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The 15^th edition of the “Nowe Epifanie” Festival organized by the Center for the Thought of John Paul II in Warsaw will start on the 14^th of February and last until the 24^th of March, 2024. The programme is divided into three blocks: concerts, theater shows and films. The events will be accompanied by meetings with artists, admission to which is free. The theme of the anniversary edition is: "Why are you confused?"

In the Gospel of St. Luke, Jesus asks his disciples this question immediately after his suffering, death and resurrection. This year's theme focuses on illness, pain, suffering, death, and difficult situations that leave people in a state of consternation and confusion.

During the "Piosenki Zmieszane" concert (February 21), Adam Strug's songs to poems by Mickiewicz, Zacharasiewicz, Leśmian, Tuwim, Lechoń, Grochowiak and Rymkiewicz will be performed by the author and an instrumental ensemble. The repertoire of the concert "Golgotha" (March 9) by Jerycho ensemble consists of old religious folk songs about the Mystery of the Passion of the Lord. Dziczka ensemble will perform religious songs (so-called psalms), taken from recordings of authentic performers from Eastern Ukraine, Polesie, and Northern Podlasie (March 22).

Festival website: www.noweepifanie.pl 

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC

The 15^th anniversary Leo Festival will be held at the National Forum of Music on May 10-19, 2024. Christian Danowicz, artistic director of the Festival, invites you to this event.

“Inspired by the book Flights by Olga Tokarczuk, which deals with the issues of movement and time, I would like to encourage joint reflection on these universal issues during this year's Leo Festival and look at them through the prism of music and dance.”

Detailed programme - on the website: https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl/festiwale/leo-festiwal 

The Nowa Miodowa Foundation and Music School Complex No. 1 in Warsaw invite you to a new concert series in Nowa Miodowa - "Music Lessons". The title is a bit tongue-in-cheek, because it's not exactly about lessons and not only about music... The first two concerts of the series in 2024 - on the 13^th of February and the 12^th of April - will feature performances by excellent musicians who are also teachers at Nowa Miodowa: violinist Janusz Wawrowski (accompanied by Tymoteusz Bies at the piano) and pianist Filip Wojciechowski (with Trio) and pianist Marek Bracha.

The upcoming concert is a real musical meeting with titled Polish artists, winners of many prestigious international competitions. Janusz Wawrowski and Tymoteusz Bies will perform Sonata da Camera and Humoresque by Grażyna Bacewicz, Ballade in G minor, Op. 23 and Waltz in E flat major, Op. 18 by Fryderyk Chopin, and Prelude No. 21 BWV 886 by Johann Sebastian Bach in B flat major.

Jazz interpretations of Polish music will be performed by an ensemble performing continuously since 2000. In the second part of the concert, pianist and composer Filip Wojciechowski, double bassist Paweł Pańta and drummer Patryk Dobosz will return to Bacewicz's works and present Oberek, Taniec Mazowiecki and Lullaby arranged by Wojciechowski.

The jury of the 7^th Krzysztof Penderecki International Competition for Young Composers, after reviewing 14 scores, decided to award Main Prize and two distinctions.

15 scores from 9 countries were submitted to the competition: Austria (1), China (1), France (1), Hong Kong/West, Britain (1), Kosovo (1), Poland (6), Sweden (1), Ukraine (1), USA (2).

The jury was composed of: Marcel Chyrzyński (chairman), Zbigniew Bargielski, Ivan Buffa (Slovakia), Federico Gardella (Italy), Gośka Isphording (Poland/Germany) and Wojciech Widłak. The secretary of the competition was Aleksandra Patalas.

The Main Prize of USD 1,000 was awarded to the work Musical clicks, whistles and knocks (emblem: Star).

Moreover, the Jury decided to award 2 honorary distinctions for the works: October-abschied (emblem: Nysewalk) and Breathings (emblem: 211289).

The winner of the Main Prize was Ylli Daklani from Kosovo.

The distinctions went to Filip Gołdanowski from Poland (emblem: Nysewalk) and Otto Wanke from Austria (emblem: 211289).

Competition website: http://festiwal.zkp.krakow.pl/konkurs/ 

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC

A unique event will take place on the 10^th of February, 2024 at 7.00 p.m. in the Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio of the Polish Radio.

The Witold Lutosławski Festival will be an opportunity to celebrate together the rich history of the Sinfonia Viva orchestra and to enjoy extraordinary music. During the concert on the occasion of the orchestra's 25^th anniversary, the 2^nd Violin Concerto by Tomasz Radziwonowicz will be premiered conducted by the composer, general director and artistic director of the Orchestra. The violinist Gabriela Balcerek (Royal College of Music) - the youngest scholarship holder of the "Young Poland" programme - will perform as a soloist.

More on the Orchestra's website www.sinfoniaviva.com