Pawluśkiewicz Jan Kanty, *13 October 1942 Nowy Targ, Polish composer, pianist, arranger and painter. He graduated from the piano class (with Z. Chodorowicz) at the primary music school in Nowy Targ; he studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Kraków University of Technology in 1961–68. In 1967, together with M. Grechuta, he founded the student cabaret Anawa and a music band of the same name, operating within it until 1977. Pawluśkiewicz led this band, played the piano, composed and arranged songs (including: Dni, których nie znamy, Mandarynki, pomarańcze, Dzikie wino, Nie dokazuj, Serce, Tango Anawa, Świecie nasz), which brought him and M. Grechuta great popularity and many awards as performers; in 1972, the band Anawa with A. Zaucha, as a soloist, performed during the Olympic Games in Munich. Since 1971, he has been cooperating with the cabaret Piwnica Pod Baranami. In 1973, he made his debut as a film composer (Brzydkie Kaczątko, dir. T. Zygadło), and in 1974 – as a theatre music composer (TV play Urodziny, dir. T. Lis); since then, he has been composing regularly for film (including short and animated films), theatre and TV. He has collaborated with many famous film directors, including F. Falk (Wodzirej, 1977; Bohater roku, 1986), T. Zygadło (Rebus, 1976; Ćma, 1978), A. Holland (Gorączka, 1980; Kobieta samotna, 1981), and especially with K. Kutz (including music for the plays: Samobójca, 1989; Do piachu, 1990; Twórcy obrazów, 1999; Spaghetti i miecz, 2000; Wielebni, 2001, and the films: Zawrócony, 1994 – awarded for music at the Festiwal Polskich Filmów Fabularnych in Gdynia; Pułkownik Kwiatkowski, 1998), also with K. Kieślowski (Widok z okna, 1981), J. Zaorski (Chleba naszego powszedniego, 1974), K. Jasiński (music for performances at the STU Theatre in Kraków). Since the mid-1970s, Pawluśkiewicz has also expressed himself in larger vocal-instrumental forms, such as a musical (Szalona lokomotywa, based on themes from S.I. Witkiewicz’s works, performed together with M. Grechuta, 1977), an opera (Kur zapiał, to texts by W. Dymny, 1985), an oratorio (Nieszpory Ludźmierskie, to psalms by L.A. Moczulski, 1992 – 1st prize at the Festiwal Twórczości Telewizyjnej, and Droga – życie – miłość to poetry by L.A. Moczulski and Latin texts, 1999), a symphonic poem (Harfy Papuszy, to poems by B. Wajs-Papusza, 1994). For several years, he has also been involved in painting (individual exhibitions in galleries in Kraków, Nowy Sącz, Poznań, and Tychy).
Pawluśkiewicz is one of the most valued creators of poetic song, theatre and film music. His works are distinguished by their originality, harmony based on interesting melody, lively rhythm, and tasteful arrangement. The composer attaches great importance to literary text, the structure and emotional layer of which have a fundamental influence on both the form and the overall expression of the work. He draws inspiration from the poetic-nostalgic tradition of Piwnica Pod Baranami, music from the Baroque period, neo-romanticism, as well as jazz. In forms for larger ensembles, he uses traditional musical means, which is why he easily establishes contact with a wide audience.
Pawluśkiewicz has recorded the following albums for the Muza label: Marek Grechuta and Anawa, 1969; Korowód, 1971; Anawa (with A. Zaucha), 1973; Szalona lokomotywa, 1975; for SoundPol: Nieszpory Ludźmierskie, 1993; Harfy Papusza, 1995; Nowy radosny dzień (theatre and film music), 1997 and for Poemat: Amat Vita, 1998.
