Jan A.P. Kaczmarek was a Polish composer who won an Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2005 for “Finding Neverland.”
- Died: May 21, 2024 (Who else died on May 21?)
- Details of death: Died in Krakow, Poland after suffering from multiple system atrophy at the age of 71.
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Jan A.P. Kaczmarek’s legacy
Kaczmarek didn’t plan to be a composer. Instead, the young man eying diplomacy studied law in school. But in the late 1970s, he began playing with avant-garde ensembles, including composing for experimental theater and founding The Orchestra of the Eighth Day. His “mini-orchestra” had only two musicians, and Kaczmarek played an unusual stringed instrument in it called Fischer’s fidola.
After touring with TOED for a time, Kaczmarek relocated to the U.S. and began composing for films and plays. He won a 1992 Drama Desk Award for his music for the New York Shakespeare Festival’s performance of “’Tis Pity She’s a Whore.” Before winning his Oscar, he composed music for such films as “Total Eclipse,” “Bliss,” “Washington Square,” and “Lost Souls.”
For his “Finding Neverland” score, Kaczmarek helped tell the story by crafting rousing, brassy compositions for the adventurous scenes and softer music, focusing on strings and piano, for emotional moments between the characters.
In addition to his Oscar, Kaczmarek also won a National Board of Review Award for “Finding Neverland.” Later, he composed scores for “The Visitor,” “Get Low,” “Paul, Apostle of Christ,” and many other movies and TV shows. In Poland, he founded Instytut Rozbitek, inspired by the Sundance Institute, to develop new talents in filmmaking, theater, and composition.
Kaczmarek on award nominations
“It really means a lot, because as you know, it’s a very competitive world we live in. If you are a sportsman, when you jump very high, you get all the recognition you deserve. But in this profession, you never really know. Sometimes you think that you’ve jumped very high, but the reactions you get from other people can be very unpredictable. So when you win an award or get a nomination, it’s a sweet moment where you have the illusion that everything is fine!” — from a 2004 interview for Music from the Movies
Tributes to Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
Full obituary: Variety
