In 2025, the Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP) celebrates the Centennial of the Polish composers’ association movement.
It was in 1925 that the Section of Contemporary Polish Composers was established within the Warsaw Music Society. Soon thereafter, it became an independent organization: the Polish Composers’ Association, with Ludomir Różycki as president, and Karol Szymanowski and Grzegorz Fitelberg among its first board members.
This first association of Polish composers survived the Second World War, supporting its members even in the most difficult times. In 1945, many of them traveled to Kraków, where the new authorities convened a gathering of the composer community. However, the opportunity to continue the pre-war organization's activities was denied. Instead, the authorities established a new organization under the same name — the Polish Composers’ Union.
The first president of the postwar Union was Piotr Perkowski, with Witold Lutosławski serving a dual role as both secretary and treasurer. In 1948, musicologists joined the organization — officially to contribute to its mission, but in practice, under the expectation of enforcing socialist realist doctrine. Despite this, the Union largely resisted ideological pressure. After the Stalinist period, it functioned with a considerable degree of autonomy, often voicing opposition not only in cultural matters.
Today, long after the fall of communism, Polish composers and musicologists continue to work together within the same Union, a collaboration that has proven mutually enriching. The Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP) remains one of the most important institutions in Poland’s musical life and enjoys international recognition, particularly in Europe.
The Union’s greatest international achievement is the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music, established in 1956 and still organized by ZKP. This festival fulfills the legacy of Karol Szymanowski, who sought to elevate Polish music to the level of European universalism. That same mission guided the founders of the association 100 years ago — and remains the Union’s goal to this day.
The Centennial celebrations officially began on June 13 at the 42nd General Assembly of ZKP Members. The festivities will include the 68th Warsaw Autumn Festival, held September 19–27, and culminate in the ZKP Centennial Festival, taking place November 3–14, crowned by the 54th ZKP Musicological Conference, titled "Music, Memory, History."
As part of the Festival, all 9 regional branches of ZKP from across Poland will present concerts in Warsaw. The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music — a longstanding partner — will offer a special concert of works by composers associated with the university over the past century. The National Philharmonic will close the festival with a celebratory concert, a musical gift to ZKP, featuring works by three towering figures of Polish music: Karol Szymanowski, Witold Lutosławski, and Krzysztof Penderecki.
A dedicated centennial website — 100latzkp.org.pl offers further information about these events. While still being developed, it already features fascinating materials related to the history of the Union. Of special note is an article by Iwona Lindstedt on the early days of the association movement among Polish composers, revealing numerous previously unknown and captivating facts. The website also includes high-quality facsimiles of archival documents, a gallery of rare historical photographs, and new content is being added regularly. The full festival and conference program will be published there soon.
We warmly invite you to attend the concerts and conference sessions at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, the Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio of Polish Radio, and the Warsaw Philharmonic.
See you there!
Mieczysław Kominek
