Andrzej Kosendiak

Graduate, and now lecturer at Academy of Music in Wrocław, as well as Artistic Director of Collegio di Musica Sacra early music ensemble (since the foundation in 1985). Besides performing early music, his interests focus on educational and organizational issues. As Artistic School Inspector in the Lower Silesia region (1990-2000), and later Director of Artistic School Programming and Supervision Department in the Ministry of Culture (2000-2001), he is co-author of a system of events to promote young artists and artistic school teachers in in-service training. He was instrumental in establishing competitions and festivals, incl. Chamber Ensemble Competition in Bystrzyca Kłodzka, "Dolnośląskie Kolędowanie" [Lower Silesian Carolling] Music School Choir Review, workshops within "Gwiazdy Promują" [Stars Promote] Festival in Jelenia Góra, Wind Instrument Festival in Oława, as well as musical auditions and competitions in different towns of the Lower Silesia region. Another idea consistently implemented in years 1990-2000 was permanent improvement of teaching staff educational level. Besides training and numerous workshops for teachers, Pedagogical Courses organized every 2-3 years by the Academy of Music, were also intended to help accomplish this goal. They have let hundreds of teachers from around the country acquire educational qualifications. Andrzej Kosendiak, who was originator of the courses, is also co-author and organizer of post-graduate studies in Artistic School and Cultural Institution Management offered by the Academy of Music.

Director of Artistic School Programming and Supervision Department in the Ministry of Culture (2000-2001), he is co-author of statutory regulations which make financing and supervising artistic schools in Poland responsibility of the government.
In 1998, together with Zbigniew Czwojda, he founded Wrocław School of Jazz and Popular Music, which he managed and co-owned until 2000.
Besides heading Interfaculty Early Music Chair at the Academy of Music in Wrocław (where he founded and runs Student Baroque Orchestra), since 2002 Andrzej Kosendiak has been Cultural Advisor and Proxy to the Mayor of Wrocław. He is author of "Śpiewający Wrocław" (Wratislavia Cantans) programme, which in years 2001-2003 resulted in establishment of thirty-five choral ensembles in Wrocław’s primary and secondary schools. He programs and coordinates CD series "1000 lat Muzyki we Wrocławiu" [A Thousand Years of Music in Wrocław]; he has also started concert series under the common name of "Forum Musicum". On his initiative, the Mayor of the town and Vice-Chancellor of the Academy of Music signed an agreement to build in Wrocław a large concert hall. In 2003, Andrzej Kosendiak was appointed Chairman of the Concert Hall Construction Programming Team.
On several occasions he sat on juries of different competitions and music auditions. Has made recordings for TV Theatre, as well as transcriptions, arrangements or instrumentations of different compositions, incl. arrangements for a "Śpiewający Wrocław" programme made of children’s songs. He has also made transcriptions of 17th century compositions from the Antique Book Collection of Wrocław University Library.

In 1983, Andrzej Kosendiak graduated from the Faculty of Composition, Conducting and Music Theory at the Academy of Music in Wrocław, while in 1999 he completed the 1st Degree qualification procedures in the area of musical art.

Co-author of statutory regulations which make financing and supervising artistic schools in Poland responsibility of the government (2001), since 2003 he has managed programming work on the construction of Concert Hall in Wrocław.

Andrzej Kosendiak has exerted considerable influence upon promoting musical culture and raising professional qualifications of teaching staff in artistic schools; in particular, his contribution includes:
- concept and co-organisation of events to promote young artists: Chamber Ensemble Competition in Bystrzyca Kłodzka, "Dolnośląskie Kolędowanie" Music School Choir Review, workshops for music school students at "Gwiazdy Promują" Festival in Jelenia Góra, Wind Instrument Festival in Oława, as well as musical auditions and competitions in different towns of the Lower Silesia region (1990-2000);
- concept and execution of Pedagogical Courses at the Academy of Music in Wrocław which grant necessary qualifications to teach at artistic schools (1992-2004);
- establishment (with Zbigniew Czwojda) of Wrocław School of Jazz and Popular Music (1998);
- concept and execution of post-graduate studies in Artistic School and Cultural Institution Management at the Academy of Music in Wrocław (2000);
- concept and introduction of "Śpiewający Wrocław" programme, which resulted in establishment of numerous choral ensembles in Wrocław schools (2001), as well as arrangements of children’s songs for the purposes of the programme;
- artistic management of "1000 lat Muzyki we Wrocławiu" record series (2002);
- concept and assistance in organisation of a new festival, the Forum Musicum (2003);
- concept development and assistance in organisation of two new music schools in Wrocław (2005).

It is, however, early music that commands Andrzej Kosendiak’s particular attention:
- in 1985, he founded Collegio di Musica Sacra early music ensemble, and has been its artistic director to date. With the ensemble, he has toured several European countries, as well as the USA (collaboration with Chapel Hill University NC USA); he has also performed at most prestigious concert venues and festivals in Poland (incl. National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw, and four appearances at "Wratislavia Cantans" festival). Collegio di Musica Sacra have for years been organizers of "Koncerty Czwartkowe w Ratuszu Wrocławskim" [Thursday Concerts at Wrocław Town Hall] series, during which numerous opening performances of early music pieces have been held. In 1992, the ensemble was granted patronage of the Mayor of Wrocław, and in 1999 awarded Nagroda Muzyczna Wrocławia [Wrocław Music Prize] in the "Greatest Musical Event" category for the recording of CD "Musica da chiesa". In 2003, Collegio di Musica Sacra received A. Jarzębski Prize for the best ensemble of 13th International Early Music Festival held at the Royal Castle in Warsaw;
- in 1994, together with Marcin Bornus-Szczyciński, Andrzej Kosendiak established new faculties (for the first time in Poland) at 2nd Degree State School of Music in Wrocław: historical singing and playing early instruments;
- in 2003, he founded Student Baroque Orchestra of the Academy of Music in Wrocław, which performed a series of concerts under his baton at the 2005 edition of "Wratislavia Cantans" International Festival;
- he has made several transcriptions of 17th century musical literature from the Antique Book Collection of the University Library in Wrocław.