BIOGRAPHY
With a distinct artistic voice and deep craftsmanship, Ignacy Zalewski seamlessly bridges the worlds of concert music, film, theatre, and video game soundtracks. A graduate of Chopin University of Music with an "outstanding" diploma, he refined his skills under the legendary Krzysztof Penderecki and studied with some of the world’s most renowned composers.
From Netflix productions to the grand stages of Polish theatres, his music captivates audiences across multiple artistic disciplines. As a professor at the Chopin University of Music, he nurtures the next generation of composers while leading as Head of the Chair of Composition.
Beyond music, Ignacy explores Buddhist philosophy, rediscovering forgotten melodies, and immersing himself in video games—both as a composer and a passionate player.
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From 2009 to 2014, Ignacy Zalewski studied composition with Professor Marcin Błażewicz at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, graduating with an "outstanding" diploma. From 2014 to 2015, he was a student of Professor Krzysztof Penderecki. Additionally, he attended numerous courses and workshops led by esteemed composers, including Professor Wolfgang Rihm (Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe), Professor Lowell Liebermann (Mannes College The New School for Music, New York), and Professor Vladimir Scolnic (Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance).
He is equally passionate about writing concert music as well as soundtracks for film, theatre, and video games. In these fields, he has collaborated with WFDiF, Netflix, MTL MAXFILM, SolidGames, Bagatela Studio, TVP Television Theatre, TVP Kultura, Granator Studio, among others. Theatre productions featuring his music have been staged at Poland’s most renowned venues, including the J. Słowacki Theatre in Kraków, the Dramatic Theatre in Warsaw, the Jewish Theatre in Warsaw, the Silesian Theatre in Katowice, and the L. Solski Theatre in Tarnów. He also maintains an ongoing collaboration with the Polish Radio Theatre.
Ignacy Zalewski earned a PhD in Music (2015) and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (habilitation) in 2020. He is a professor of composition at the Chopin University of Music, where he has been a faculty member since 2014 and has led the composition class since 2020. From 2020 to 2024, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Composition and Music Theory. As of September 1, 2024, he will take on the role of Head of the Chair of Composition at the university.
Ignacy is an Auditing Committee chairman at ZAiKS Society of Authors and a board member and treasurer of SPACe – Society of Polish Audiovisual Composers.
His hobbies and interests include Buddhist philosophy, rediscovering forgotten music, and video games—both professionally and in his free time.
