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The theme of the 14th International Festival of Improvised Music "Ad Libitum", which will be held at the Center for Contemporary Art at Ujazdowski Castle on 10-12 October 2019, is improvisation in the dynamically expanding world of electronic media, such as sound synthesizers, processors, modulators, generators of electronic sounds and their interactions with acoustic instruments.

Elektro "Ad Libitum" will host pioneers – the legendary formation Musica Elettronica Viva and the famous Electro-Acoustic Ensemble, who will both perform in Poland for the first time. Polish live electronics scene will be represented by the duo of Krzysztof Knittel and Marek Chołoniewski together with Joanna Duda, who they invited to joint improvisation. As every year, young Polish improvisers will take part in the workshops led by festival resident Thomas Lehn – German virtuoso of analog synthesizer, to perform with him at one of the concerts.

The "Ad Libitum" festival is a presentation of the most interesting phenomena of the world and Polish improvised music scene. It creates a platform for concert and workshop cooperation between Polish musicians and the most outstanding artistic personalities in this field, leading to subsequent world premieres. "Ad Libitum" is more than just a festival, it is a living laboratory. In place of the 'finished products', concerts and performances already presented in the world, the festival creates new artistic situations, bringing together artists from around the world.

Full programme available at: https://www.ad-libitum.pl/ 

On 9 October 2019 the jury of the 5th Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition – after listening to the participants' renditions of works for violin and piano in the second stage – qualified the following six participants to the final stage:

1. Eimi Wakui (Japan)
2. Yumiko Yumiba (Japan)
3. Mao Konishi (Japonia) 4. Maya Levy (Belgium)
5. Robert Łaguniak (Poland)
6. Elias Moncado (Germany)

The jury is composed of: prof. Ilya Kaler – Chairman, prof. Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, prof. Boris Kuschnir, prof. Itzhak Rashkovsky, dr Jakub Jakowicz and dr Mariusz Smolij.

In the third stage of the Competition, the finalists will play with the accompaniment of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mariusz Smolij. The programme will include, among others, Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 61 by Karol Szymanowski. The auditions will take place on 11 and 12 October at 7 p.m. in the CKK Jordanki Concert Hall.

The concert of laureates of the 5th Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition will take place on 13 October at 6 p.m. in the CKK Jordanki Concert Hall. The following prizes will be awarded during the concert: 1st prize worth 20,000 EUR, 2nd prize – 15,000 EUR, 3rd prize – 10,000 EUR, three awards of 2,000 EUR and extra-statutory prizes. The Grand Prix – Astrolabe of Nicolaus Copernicus statuette in silver – will be also handed to the first prize winner.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More information at: http://lipinski-competition.com/ 

The final auditions of the 5th Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition took place on 12 October 2019 in the Concert Hall of the CKK Jordanki Cultural and Congress Center in Toruń.

Six violinists qualified to the third stage of the Competition were judged d by the international jury composed of: prof. Ilya Kaler – Chairman, prof. Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, prof. Boris Kuschnir, prof. Itzhak Rashkovsky, dr Jakub Jakowicz and dr Mariusz Smolij.

By the decision of the jury of the 5th Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition, the first prize of € 20,000 was awarded to Elias David Moncado (Germany), the second prize of € 15,000 was awarded to Robert Łaguniak (Poland), and the third prize of € 10,000 was awarded to Yumiko Yumiba (Japan). Honorable mentions of € 2,000 went to: Eimi Wakui (Japan), Mao Konishi (Japan) and Maya Levy (Belgium).

The Concert of Laureates took place on 13 October at the CKK Jordanki Concert Hall. The Grand Prix, the Nicolaus Copernicus Astrolabe made of silver, was handed to the first prize winner. The concert also premiered Paweł Riess's composition Essay for solo violin and string orchestra, awarded in the composers' competition in 2016. The work was performed by the Toruń Symphony Orchestra and violinist Adam Siebers under the baton of Maestro Mariusz Smolij.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.

More information at: http://lipinski-competition.com/ 

Board and Council of the Saint Queen Jadwiga Foundation for the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow invite you to the anniversary concert "Hope cannot fail" on 16 October 2019 at 6.30 p.m. at the Wawel Cathedral.

On the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 19 June 2009, Pope Benedict XVI, wishing to honor the memory of Saint John Paul II, raised the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Krakow to the dignity of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow. The academic community celebrates the 10th anniversary of UPJPII in 2019. On this occasion, the Saint Queen Jadwiga Foundation organizes a solemn concert.

The event will premiere works written especially for this occasion: Sebastian Szymański's Miss Spei and Dawid Kusz's Ecce Sacerdos Magnus. Missa Spei for mixed choir and symphony orchestra is a traditional five-part mass cycle enriched with two additional parts: Offertorium – Da mihi animas, with the bishop's calling chosen by Archbishop Antoni Baraniak, and the recessional hymn Mother of Mercy, based on a prayer to the Mother of God from the end of the encyclical Veritatis splendor by St. John Paul II.

The pieces will be presented by the Psalmodia Choir and Passionart Orchestra conducted by Dawid Kusz.

SEE: Facebook Event

More about Sebastian Szymański's work at: https://sebastianszymanski.wordpress.com/ 

A concert "Brzechwa musically" will take place on 11 October 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic – European Art Centre in Bialystok as part of the "Children's world in a song" series.

“This serene tone, that Jan Brzechwa was able to save through all of his working years, brings smile on the faces of youngsters and elders just at the sound of his name,” as “Życie Warszawy” (Life of Warsaw) wrote about him. Brzechwa, born Jan Wiktor Lesman, also known as Inspicjent Brzeszczot (Stagehand Ratchet) or Szer-Szeń (a play on the word ‘hornet’), is undeniably the king of children’s literature. Many of his poems are still unmatched examples and strict literary canon that every school kid knows by heart. And they call for musical arrangements. The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Children’s Choir will perform chosen works to the music composed by Marcin Nagnajewicz.

Information on tickets at: https://www.oifp.eu/repertuar/dzieciecy-swiat-w-piosence/