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On the 100th anniversary of Poland regaining its independence, a project about outstanding Polish musicians to whom we owe the preservation of national identity in the period of more than a century of captivity was devoloped. Some of the musicians have gained world recognition, others are known only among compatriots, some have been forgotten. The project "Musicians for Independence" is devoted to these often unknown heroes of the Polish road to freedom.

A presentation of the book containing biographies of selected artists, with particular emphasis on their patriotic activities and the role they played on the Polish way to independence, will take place on October 15, 2018 at 12 p.m. during the official inauguration of the project in the former building of the University of Warsaw Library. The opening of the exhibition which presents the characters of the book will take place on afterwards. The exhibition will be held for two weeks.

On October 20 at 6 p.m. in the Royal Castle in Warsaw, there will be a concert featuring Agnieszka Kozłowska (soprano), Dorota Lachowicz (mezzo-soprano), Krzysztof Kur (tenor), Witold Żołądkiewicz (baritone), Ewa Pelwecka (piano), Warsaw Opera Quartet, and mediaChoir under the direction of Łukasz Hermanowicz. The programme will include vocal and vocal-instrumental pieces by Fryderyk Chopin, Karol Kurpiński, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Stanisław Moniuszko, Władysław Żeleński, Michał Kleofas Ogiński, and Feliks Nowowiejski.

The event takes place under the Honorary Patronage of the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Culture and National Heritage, prof. Piotr Gliński. The project was implemented by the "Rodzice Szkole" Foundation, the Institute of Music and Dance, the Museum of Polish History and the Central Archives of Modern Records.

More information at: www.muzycydlaniepodleglej.pl 

On October 17, 2018 at 7 p.m., as part of the regular concerts of the artistic season of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music entitled "Wednesday on Okólnik Street", there will be a symphonic concert "Our graduates", which will feature a premiere of the new work by Nikola Kołodziejczyk.

The concert will start with Karol Szymanowski's Etude in B flat minor – the third of the early piano series Four etudes, Op. 4, arranged for the orchestra by Grzegorz Fitelberg. Next, the FCUM Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk will present the Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 by Johannes Brahms and the premiere of the accordion concerto Olgino by Nikola Kołodziejczyk – composer, arranger, conductor, pianist, winner of two "Fryderyk" awards. The work will be performed by Rafał Grząka, graduate of the FCUM, student of prof. zw. dr hab. Klaudiusz Baran, rector of the same university. The concert by Nikola Kołodziejczyk was commissioned by the Accordionists Association as part of the "Collections" programme – "Composing Commissions" priority, operated by the Institute of Music and Dance.

For all concerts from the cycle "Wednesday on Okólnik Street" tickets for PLN 15 can be purchased at the earliest two weeks before the concert. The sale takes place at the Chopin University Press in the main university hall from Monday to Wednesday and on Fridays from 4 to 7pm, and through the website www.umfc.bilety24.pl. 

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

Next concert in the "100 songs for 100 years of independence" series will take place on October 15, 2018 at the Grand Theater in Łódź.

During the concerts from the series, the leading soloists of the Grand Theater in Łódź will present the most beautiful songs to the poems of Polish poets about their homeland. There will be plenty of reflection on seemingly trivial matters: worries and joys, big and small feelings, lofty ideas and those quite mundane.

On October 15, Aleksandra Wiwała and Przemysław Rezner, accompanied by Sylwia Michnik, will interpret the songs of Fryderyk Chopin, Stanisław Moniuszko, Mieczysław Karłowicz and Tadeusz Baird.

Information on tickets at: http://www.operalodz.com

October 14, 2018 at 4.30 p.m., the Church of The Ascension of the Lord in Warsaw, Ursynów will host a concert on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of regaining independence by Poland. The event "Ursynów for Independent" will be coupled with the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of creative work of Professor Sławomir Czarnecki and the 18th Festival "Musical Confrontations".

The concert will be performed by the Ursynów Chamber Orchestra, composed of Ursynów residents and artists representing outstanding musical institutions: the National Philharmonic, the National Opera, Sinfonia Varsovia, and Camerata Vistula. The orchestra have been working under the guidance of such people as Andrzej Gębski, Jerzy Cembrzyński and Grzegorz Chmielewski.

Sławomir Czarnecki, a resident of Ursynów who celebrates the 50th anniversary of creative work, undertook the reconstruction of the unfinished work by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Suite in G major. For the first time in over a hundred years, this piece will be performed entirely in the intended form. In addition, the Ursynów Chamber Orchestra will present  Paderewski's Minuet in G major, Serenade for string orchestra by Mieczysław Karłowicz, St. Mary Triptych by Romuald Twardowski, and Jurassic Concerto, Op. 42 for four violins and string orchestra by Sławomir Czarnecki.

Admission free!

The organizers of the series "Musical Meetings on the Krzesławickie Hills" join the celebration of the 100th anniversary of regaining independence and invite everyone to a concert entitled "Homeland, I will not forget you", which will take place on October 13, 2018 at 7.30 p.m. in the Divine Mercy Church in Kraków (Na Wzgórzach 1A).

The concert will feature the String Orchestra and the Mixed Choir of the St. Stanislav’s Institution in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and the Symphony Orchestra and Choir "Chopiniada" of the Fryderyk Chopin State Music School in Krakow. These performers have been cooperating with each other for several years as part of the international Erasmus project.

The programme will consists of two historical Hymns – Bogurodzica, which will be heard in the instrumental version, and Gaude Mater Polonia, as well as Feliks Nowowiejski's Ojczyzna for choir and organ. The highlight of the evening will be a joint performance of the Children's Mass by the English composer and conductor John Rutter.

Damijan Močnik, Marek Hampel and Marceli Kolaska will conduct the ensembles. The programme will also include the performances of three soloists: soprano Magdalena Pilarz-Bobrowska, baritone Miha Zupanc Kovač and organist Marek Walczak.

More information at: http://krakownh.pl