in Będzin, the choir festival in Rumia, school choir competitions in Bydgoszcz and Cecilianum church choir competition in Warsaw). Rev. Professor Kazimierz Szymonik is a very active teacher and takes part in seminars, postgraduate courses (Postgraduate Voice Emission Course, Postgraduate Choir Directing Course at the Bydgoszcz Music Academy) and other forms of Gregorian chant training. He was Deputy Artistic Manager of Polish Union of Choirs and Orchestras).
He has won many awards and certificates of merit. He became Honorary Citizen of the City of Rocamadour (France) in 1990, was awarded the Ecumenical Commander Cross with a Star of the Order of St. Bridget in 1996, the Award of the Chancellor of the Baltic College of Humanities Echo Bałtyku in 1998, and the St. Augustine Senior Secondary School Gold Medal in 1999. Kazimierz Szymonik is a member of the Phonographic Academy Council.
He received the title of Professor from the President of the Republic of Poland in 2000. In 2002 he was awarded the President of Częstochowa’s award for culture. That same year he received the Polonia Restituta Knight’s Cross. Together with the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University Choir he has recorded over a dozen CDs, giving special attention in his recordings to the sacral work of contemporary Polish composers (including J. Łuciuk, M. Borkowski, S. Moryto, M. Sawa, M. Bembinow, M. Jasiński, H. M. Górecki, T. Paciorkiewicz, P. Moss, B. K. Przybylski, W. Rudziński, R. Twardowski, J. Świder, and M. Żółtowski) and made many foreign tours to most European countries. He has performed many times for the Holy Father Pope John Paul II at St. Clement.s Hall at the Vatican and Castel Gandolfo. He has won many prizes at national and international competitions. He has collaborated with the Philharmonics in Częstochowa, Kielce and Jelenia Góra and also with the National Philharmonic in Warsaw for which he prepared the performance of such works as A. Panufnik’s Songs, S. Gubaidulina’s Passion and G. Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. He also co-operates with the Münster University Choir and the Cologne Philharmonic.
He was prorector for Research and Teaching Affairs at the FCUM in 2005–2008. He was re-elected prorector for Research Affairs for term 2008–2012.
