Tomasz Stanko, renowned Polish jazz musician, died on July 29 in a Warsaw hospital at the age of 76. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year. Tomasz Stanko was born in Rzeszów, Poland on July 11, 1942. He started his studies with classical piano and violin, but eventually switched to the jazz…Continue Reading Polish jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko has passed away
The 2nd Vitis Music Sfera Festival will take place 12-18 August at the vineyard in Janowice. The festival features different genres of music – from classical to jazz to pop – and a variety of Polish and international artists. On 12 August, there will be seven concerts of soloists, chamber musicians and string orchestra. The…Continue Reading II Vitis Music Sfera Festival
The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw announced its 19th Intensive Music Course and Festival entitled “Chopin–Górecki. Sources and Inspirations,” which will take place on 13–22 August. The festival showcases Polish composers from Chopin to Górecki through private lessons given by acclaimed international artists, master classes, concerts, lectures and an excursion around Poland. Courses…Continue Reading Chopin–Górecki: Sources and Inspirations Music Festival
One of the musical highlights of summer in Warsaw is the Chopin and His Europe Festival. Organized since 2005 by the National Chopin Institute in Warsaw, it presents European music from the classical era to the present time in the context of links to Poland’s greatest composer, Frederic Chopin. The concerts take place at the…Continue Reading 14th Chopin and His Europe International Music Festival
The Kosciuszko Foundation will hold its Marcella Sembrich International Competition November 3-4, 2018, but the application deadline is coming fast on September 1. Singers of all vocal ranges aged 20-32 are invited to apply. The Competition offers generous prizes and a special Winner’s Prize that includes the acceptance to the 2019 Moniuszko Vocal Competition in…Continue Reading Sembrich Competition Deadline
The NDI Sopot Classic International Music Festival, which will be held on 4-11 August, showcases a range of Polish and international music. Created in 2011 as an initiative of the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot and City of Sopot, the festival features varied programs, talented artists, young composers and performers, and musical representations from other…Continue Reading 8th NDI Sopot Classic International Music Festival
The 73rd International Chopin Piano Festival commemorates Chopin’s stay in the spa town of Duszniki in 1826. The festival opened on Friday with a recital by pianist Wojciech Świtała. The concert was a tribute to Andrzej Merkur, the chairman of the festival’s organizing committee, who died a few months ago. Festival highlights include a recital…Continue Reading Chopin Festival in South-West Poland
Katarzyna Sadej (mezzo-soprano) and Barbara Bochenek (pianist) are working on recording the 33 songs composed by Witold Lutoslawski under the pen name “Derwid.” These “pop” songs were tangos, waltzes, and foxtrots specifically composed for Polish radio, but have been largely forgotten. The duo has begun recording in Los Angeles, but they are seeking sponsors to…Continue Reading Lutoslawski “Derwid” Recordings
On 13 August, Agata Zubel’s “Fireworks” will premiere at the Chopin and His Europe Festival. The piece will be performed by the European Union Youth Orchestra, led by Gianandrea Noseda. PWM describes the piece as: An eight-minute work by Agata Zubel, “Fireworks” was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Polish independence and contains an…Continue Reading Premiere of Agata Zubel’s “Fireworks”
The Musical Gardens Foundation will host concerts of the International Composers’ Course “Synthetis” on 6 and 9 August in Radziejowice. This year’s International Composers’ Course will last until 10 August. The Course, led by artistic director Professor Zygmunt Krauze, is the reboot of the famous composing courses organized in the 80s and 90s by the…Continue Reading Concerts of the International Summer Course for Composers “Synthesis”