OPIS DOROBKU ARTYSTYCZNEGO
RAFAŁ KARASIEWICZ is a composer, pianist, arranger, and producer.
He was born in Przemysl in 1977.
At the age of seven he started his music education at the 1st & 2nd stage State Music School in Przemyśl in the piano class led by Janina Pretorius-Lipczuk. During his primary school years he won numerous regional competitions. He got the 2nd Prize at the J. Garścia Macro-Regional Competition in Rzeszów (1985), 3rd Prize in the Piano Duet Competition in Stalowa Wola (1986), 4th Prize at the Macro-Regional J. S. Bach Interpretation Competition in Łańcut, among others. After graduating with Honours from the 1st stage Music School in 1989, he continued his education at the Music High School in Przemyśl, in the piano class led by Wojciech Majchrowicz. He began studying the organ under mgr Zbigniew Szłapak. While attending high school he continued winning awards at various competitions, including the 1st Prize Individual Award at the 1991 Macro-Regional Chamber Music Competition in Krosno for performing, along with an orchestra, J.Haydn’s Divertimento for Harpsichord and String Orchestra.
He was also a member of a dixieland band called "Tryton". During that time he attended music classes at the Cultural Centre in Przemyśl, led by Jacek Marcińczak, where he formed a youth jazz band called Jazz Trio. Along with Jazz Trio he performed at numerous competitions and festivals, winning awards and distinctions:
- 1st Prize at the Regional Jazz and Entertainment Bands Competition - Lubaczów,1992
- 2nd Prize at the National Jazz and Entertainment Bands Competition of - Elbląg, 1993
- Participation in Jazz Juniors International Competition in Krakow in 1993
- 2nd Prize at the Regional Jazz and Entertainment Bands Competition - Lubaczów,1994
- 3rd Prize at the National Jazz and Entertainment Bands Competition - Elbląg, 1995
Along with the band he performed at various festivals, such as Jazz nad Sanem, Mikolajki Jazzowe in Przemysl, National Jazz Trade Show in Łomża, and Zaduszki Jazzowe in Kraków.
He graduated from the Music High School in Przemyśl in 1996 and began teaching at at the Faculty of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Kraków. In 1996-1999 he actively participated in the cultural life of the region. Among other things, he served as a judge at "Śpiewaj razem z nami" Song Festival.
In 1999 he began studying the piano at the Academy of Music in Wrocław under prof. Grzegorz Kurzyński and ad. dr. hab. Paweł Zawadzki. The same year he started a three-year collaboration with the Academic Big Band, under the direction of Aleksander Mazur. The result of this collaboration were concerts alongside such stars as Piotr Wojtasik, Henryk Miśkiewicz, Grzegorz Nagórski, Ewa Bem and others.
In 2000 he was invited by Aleksander Mazur to perform the first part for keyboard in the musical "Chicago" staged at the Musical Theatre-Operetta in Wrocław. He is still connected to that same theater in a variety of roles - he composed music for "Walls of Hebron", directed by Cezary Studniak. The show was distinguished during the 4th edition of the Musical Theatre Festival in Gdynia. He also worked as musical director during 3rd stage of the PPA competition in 2006, directed by Wojciech Kościelniak, and the 1st and 2nd edition of the Angelus Literature Award. He is known as the bandleader and conductor of "Scat", "Hair", "Death in the mountains" ("Śmierdź w górach"), "Chasing evil" ("Ścigając zło"), "Fever" ("Gorączka"), "The History of Sin" ("Dzieje grzechu"), "Jerry Springer The Opera", and "The Master and Margarita". He also collaborated with Ad Spectatores Theatre composing the music for "Murder at the home of Ipatiew", directed by M. Masztalski, and "Councillor Goethe Investigates" directed by K. Kopka.
As a composer, he was invited by Wiesław Cichy, a prominent Wrocław actor, to cooperate in a monodrama "Stand_Up Witkacy", written and directed by Wiesław Cichy, and a play entitled "Husband and Wife", directed by Wiesław Cichy, performed at the C. K. Norwid Theatre in Jelenia Góra.
For two consecutive years (in 2006 and 2007) he took part in the Angelus Central European Literature Award Gala as a composer, arranger, and musical director.
He took the musical director’s post twice during gala concerts of the International Day of Solidarity with People Suffering from Schizophrenia in 2008 and 2009 in Wrocław.
He worked again as musical director, together with Tomasz Man, during the celebrations of prof. Władysław Bartoszewski’s 90th birthday. As part of the European Capital of Culture in Wrocław he worked as composer and musical director of the Wrocław Commenting Choir.
Karasiewicz worked as a pianist, arranger, conductor and musical director, with Leszek Możdżer, Krzysztof Herdzin, Krzesimir Dębski, Piotr Dziubek, Krzysztof Kiljańskim, Tomasz Szymuś, Grażyna Łobaszewska, Irena Santor, Włodzimierz Szomańskim, Kinga Preis, Olga Bończyk Justyna Szafran, Konrad Imiela, and Mariusz Kiljan.
In November 2016, the first concert of Artur Lesicki and Marek Napiórkowski, together with NFM Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra, was performed under the baton of Rafał Karasiewicz, who created the orchestration for the songs from the album, nominated for the Fryderyk Award, entitled "Celuloid".
He has collaborated with philharmonic orchestras of Wrocław, Lower Silesia, Sudety, Pomerania, Baltic, and Warmia-Mazury.
Other achievements include the following recordings:
- Elżbieta Woleńska - Suite for flute and jazz trio by C. Bolling
- Roy Bennett Group - Positive Energy
- Capitol Musical Theatre - Against Fathers and Mothers
- Krzysztof Kiljański - The Colours of Kofta, Return
- Karasiewicz Power Set - A Wave of Reservations
In addition to his vigorous carrer as performer, Karasiewicz is active as an educator at the Wroclaw School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, the Musical School of the Capitol Musical Theatre and, starting in 2013, at the annual edition of Blues Workshops in Pulawy.