Leszek Kułakowski

Leszek Kułakowski is a Professor of Composition and Jazz at the Gdańsk Academy of Music, founder of the 'Jazz and Pop Music' program, and former head of the Jazz Department. He is renowned as a jazz visionary, blending jazz with classical music in the 'Third Stream' tradition. His works include over 150 compositions for jazz ensembles, orchestras, and vocal groups, such as Missa Miseri Cordis, Piano Concerto, and Sketches for Jazz Trio & Symphony Orchestra.

He leads the Komeda Jazz Festival and the Krzysztof Komeda Composition Competition, promoting Polish jazz and contemporary music. His awards include the Silver Medal Gloria Artis (2010) and the Pomeranian Artistic Award (2009). Collaborations with artists like Tomasz Stańko and Maciej Sikała highlight his interdisciplinary approach.

His research focuses on jazz composition, orchestration, and the fusion of classical and jazz traditions. Notable projects include reimagining Krzysztof Komeda’s film scores with symphonic arrangements and exploring aleatory and serial techniques in jazz.