On March 29, 2020, Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki died aged 87. He was a Polish composer and conductor, one of the most important European and world composers of the 20^th century.  Penderecki composed four operas, eight symphonies and other orchestral pieces, a variety of instrumental concertos, choral settings of mainly religious texts, as well as chamber and instrumental works. Among his best known works are Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima, Polish Requiem,  Anaklasis and Utrenja, Symphony No. 3, his St. Luke Passion,  Penderecki has won many prestigious awards, including the Commander’s Cross in 1964, the Prix Italia in 1967 and 1968, the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 1964, four Grammy Awards in 1987, twice in 1998, and 2017, Wolf Prize in Arts in 1987 and the University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 1992.