History Plenum ZKP Polish Composers’ Union was formed during the National Assembly of Composers in Cracow in 1945 as a continuation of the pre-war Polish Composers’ Association, established in 1925. The first postwar president was Piotr Perkowski, 1st vice-president: Roman Palester, 2nd vice-president: Stanisław Wiechowicz, secretary and treasurer - Witold Lutosławski. Till 1948, its membership was reserved for composers, but in 1948 the 4th PCU General Assembly established the Musicologists’ Section. Presently, a member of PCU has to be a composer or musicologist “permanently associated with Polish musical culture”. There are honorary members, ordinary members, candidates and supporting members. PCU’s statutory aim is to promote Polish musical culture. This is done through the organisation of concerts, festivals, conferences, courses, exhibitions and competitions, as well as through publishing activity. PCU has a library (PCU Prints and Recordings Library - Polish Contemporary Music Documentation Centre - “Warsaw Autumn” Festival Archive) where it collects and makes available music and information about musical culture, in particular - contemporary musical culture in Poland. PCU participates in the debate over important issues concerning culture and other public issues. It also strives to facilitate creative work and research undertaken by its members. It actively protects copyright and the professional rights of the composer and musicologist society. It also joins the world culture through building up international contacts, exchange of information and participation in the activity of other international organisations. One of the main areas of the PCU Management Board activity is the “Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music, initiated in 1956 by Tadeusz Baird and Kazimierz Serocki. Since 1988, PCU has also organised the “Composer Portaits” concert series.