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Warszawa | Sinfonia Iuventus and Marek Pijarowski: Weber, Mozart and Dvořák

On the 19th of February 2022 at 7 p.m. Sinfonia Iuventus together with conductor  Marek Pijarowski will perform in the Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio of the Polish Radio. The soloists will be internationally awarded musicians: Aleksandra Kuls – violin and Katarzyna Budnik – viola. Programme consists of works by Carl Maria von Weber, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonín Dvořák.

Sinfonia concertante in E flat major for violin and viola by Mozart was written at the end of the composer’s youth in Salzburg. The title itself indicates a genre that combines the features of a symphony and a concerto, though here elements of the latter dominate. The two instruments engage in a lively dialogue and the entire work is brimming with a cheerful and carefree mood.

The opera (or rather the extensive singspiel with spoken dialogues) Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber which premiered in 1821 was destined to become a milestone in the history of music, lending theatrical and musical expression to many features of young Romanticism.

Shortly after his 50th birthday, Antonín Dvořák accepted an invitation from the USA to lead the conservatory in New York. Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 is one of his ‘New York’ compositions. The author admitted that he avoided direct citations, but had only tried to convey the spirit of America and its “endless landscapes” using a few references, including to the characteristic rhythmic and melodic gestures and scales of African-American and indigenous music. Even the title – From the New World – which was added at the last moment before the premier, indicates that the symphony was “written in America” rather than a “presentation of America”.

Piotr Maculewicz

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More: https://sinfoniaiuventus.pl/ 

Katowice | Silesian Philharmony: Turski, Gershwin and Stravinsky

On the 18th of February 2022 at 7 p.m. the Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra will perform works of Igor Strawiński, George Gershwin and Zbigniew Turski. Jacek Rogala will lead the orchestra while Paweł Kowalski will play the Gershwin’s jazzy Piano Concerto.

Zbigniew Turski’s style can be characterized by clear structure and rigid form and at the same time interesting harmonic and melodic solutions. His Little Overture will be performed at the concert.

The culmination of the concert will be Stravinsky’s Symphony in E flat major, Op. 1 which the composer wrote during his internship with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in the years 1905-1907. The work was clearly influenced by late romanticism.

Polish Music Edition (PWM) is the patron of the concert as part of the TUTTI.pl project promoting Polish music.

Press release

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Ticket information: https://filharmonia-slaska.eu/production/gershwin-strawinski-kowalski-rogala-orkiestra-symfoniczna/ 

 

 

New York | American premiere of Maciej Bałenkowski Sinfonietta

17 lutego 2022 o godz. 19.30 w Carnegie Hall Orkiestra Kameralna Nowego Jorku prawykona I Sinfoniettę „Time is ticking" Macieja Bałenkowskiego na orkiestrę smyczkową.

On the 17th of February 2022 at 7.30 p.m. in Carnegie Hall in New York the Chamber Orchestra of New York will perform a world premiere of Sinfonietta ‘Time is ticking’ by Maciej Bałenkowski. The performance is the result of a ‘Respighi Prize’ awarded by the Orchestra to Bałenkowski. The prize is awarded annualy in 4 categories: solo, piano, composition and conducting. 2018 award went to a Polish artist for the first time in history. The idea of the Prize is to enable young artist to perform in one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world.

The participation in the competition was co-financed by Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the programme ‘Kultura polska na świecie’ (Polish Culture in the World).

Chamber Orchestra of New York conducted by Salvatore di Vittoria will also perform George Gershwin’s Lullaby for strings, Ancient Airs and Dances No. 3 by Ottorino Respighi as well as The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires of Astor Piazzolla. The soloist will be American violinist Elena Urioste.

Additional information: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2022/02/17/Chamber-Orchestra-of-New-York-0730PM 

Results of the first stage of the 63rd Tadeusz Baird Competition for Young Composers

On the 14th of February 2022 the jury of the first stage of the 63rd Tadeusz Baird Competition for Young Composers admitted 5 compositions to the second stage of the Competition.

Jury: Agata Zubel (chairman) Krzysztof Baculewski, Katarzyna Kwiecień-Długosz, Jadwiga Rappé and Wojciech Ziemowit Zych chose 5 pieces to be performed in the second stage of the Competition. These are:

  • Hidden monologues (emblem: Andromeda)
  • 16087 (emblem: Geralimos)
  • Augmented. Diminished (emblem: Heterolepsis)
  • Opiewaj (emblem: Palimpsest5991)
  • SHAKESPEARE-MONOLOGUES (emblem: Tnemnorivne)

The presentation concert of the second stage compositions will take place in June 2022. Exact dates and performers will be announced.

The theme of this years Competition was a song (or a song cycle) for voice and string quartet to the Polish or William Shakespeare’s poetry.

Additional information: https://www.zkp.org.pl/ 

Results of the First Composers' Competition for an Instrumental Duo with Harp announced!

Jury of the First Composers’ Competition for an Instrumental Duo with Harp organized by Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk announced the results of the competition!

16 works were submitted. The jury members: prof. Elżbieta Sikora – chairman, Prof. Aleksander Lasoń and Dr. Anna Sikorzak-Olek decided:

First Prize - not awarded

Second Prize - Piotr Kasiłowski for the piece Rozstanie z Rzymem and Anna Stolarczyk for the piece Nie-boskie szkice

Third Prize - Sylwester Kukułka for the piece Event horizon, Szymon Kusior for the piece Night Landscapes and Wojciech Laskowski for the piece Choral Fantasy

Honourable Mention - Magdalena Białecka for the piece Pulsar

Congratulations to all Laureates!

Prize-giving ceremony will take place during the final concert on the 22nd of April 2022 at the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Additional information: https://www.amuz.gda.pl/wydarzenia/konkurs-kompozytorski-na-duet-instrumentalny-z-harfa,69

Wrocław | The Fountain of Arethusa

Program of the chamber music concert on the 17th of February 2022 at 7p.m. performed by Christian Danowicz and Robert Morawski consists of various works by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravela, Karol Szymanowski and Józef Elsner.

Elsner was considered one of the greatest Polish artists of the first half of the 19th century. He enjoyed great authority not only as a composer, but also as a teacher and concert promoter as well as the founder and rector of the Warsaw conservatoire

The energetic Sonata in D major for violin and piano op. 10 no. 2 consists of three movements: Allegro, Scherzando. Allegretto and Rondo. Allegro moderato.

The Sonata in G minor is Debussy’s last major work. It was created in 1917 however, the French composer did not manage to finish it. Debussy took part in the premiere of this piece as a pianist. It was his last public appearance.

The Violin Sonata in D minor is Szymanowski’s early work, still late Romantic and devoid of the striking originality of his later compositions. However, the composer’s melodic gift, combined with the ability to build a poignant and engaging narrative for the listener, made this sonata a work of great interest to the audience.

Tzigane rhapsody, which will end the concert is a pastiche and a parody of effective (and often even showy) violin pieces written at the end of the 19th century as a result of interest in Gypsy music.

Press release

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More: https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl 

Łomża | 'Polish Music Scene': Polish Violin Duo

Polish Violin Duo will perform in the Witold Lutosławski Chamber Philharmonic in Łomża. The concert will take place on the 17th of February 2022 at 6.30 p.m. and is part of the ‘Polish Music Scene’ Programme co-organised by the National Institute of Music and Dance as well as Polish philharmonies.

Marta Gidaszewska and Robert Łaguniak will present Duo in B major Op. 16 by Joachim Kaczkowski, Etudes-Caprices Op. 18 for two violins by Henryk Wieniawski, Grażyna Bacewicz’s Duets on folk themes. We will also have a chance to hear surprising Sonatina for two violins of Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz as well as Mieczysław Weinberg’s Sonata for two violins.

The work by Kaczkowski was premiered only in 2021 despite its classical period origin. Not only did Polish Violin Duo performed the piece but also recorded it along all other violin duos of the composer. The CD was released by DUX record label.

Free tickets to the event to be collected at the Philharmonic office as well as at the box office one hour before the concert.

Press release

Programme details: https://nimit.pl/wydarzenia/polish-violin-duo-scena-muzyki-polskiej-2/ 

Katowice | 'PGE - HoloGramy': Valentine's Day with Marcin Wyrostek

Valentine’s Day in Silesian Philharmonic means beautiful love songs arranged by Marcin Wyrostek and Silesian Chamber Orchestra.

Works by Astor Piazzolla, Consuelo Velázquez, Władysław Szpilman, and Marek Grechuta will be performed on the 14th of February at two concerts (at 6 and 8.30 p.m.) in the Silesian Philharmonic Hall.

The concert will be a part of ‘PGE – HoloGramy’ cycle presented for the third time and involving a hologram ‘performing’ on the stage next to the live artists. It’s all possible thanks to a special technical equipment and a fogscreen which Silesian Philharmonic has at its disposal as the only institution in Europe.

The combination of a live act and VR technology might be an interesting experience.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Ticket information: https://filharmonia-slaska.eu/production/walentynki-z-marcinem-wyrostkiem-pge-hologramy/ 

Katowice | Movie Valentine's Day with NOSPR

On the 13th of February 2022 at 6 p.m. all those in love are welcome to the cinema that moves to a concert hall! Traditionally NOSPR Concert Hall organizes movie evening on the eve of Valentine’s day. It will be an emotional journey.

It will begin with motifs from Harry Potter movie and music of John Williams. What follows will be Polish realm and Piotr Marczewski’s music to the ‘Wakacje z duchami’ show based on the Adam Bahdaj’s novel to which NOSPR recorded the music (at the time WOSPRiTV).

Next comes the music of Krzesimir Dębski composed to the Ogniem i mieczem movie (Polish superproduction), Andrzej Kurylewicz’s music to Nad Niemnem, Zdzisław Szostak’s to Królowa Bona and Waldemar Kazanecki’s to Noce i dnie. Last to be heard at the concert will be music by John Lunn and Ramin Djawadi.

The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Clelia Cafiero, Italian conductor and pianist.

Press release

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More: https://nospr.org.pl/pl/kalendarz/koncert-walentynkowy-nospr