Born in 1951 in Wrocław, he studied composition with Ryszard Bukowski in Wrocław and with Henryk Mikołaj Górecki in Katowice. He also graduated from the Department of Polish Studies at Wrocław University, where he has been teaching ever since. He won a prize at the 'Jazz on the Odra' Festival. His pieces have had numerous performances at the 'Warsaw Autumn' and other festivals in Poland, as well as those in many European countries, the United States and the Far East. Recent projects have included a series of concerts 'Rafał Augustyn i Danmark', organized on the initiative of the violinist Christine Pryn, with 'Nordlys' Ensemble (2001), and the premiere of the first part of the vocal-instrumental Symphony of Hymns at the 'Wratislavia Cantans' Festival (2001).
Rafał Augustyn is also active as a critic and writer on music (contributing to the periodicals Ruch Muzyczny and Odra), as well as the author of tv programmes and organizer of music life. In 1984-96, together with Marek Pijarowski, he was co-Director of the 'Musica Polonica Nova' Festival in Wrocław.
He occasionally performs as a pianist. Last year he gave the first performance of his Itinerarium with the Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra.

Selected works (since 1980): Romance for trombone, double-bass, kettle-drum and two pianos (1980), Carmina de tempore for soprano, piano and viola (1981), Atlantis II for large orchestra and choir (1983), String Quartet No. 2 (1981), Long Island Rail Road... for violin and accompanying objects (1984), Devil's Frolics, ballet in one act after Adam Münchheimer and Stanisław Moniuszko (1984-85), Cyclic Piece No. 1 for solo violin (1986), Three Roman Nocturnes for mixed choir (1986-90), Seven Day King, pantomime in two acts to libretto by Henryk Tomaszewski (1988), Auftakt for orchestra (1989), Cyclic Piece No. 2 for amplified solo double-bass (1990), Cinq calligrammes d'Apollinaire for soprano and piano (1990), Stela for string orchestra (1987/91), sphae.ra (Cyclic Piece No. 3), music in 24 movements for tapes and soloists (1992), Cantus puerorum, sacra rappresentazione to script by Henryk Tomaszewski after the Book of Daniel (1993), deutsche Fragmente for mixed choir (1994), Miroirs for five performers (1997), Missa anni mirabilis for soprano, alto, organ and choir (1998), 'Osobne'. Four Poems by Miron Białoszewski for soprano, flute and harp (1999), image/illusion, sound collection (audiovisual installation, with Jerzy Olek and Tadeusz Sawa-Borysławski, 1999), Symphony of Hymns for two sopranos, trumpet, electronics, choir and orchestra (1984-2000), Au pair, solo for violin and piano (2001), Itinerarium, concertino for orchestra and piano (2001).

Long Island Rail Road... Long Island Rail Road is a popular commuter line operating between New York City and various areas on Long Island. The composer used to ride it frequently during his one-year term at the suny Stony Brook. That made it possible to remember, at least in large part, its stations and landmarks. They are, if possible, portrayed or suggested in music and announced by their names appearing on slides, which makes the whole thing a sort of silent movie without pictures, or a soundtrack without film.
There is a train change en route (at least, it was so in the years 1979-80). The cars to Huntington, relatively modern, rode smoothly and swiftly, while those to Port Jefferson, heavy and old-fashioned, produced plenty of unexpected, sometimes fascinating sounds.
That is why the two sections of the piece, before and after Huntington, should differ greatly from one another in terms of tempo, articulation and overall atmosphere.
The work was premiered in February 1984 during the 14th Festival of Polish Contemporary Music in Wrocław, with Zbigniew Szufłat as soloist.
Rafał Augustyn