Lorent Leszek
Born in 1984 in Żagań, Poland; percussionist. In 2008 he graduated with distinction from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in the percussion class of Stanisław Skoczyński.
In 1995–2003 he was a soloist with the Jeunesses Musicales Orchestra, performing in concerts in Germany, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Italy and France. He participates regularly in the Crossdrumming International Festival of the Art of Percussion in Warsaw. In November 2007 he gave concerts in the United Arab Emirates, in December 2008 – in Moscow, and in May 2009 – in South Korea. He has appeared as a soloist with such orchestras as the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Grand Theatre–National Opera in Warsaw, Zielona Góra Philharmonic, and with Camerata Res XXI.
In 2010 he performed the multi-percussion solo part in the premiere of Oresteia by Iannis Xenakis (directed by Michał Zadara) at the Grand Theatre – National Opera in Warsaw (the Cassandra part of the work for multi-percussion, falsetto baritone and psalterium).
In 2003 he won the 1st Prize at the National Percussion Competition in Wrocław, and in 2010 the 2nd Prize (for the Scontri duet with Maciej Bogumił Nerkowski) at the International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music in Cracow. In 2008 his recording of Stanisław Moryto’s composition Per uno solo won the 1st Prize at the International AES Competition in Amsterdam. He has made recordings for Polish Radio and TV, and for Estonian Radio.
Leszek Lorent has performed world premieres of works by many contemporary composers, including Marian Sawa’s final work, Missa Claromontana, in 2005 (together with the choir of the Cardinal S. Wyszyński University, Warsaw; the recording was released on disc by Acte Préalable). He specialises in performances of works for multi-percussion and instrumental theatre, working with such organisations as the Grand Theatre – National Opera, Warsaw Theatre Academy, and the New Music Studium of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, participating in concerts which bring new music to a wider audience.
He is currently working on his PhD at the F. Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, where he holds a lecturing post. He belongs to the Eurofis Artists’ Association, and the percussion formation Sixen.
His publications include articles from the border of music and philosophy, published in “Aspiracje”, the journal of the art departments of Warsaw’s universities, and in “Zagadnienia Naukoznawstwa”, published by the Polish Academy of Sciences.
