Avant-garde composer Wojciech Kilar dies at 81

Avant-garde and film music composer Wojciech Kilar, 81, died Sunday morning in Katowice, Poland, the head of the Association of Polish Composers announced. "His flirtation with film music has resulted in brilliant works," said association President George Kornowicz. In the 1950s and 1960s Kilar, with composers Krzysztof Penderecki and Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki, founded a Polish school of contemporary classical music called sonorism, and since than was considered a leader in Polish avant-garde music, Polish Radio and the Polish press agency PAP said Sunday. Kilar's most important works include the symphonic poem "Krzesany," the orchestral work "Riff 62" and "Angelus," for choir and orchestra. He also composed film scores for a number of important Polish films and television series, including "Pan Tadeusz," directed by Andrzej Wajda, and "The Pianist," directed by Roman Polanski. Kilar died after a long illness, PAP said.