Tomasz Skweres
COMPOSER, CELLIST

Tomasz Skweres - born on April 3, 1984 - is a polish composer and cellist, who lives and works in Vienna in Austria and Regensburg in Germany. He studied composition with Chaya Czernowin and Detlev Müller-Siemens and cello with Valentin Erben and Stefan Kropfitsch at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

 

In the last years the compositions for orchestra, especially for symphonic orchestra play the most important role in the artistic development of Tomasz Skweres – his orchestral works were performed by Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna (A), Stuttgarter Kammerorchester (D), Philhamonic Orchestra Regensburg (D), Schleswig-Holsteinisches Sinfonieorchester (Symphonic Orchestra of Schleswig Holstein) (D), Niederbayrische Philharmonie (Philharmonic Orchestra of Niederbayern (D), Leopoldinum Orchestra (PL), Madrid Festival Orchestra (ESP), Wiener Concert-Verein Orchestra (A), Global Symphony Orchestra (Hong Kong) and Hastings Philharmonic (GB). He received also commissions by renowned Ensembles like Apollon Musagete Quartet (PL), Contemporary Music Orchestra (PL), Österreichisches Ensemble für Neue Musik (A), Ekmeles Vokal Ensemble (USA), Ensemble Names (A), Ensemble Zeitfluss (A), Ensemble Wiener Collage (A), Ensemble Risonanze Erranti (D), Reconsil Ensemble (A), Ensemble Platypus (A) and others. 

 

Works by Tomasz Skweres are regularly performed by famous festivals all over the World, such as Wien Modern (Vienna), Warsaw Autumn, Musica Polonica Nova (Wrocław), Biennial Bern, ISCM World Music Days 2016 in Korea/Tongyeong International Music Festival, Festival Musica 2015 in Strasbourg (France),Festival Klangspuren in Tirol (Austria), Festival Musika-Musica in Bilbao(ES), Festival Goslar Harz (Germany), Leo Festival (Wrocław),  Festival Biennal Musica Home (BR), Festival Distat Terra (ARG),  ISCM-Musicarama in Hong Kong,Festival Risuonanze (IT), Festival Contemporenea in Udine (IT), Festival Contrasti (IT) Kyiv International Contemporary Music Days (UA), International Contemporary Music Festival Contrasts in Lviv (UA),  Music Tribune Osijek (HR), festival Musicolomouc (CZ), Music Tribune Opatija (HR), Festival Risonanze Erranti (D), aNOther Festival Vienna (A) and  many others.

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Tomasz Skweres won many international and national prizes, composition competitions, amomg others:

− 2. prize at the international composition competition Zemlinsky Prize 2019 (USA)

– Publicity Prize of the Austromechana 2022 (Austria)

− 1. prize at the Earplay International Composer Competition 2021​ (USA)

− Winner of the TONALi 2017 composition competition (Germany)

− 3. prize at the 2022 Salvatore Martirano Memorial Composition Award (USA)

− Winner of  the international composition competition Franz Josef Reinl in 2008 (Austria)

− 1. prize at the Gilgamesh international Composition Competiton 2021 (USA)

​− 1. prize at the 1. Chalki International Composition Competiton 2020 (Greece)

− 1. prize at the composition competition of the Ernst Krenek Institut in Austria 2014

− Prize for Music (Composition) of Vienna (Förderpreis für Musik) 2015

− special prize Piero Pezze beim internationalen Kompositionswettbewerb „Cita di Udine 2016“ (Italy)

– special prize at Francisco Escudero International Accordion Composition Competition (Spain)

− 2. prize in the 20th International Chopin & Friends Festival "New Vision" Composition Competition (USA)

− 2. prize in the international composition competition of the german ligue of the high blood pressure (Deutsche Hochdruckliga).

− Winner of the composition competition for the obligatory piece for the International J. Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna, 2007, string quartet

− Winner of the composition competition for the obligatory piece for the International J. Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna, 2009 string trio

− Theodor Körner Prize 2009 of the Austrian President

− Winner of call for scores: ISCM World Music Days, ISCM-Musicarama, Association for the Promotion of New Music in New York, Buffalo Chamberplayers, Ensemble Pheripherie in New York, Festival Risuonanze in Italien, MotoContrario Ensemble (Italien), Kyiv Intarnational Contemporary Music Days, Ensemble Reconsil Vienna

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Tomasz‘s Skweres artistic development and works was supported by numerous scholarships, among others: 

− Austrian Government‘s State Scholarship for Composition 2021 (Staatstipendium für Komposition)

− Austrian Government‘s State Scholarship for Composition 2014 (Staatstipendium für Komposition)

− Startstipendium 2010 of Austrian Government 

− Scholarship of the Swiss Thyll-Dürr Foundation 

− Scholarship of the Austrian Czibulka Foundation

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Works by Tomasz Skweres are published by Sikorski Music Publishers in Hamburg and Doblinger Publisher in Vienna and were broadcast in different countries (Austria, Gemany, Italy, Poland, Australia, Mexico, Cuba) and recorded by professional labels as Genuine, Hänssler Classic, Col legno, Orlando Records....

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Since 2012 Tomasz Skweres has been Principal Cellist in the Philharmonic Orchestra Regensburg in Germany and since 2020 cellist of the ensemble for contemporary music Risonanze Erranti in Munich. He is an active interpreter in the field of contemporary music. As a soloist, chamber musician and guest of such ensembles like  Collegium Novum in Zurich, ÖENM (Austrian Ensemble for New Music) in Salzburg, Ensemble Reconsil and Platypus Ensemble Vienna he performs modern music in renowned concert halls all over the world. Tomasz Skweres gives solo recitals with contemporary cello pieces in such renowned international festivals as Warsaw Autumn or Meridian Festival in Bucharest. Many contemporary composers composed and dedicated solo pieces to him.

2016- 2017 he was lecturer for cello at the Musik University in Detmold (Hochschule für Musik Detmold) and 2015 at the HfKM Regensburg - College of Catholic Church Music & Musical Education in Regensburg.

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