- He was inspired by the works of Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and fellow countryman Karol Szymanowski. His work incorporated Polish folk songs and Catholic church music. His main interest was composing symphonies and concertos, even though he wrote dozens of film scores.
- His father was a genealogist and his mother was an actress.
- One of Poland's most esteemed classical and film music composers.
- Studied under Nadia Boulanger in Paris, France.
- Critically acclaimed composer of symphonies, sonatas, chamber music and more than a hundred film scores. He was a member of the Polish avant-garde movement of the 1960's.
- He studied piano and composition at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice, Poland, graduating with top honors in 1955.
- Met his future wife Barbara when she was 18 and he was 22.
- Since 2015 FMF Krakow, the largest Film Music Festival in Europe, grants the Kilar Award, a lifetime achievement award for film music composers. Elliot Goldenthal won the first in 2015 followed in 2016 by Alexandre Desplats, Howard Shore in 2017 and Michael Nyman in 2018.
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