news

Kąśna Dolna | 12th Chamber Music Festival "Bravo Maestro"

On August 23, 2018, the concert version of the opera Carmen by George Bizet will inaugurate the twelfth edition of the Bravo Maestro Chamber Music Festival held since 1996. The three festival evenings will feature perfromances of outstanding Polish artists.

On August 24, Szymon Nehring, the only Polish finalist of the 17th Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition, will perform along with the Silesian Chamber Musician Quintet Chopin's Piano concerto in E minor, Op. 11. The concert will start with a clarinet performance by Maciej Łuszczewski – the laureate of the Anna Knapik Award at this year's Talent Week Festival.

The concert entitled "Independent marathon. 100 years of Polish music" will close the festival on August 25. This year, excellent soloists and chamber musicians will present themselves in the Polish repertoire of the last century. Performers: Iwona Socha (soprano), Klaudiusz Baran (accordion / bandoneon), Robert Morawski (piano), Katarzyna Duda (violin), Janusz Wawrowski (violin), Celina Kotz (violin), Michał Zaborski (viola) and Marcin Zdunik (cello).

In the finale of the festival, Janusz Wawrowski will play on the instrument built in 1685 by the legendary luthier Antonio Stradivari. This is the first Stradivarius in post-war Poland. The precious instrument is kept in the treasury and displayed at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Wawrowski can play on it thanks to the decision of the art patron who, anonymously, decided to purchase the instrument to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence.

The tickets price for all concerts is PLN 30, available for sale from July 30. The transport will be provided on individual concert days at 4.30 p.m. from the Ludwik Solski Theatre in Tarnów – earlier phone reservation required (14 600 00 16).

Additional information at: http://www.paderewski.tarnow.pl

28th International Festival of Chamber and Organ Music in Wygiełzów-Lipowiec

The 28th International Festival of Chamber and Organ Music will take place between August 19 – September 16, 2018 in the Vistula Ethnographic Park in Wygiełzów-Lipowiec, as well as in churches in Trzebinia, Jaworzno-Długoszyn, Chrzanów-Kościelec and Grójec near Alwernia.

The inaugural concert will be performed by the "Camerata Polonia" Chamber Orchestra, composed of musicians living in Austria under the direction of Marek Kudlicki. The event entitled "What's in my mind? Polish music" will be a part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of independence in Poland and will feature works by Henryk Wieniawski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Stanisław Moniuszko and Wojciech Kilar.

On August 26, MagDuś Duo will premiere Simbiosis for saxophone and piano by Przemysław Szczotka, composer of the young generation, participant of the project "Composition Commisions" implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance. On September 2, Messages Quartet will perform String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 67 by Johannes Brahms, as well as Stanisław Moniuszko's String Quartet No. 1 in D minor. On September 9, for the first time during the festival, we will hear the participants of the Opera Academy at the Grand Theater - National Opera in Warsaw: vocalists Agnieszka Grochala, Karolina Makuła and Paweł Trojak, and pianists Adam Rogala and Radosław Zaworski. The Le Nuove Musiche ensemble, composed of Polish and Slovak musicians specializing in historical performance, using original instruments, will participate in the final concert.

The festival's schedule will also include concerts held in nearby churches: in Jaworzno-Długoszyn we will hear prof. Władysław Szymański and an outstanding young trumpeter Piotr Nowak, in Chrzanów-Kościelec the music and poetry of Hildegarda from Bingen will be presented by Flores Rosarum, the Polish-Brazilian Harplino Duet will perform in the Church in Grójec, and in Trzebiania Trierini Liarman Trio will invite music lovers on a musical journey around Europe.

More information at: www.silesia.art.pl

Katowice | Silesia a cappella: Cantores Minores Wratislavienses

Within the August concerts of choral music "Silesia a cappella", on August 18, 2018 at 6.00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Silesian Library in Katowice, the chamber choir Cantores Minores Wratislavienses will present The Journey of Mr. Cogito suite by Józef Świder.

Suite The journey of Mr. Cogito was written in 2008, celebrated as the Year of Zbigniew Herbert. Composed by Józef Świder, commissioned by the Cantores Minores Wratislavienses, the work consists of Herbert's poems in the interpretation of Marian Czerski, an actor of the Polish Theater in Wrocław, intertwined with the musical part performed by the soloists, the choir and the pianist.

The history of Cantores Minores Wratislavienses, founded by Edmund Kajdasz, dates back to 1966. Currently (since 1991) the conductor of the band is Piotr Karpeta, and under his leadership the choir regularly performs at well-known music festivals such as Wratislavia Cantans, Warsaw Autumn, Gaude Mater, Legnica Cantat, Musica Polonica Nova. The choir's repertoire of more than 1,000 works covers the music of all Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day. In the years 2014-2016, the choir pursued the "Rudolphina" project (presentation of the 17th-century musical collections of the Prince of Legnica-Brzeg, Jerzy Rudolf). The album from the cycle "Musica Claromontana" vol. 21 (2007) with songs by Józef Elsner received a nomination for the Fryderyk award.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More information at: www.silesia.art.pl

Wrocław | Forum Musicum 2018: The Treasures of Polish Music

The 15th anniversary edition of the Forum Musicum festival will be held on August 17-25, 2018 in Wrocław. The event will be devoted to early Polish music.

The development of early music performance in Europe has for a long time affected the progress in discovering and performing the treasures of our musical culture. Thanks to it, interesting new interpretations appear and numerous discoveries of previously unknown music are made. The Forum Musicum 2018 programme includes concerts featuring among others, the recently discovered music of Andrzej Siewiński and new interpretations of the work of Mikołaj z Radomia. Polish Renaissance songs will be presented from two perspectives: religious (Polish cantionals) and political-ideological (A Sarmatian Must-Have).

Detailed programme available at: http://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl

Paradyż-Gościkowo | 16th "Music in Paradise" Festival

From August 17 to 25, 2018, the 16th edition of the "Music in Paradise" Festival, one of the most important festivals of early music in Poland, will take place in the Cistercian monastery in Paradyż-Gościków.

As every year in mid-August, the organizers invite you to the post-Cistercian monastery in Paradyż-Gościków in the Lubuskie Province for the festival "Music in Paradise". The 16th edition of this extraordinary musical meeting will consist of 22 concerts. Baroque music will dominate, but it will also be placed in a wider context, stretching from the 13th to the beginning of the 19th century.

The festival will host two vocal ensembles – Profeti della Quinta and Les Polysolistes, a new project by Marc Mauillona. Medieval music will be presented by the Argentinean Roger Helou and his trio Le Souvenir. For the first time, Paradyż will host harpsichordist Justin Taylor with Le Consort ensemble. The soloists and members of the Kore orchestra will include Japanese singer Yukie Sato, violinists Aira Maria Lehtipuu and Fredrik From, harpsichordists Marcus Mohlin and Marianna Henriksson, Jesenka Balic Zunic with viola d'amore and piper from Greater Poland – Adam Kaiser.

Detailed programme at: http://muzykawraju.pl

43. "Music in Old Cracow" Festival

The 43rd edition of "Music in Old Cracow" Festival will take place between 15-31 August 2018.

"Music in Old Cracow" is one of the oldest Polish festivals. Cultural tradition in Cracow creates a special aura that conduces to music. Many outstanding European composers such as H. Finck, L. Marenzio and D. Cato worked here; G. Palestrina, G. Ph. Telemann and J. S. Bach dedicated their works to Polish kings. Liszt, Brahms, Paderewski and Rubinstein played here their concerts. The festival “Music in Old Cracow” refers to these great cards of Cracow cultural history.

The program of the festival “Music in Old Cracow” includes wide range of music – from the oldest to contemporary. We will hear, among others, works by Karol Szymanowski, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Władysław Żeleński, Sławomir Zamuszko. Cracow Brass Quinten and Paweł Gusnar will present saxophone compositions by Paweł Łukaszewski, Artur Malawski and Krzesimir Dębski. In the finale we will hear Krzysztof Penderecki's music performed by the Beethoven Academy Orchestra and Zieliński Collegium under the direction of Maciej Tworek.

The concerts take place in various historical venues, what allows to see the most beautiful places in Cracow, in addition to musical impressions.

Detailed programme available at: http://mwsk.pl/

Warsaw | "Chopin–Górecki. Sources and Inspirations"

The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland announces its 19th Intensive Music Course and Festival “Chopin–Górecki. Sources and Inspirations”, which will take place on August 13–22, 2018.

Currently, in its nineteenth year, the Chopin–Górecki Music Festival has evoked the world-wide interest of musicians who are excited by the unique opportunity to visit Chopin’s homeland, gaining unforgettable first-hand experiences. Participants will be surrounded by the same inspirations that captured the hearts, minds and souls of great Polish composers from Chopin to Górecki. We will visit the birthplace and house of Fryderyk Chopin and experience the rich, Polish folk tradition.

The Chopin – Górecki Music Festival consists of private lessons given by acclaimed international artists, master classes, concerts, lectures and an excursion around Poland. The courses are offered in such sections as: Piano, Organ, Chamber music, String, Wood instruments, Brass instruments, Accordion, Harp, Composition, Singing Early Music, Guitar, and Percussion.

During the opening concert, on August 13, at 7.30 p.m. in the FCUM Concert Hall, Motion Trio will perform works by such composers as Fryderyk Chopin, Wojciech Kilar, and Janusz Wojtarowicz, as well as their own compositions. On August 16, we will hear Duo Granat: pianists Tamara Granat and Adrian Kreda. On August 18, there will be a FCUM percussion class concert "The Rhythm of the World", and in the final concert, on August 21, we will hear performances of course participants.

Tickets available from August 8, 2018, betweeen 4.00 and 7.00 p.m., in the Bookstore of the Chopin University Press Publishing House, located on the ground floor of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music.

More information at: http://www.chg.chopin.edu.pl/

Janowice | II Vitis Music Sfera Festival

The 2nd Vitis Music Sfera Festival, which will take place on August 12-18, 2018, is the second edition of an exceptional weekly music event, which takes place at the top of the vineyard in Janowice.

The idea of the event is to present and combine different genres of music – from classical, through jazz, to pop. The Janowice Festival, which has a chance to become a famous and recognizable feast of music in Poland, promotes not only artists from Poland and abroad, but above all, the geographical and cultural richness of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The main objective of the project is to enrich the artistic offer of the region by inviting talented artists representing various genres of music, as well as providing residents and guests from Tarnów and neighboring towns with access to the highest quality cultural events. The cultivation of musical traditions refers to the patron of the Foundation, Ignacy Jan Paderewski – an outstanding pianist and politician who initiated the series of concerts in his vineyard, celebrated to this day as the "Paderewski Festival".

The second edition of the Vitis Music Sfera Festival will begin on August 12, and will include seven concerts of soloists, chamber musicians and string orchestra, which was founded during the first edition of the event, as a reference to the international traditions of the best festivals in the world: the Martha Argerich Festival in Lugano and the Baden Baden Easter Festival. The repertoire will include, among others, works of the patron of the Foundation – Ignacy Jan Paderewski.

Detailed programme at: http://www.festival.vitismusicsfera.pl/

Warsaw | 14th International Music Festival "Chopin and His Europe"

The main theme of the 14th International Music Festival "Chopin and His Europe" is music "From Chopin to Paderewski". The Festival will start on 9th August 2018 and will last for the whole month.

Celebrations of the centenary of regaining independence defined the core of the programme of this year's edition, which focuses on two names: Fryderyk Chopin and Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Chopin, while it was difficult to expect the freedom for the country, developed in his work the most durable idiom of Polishness. Paderewski's activity contributed to the regaining of the free country status by Poland. During the Festival, their works of exceptional beauty and undeniable value will be presented.

In addition, the programme will include Polish music both from the period of partitions in the 19th century and from the 20th and 21st centuries. Out of over 120 works to be performed during the event, 60 are works by Polish composers: from song and instrumental miniatures, through known and unknown symphonic pieces and chamber music, to the opera preceding the year of Stanisław Moniuszko, and works of Roman Palester and Andrzej Panufnik. The new pieces for symphony orchestra, such as Polonaise by Krzysztof Penderecki and Fireworks by Agata Zubel, will be premiered at the Festival. Also, there will be monographic concerts of Mieczysław Karłowicz and Ignacy Jan Paderewski performed by the Russian National Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic from London.

Traditionally, great masters of piano and other instruments will perform, as well as numerous young musicians, e.g. participants of the Witold Lutosławski Cello Competition. The Festival will also feature the {oh!} Orchestra of History, the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, the National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Polish Amadeus Chamber Orchestra.

Detailed programme available at: http://pl.chopin.nifc.pl