Witold Lutoslawski (25/01/1913 - 07/02/1994), a Polish composer, born in Warsaw. He was indisputably one of the major composers of the twentieth century. Among many international prizes awarded to this most modest man were the UNESCO Prize (1959,1968), the French order of Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (1982), Grawemeyer Award (1985), Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal (1986), in the last year of his life, the Swedish Polar Music Prize and the Inamori Foundation Prize, Kyoto, for his outstanding contribution to contemporary European music, and, posthumously, the International Music Award for best large-scale composition for the fourth symphony.
Lutoslawski's contribution to the musical world was enormous and his loss in February 1994, at the age of 81, will continue to be deeply felt.