The 59th Festival of Polish Pianism in Słupsk will take place from September 6 to 10, 2025. This oldest platform for Polish pianists, organized by the Słupsk Socio-Cultural Association, will feature nine concerts in this year’s program.
Over the past 58 years, the festival has hosted more than 450 Polish pianists. The founder and visionary behind the Festival of Polish Pianism (FPP) was Andrzej Cwojdziński. Since 1974, the festival has included the "Young Stage" (Estrada Młodych) – a concert series highlighting outstanding students and graduates of Polish music academies. From 1968, harpsichordists also became part of the program. For decades, the festival has also hosted performances by pianists forming the “Polish team”, who traditionally appear at the festival shortly before competing in the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.
These hallmark features will be reflected in the inaugural concert, featuring: Mateusz Dubiel, representing Poland at the 19th Chopin Competition; harpsichordist Alina Ratkowska, giving the world premiere of Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra by Mikołaj Hertel, a piece dedicated to her by the composer; and pianist Paweł Kowalski, performing Concertino for Piano and Orchestra by Władysław Szpilman, marking the 25th anniversary of the composer’s death. The performers will be joined by the Polish Philharmonic Sinfonia Baltica in Słupsk, conducted by Jakub Chrenowicz.
On September 7, members of the Polish competition team will take part in the “Young Chopinists’ Piano Marathon.”
That same day, in the White Granary (Biały Spichlerz) gallery space, a special concert from the “Witkacy – Images in Sound” series will mark the 140th anniversary of the birth of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy). Pianists Joanna Domańska and Magdalena Lisak will perform piano works by Karol Szymanowski, accompanied by projections of Witkacy’s paintings. The concert will be preceded by a special introductory lecture.
On September 8, as part of the Young Stage (Estrada Młodych), performances will be given by Justyna Żołnacz and Maciej Domagała, laureates of the 13th International Competition for Young Pianists “Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam” in Bydgoszcz (2024).
As part of his three-year artistic residency at the FPP in Słupsk, pianist Szymon Nehring will appear this year in a chamber music role, performing alongside two acclaimed musicians of his generation — Jakub Jakowicz (violin) and Marcin Zdunik (cello). Their program will include, among other works, the Piano Trio No. 1 by Andrzej Panufnik.
For the first time in the history of the Festival of Polish Pianism, Ewa Pobłocka will perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
The festival will conclude with the announcement of the “Young Stage” winners, followed by a performance of Maurycy Moszkowski’s Piano Concerto in E major by Michał Mossakowski, accompanied by the Polish Philharmonic Sinfonia Baltica, under the baton of Jakub Chrenowicz. The concert commemorates the 100th anniversary of Moszkowski’s death.
Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC
