The International Organ Music Festival "Arch Cathedral Organ"is – one of the most important Warsaw festivals and the most important organ festivals in Europe – will last until 20 September 2020. Festival concerts take place every year in three summer months (July, August and September) on Sundays at 16.00 in the Arch Cathedral of St. John (Świętojańska Street).
Festival was established in 1994 on the initiative of the Polish organist Przemysław Kapituła, who is the artistic director of the festival.
The Warsaw Arch Cathedral is one of the most important places of Polish culture and tradition. It is also a dream place for the presentation of organ music. In 1987, one of Germany’s most prominent organ builders, Eule, built the new Warsaw Arch Cathedral mechanical organ. This great 60-voice instrument is an example of the excellent organ craftsmanship. A highly suitable design, excellent workmanship, high artistic standards and universality which allows for performing music of all ages make it an example of top organ-making mastery and a world-league instrument.
Among the performers of this year's festival will be ogranists Piotr Rachoń, Przemysław Kapituła, Ignacio Ribas Taléns, Donato Giupponi, Fabio Ciofini, Józef Kotowicz, Jean-Christophe Geiser, Ennio Cominetti, Hans Ole Thers, Stefan Kagl i Andrea Trovato presenting the repertoire they have proposed. This event helps to promote music by Polish composers, notably Karol Kurpiński, Mieczyslaw Surzynski and Feliks Nowowiejski.
This year, the prize of the Chairman of the Polish Episcopal Conference (formerly the Primate of Poland award) "Silver Pipe" will be handed out on 13 September during a concert by Stefan Kagel from Germany. Every year, this award was granted during the International Festival of Sacred Music. This year, the event did not take place because of the epidemic. Therefore, the award for outstanding achievements and contribution to the development of sacred music in Poland will be exceptionally hand during the Festival.
Detailed programme – at http://kapitula.org/