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During the next concert from the series "Prelude of Talents", on March 16, 2018 at 7.00 p.m. at the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin, we will hear Violin Concerto No. 2 op. 61 by Karol Szymanowski in the interpretation of the Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsingi and Symphony No. 7 by Anton Bruckner. 

The score of the Second Violin Concerto (1933) comes from the “national” period in Szymanowski's biography. Since the 1920s the artist had used elements of Polish folklore, e.g. from Podhale and Kurpie. Hence, the enthusiasts of Violin Concerto No. 1, which is full of impressionism, exotics and eroticism, should be informed that the piece number two presents an expression of completely different ideas. There are musical notes from Podhale, but rather than the sound of experiments we hear more tonal phrases. The co-author of the concerto, which was premiered on October 6, 1933 at the Warsaw Philharmonic, is the great violinist Paweł Kochański, a consultant in many of the violin works of the composer. During the upcoming concert, the solo part will be performed by the conductor Rune Bergmann’s fellow countrywoman, Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing, whose fame has extended far beyond Scandinavian circles (Wigmore Hall, Verbier Festival, AlpenKlassik in Germany).

The second part will be filled with Bruckner's Symphony No. 7, which was premiered with great triumph on March 10, 1885 in Munich, under the baton of Hermann Levie. The reviewer of "Berliner Tageblatt" wrote: "Bruckner has seduced us so much that when the last chord of this great work came out, we asked in astonishment: how could he have so long been a mystery to us?" The symphony consists of four monumental parts, and is filled with lyricism and seriousness (the second part of the work is reminiscent of the famous Adagietto of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5).

More information at: filharmonia.szczecin.pl

The 22nd Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival will take place in Warsaw between March 16-30, 2018.

During the 15 days of the festival, 13 symphony concerts, 3 chamber concerts and 2 piano recitals are planned. The invitation of Elżbieta Penderecka, general director of the Festival, has been accepted by music stars such as violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, pianists: Krystian Zimerman, Rudolf Buchbinder, cellist Steven Isserlis, conductors: Christoph Eschenbach, Lawrence Foster, Leonard Slatkin, Cristian Măcelaru, JoAnn Falletta, David Afkham and excellent national and international philharmonic ensembles, including Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Camerata Jerusalem, and Junge Deutsche Philharmonie.

The 22nd edition of the Easter Festival in a special way will accentuate the 100th anniversary of regaining independence by Poland, celebrated in 2018. The programme of the concerts will include both the greatest works of Polish music literature interpreted by world-renowned musicians, as well as outstanding Polish young pianists standing at the threshold of international careers: Szymon Nehring, Krzysztof Książek, and Łukasz Krupiński. The festival programme will also mark the great music anniversaries in 2018 – the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein, the 85th anniversary of the birth of Krzysztof Penderecki and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, the 125th anniversary of the birth of George Gershwin.

The Easter Festival will be inaugurated by the Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jacek Kaspszyk, who will lead the Symphony No. 3 of the patron of the festival and, together with Krystian Zimerman, will perform the 2nd Symphony "The Edge of Anxiety" by Leonard Bernstein. In the final concert we will hear Stabat Mater by A. Dvořák under the direction of Christoph Eschenbach, with outstanding soloists: Genia Kühmeier (soprano), Michelle Breedt (mezzo-soprano), Steve Davislim (tenor) and Mikhail Petrenko (bass).

The main concerts of the festival will be complemented by regular accompanying events: the Exhibition of Musical Manuscripts at the Jagiellonian Library and the International Scientific Symposium, as well as piano master classes conducted by Dmitry Alexeev.

Detailed programme is available at: http://beethoven.org.pl

The Academy of Music in Krakow invites you on March 14, 2018 at 6.30 p.m. to the Concert Hall at 43 Saint Thomas Street for the concert of the "Bridges" series.

"Bridges" is a series of concerts and presentations devoted to great musicians, educators, graduates and students associated with the Academy of Music in Krakow. The project is organized by the Departments of Chamber Music, Composition and Theory and Interpretation of Musical Works The upcoming evening will be dedicated to the outstanding figures of Krakow musical world: Prof. Krystyna Moszumańska-Nazar, Prof. Maria Fieldorf and Prof. Zbigniew Szlezer.

In the series of world premieres, we will hear Concertato na kanwie muzyki K. Moszumańskiej for percussion (2018) by dr hab. Magdalena Długosz, Poco divertimento for cello and piano (2018) by prof. Anna Zawadzka-Gołosz and Z powyginanych figur gobeliny for percussion, cello, piano for four hands, two saws and an electroacoustic layer (2018) by mgr Kamila Kruk, in which the composer himself will take part. The pieces will be presented by drummers Jan Pilch and Tomasz Sobaniec, cellist Barbara Łypik-Sobaniec, pianists Monika Wilińska-Tarcholik, Milena Kędra and Monika Płachta. In the second part of the concert, a group of students of the Music Academy under the direction of Stanisław Welanyk will perform Music for five by Krystyna Moszumańska-Nazar.

Admission free.

Additional information at: https://www.amuz.krakow.pl

Over 100 artists, soloists and chamber musicians from several European countries, will take part in this year's edition of the Festival of Contemporary Music for Children and Youth "Srebrna Szybka", organized for the eighth time by the Bronisław Rutkowski Primary and Secondary Music School in Kraków between March 14-17, 2018.

The festival was established in 2004 under the honorary patronage of Professor Adam Kaczyński, the late founder of the legendary band MW2 and the long-term head of the Department of Contemporary Music Interpretation at the Academy of Music in Krakow. As part of the festival, two competitions take place in the two-year cycle: for composers and performers, and their aim is to promote contemporary trends, composition and performance techniques among pupils and pedagogues of primary and secondary music schools.

This year's performance competition is on the list of events recommended by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The deliberations of the international jury composed of eminent specialists in the field of contemporary music will be led by Professor Zdzisław Łapiński. The competition will be accompanied by a rich programme of events: workshops on new compositional techniques and instruments (Maciej Jabłoński, Michał Jakub Papara), lectures on the latest music (Barbara Bogunia) and special concerts performed by the previous winners of the competition and school pedagogues with works by George Crumb, Arvo Pärt, Witold Lutosławski, Gary Schocker and Leszek Wojtal.

More information at: www.sm1krakow.eu/srebrna-szybka/ 

On March 21, 2018 at 7.00 p.a. at the Concert Hall of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, a symphony concert will take place. On Wednesday evening we will hear the prepremiere of Symphony of Professor Marian Borkowski, who celebrates 50 years of pedagogical work at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music.

"This one-part symphonic work consists of many clearly outlined phases and links that are organisationally connected and strongly contrasted in terms of material, texture, sound, form and expression. (...) The whole composition is intended by the composer as a closed process with clearly formulated gradations and culminations as well as high emotional temperature and continuity of the tension of the musical action. Symphony marks the 65th anniversary of my creative work and the 50th anniversary of my pedagogical activity – and I dedicate it to my son Piotr, a loyal and excellent interpreter of my work." – the composer himself speaks about the Symphony.

A composer, musicologist, pianist, educator and animator of musical life, in his music balances the perfect technique and the ability to build a form with huge expression. His work, as a representative of the most experienced generation of Polish composers, is a record of the changes taking place in Polish music over the years. It presents both sonorist techniques as well as references to the so-called new romanticism.

The comission of Marian Borkowski's Symphony was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the "Composition Commissions" programme implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance.

During the concert we will also hear Clarinet Concert by A. Copland and Adagio for string orchestra by S. Barber. The works will be presented by the UMFC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Piotr Borkowski. The clarinettist Adrian Janda will perform as a soloist.

Free entry cards are available from March 8 at Chopin University Press.

Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC.