On April 16, the names of the 2018 Fryderyk Award winners in the Classical Music genre were announced at a special gala held in Polish Radio’s Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio in Warsaw. The gala concert was performed by the Polish Radio Orchestra led by director Michał Klauza; the National Music Forum Choir conducted by Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny; Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense conducted by Lilianna Stawarz; and Marcin Zdunik and Aleksander Dębicz.
Awards were granted in the following categories:
Album of the Year – Choral Music, Oratorio & Opera
- Warsaw Philharmonic | Karol Szymanowski (Warner Music): Aleksandra Kurzak – soprano, Agnieszka Rehlis – mezzo, Dmitry Korchak – tenor, Artur Ruciński – baritone, National Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, Jacek Kaspszyk – cond.
Album of the Year – Early Music
- Antonio Caldara – Maddalena ai piedi di Cristo (Polskie Radio S.A. / Agencja Muzyczna): Olga Pasiecznik & Barbara Zamek – soprano, Anna Radziejewska – mezzo, Jan Jakub Monowid – countertenor, Artur Janda – bass, Aleksander Kunach – baritone, “Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense”, Lilianna Stawarz – cond.
Album of the Year – Solo Recital
- Dariusz Przybylski – Already It is Dusk (Requiem Records / DUX): Dariusz Przybylski – Hammond organ (see Przybylski Plays Hammond Organ for more details)
Album of the Year – Chamber Music
- Mieczysław Wajnberg – String Quartet No. 7 & Piano Quintet (CD Accord): Kwartet Śląski: Szymon Krzeszowiec – violin, Arkadiusz Kubica – violin, Łukasz Syrnicki – viola, and Piotr Janosik – cello
Album of the Year – Symphony & Concert Music
- Made in Poland (DUX): Atom String Quartet, “Leopoldinum” Chamber Orchestra, Christian Danowicz – violin, lider
Album of the Year – Contemporary Music
- proMODERN shakespired (Warner Music): proMODERN Contemporary Vocal Sextet
Best Foreign Album
- Krystian Zimerman. Franz Schubert – Piano Sonatas No. 20 & 21 (Deutsche Grammophon): Krystian Zimerman – piano
Best Recording of Polish Music
- proMODERN shakespired (Warner Music): proMODERN Contemporary Vocal Sextet
World-famous conductor and founder of the “Amadeus” Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio Agnieszka Duczmal also received the ‘Golden Fryderyk‘ honorary award (pictured at right). To view over 300 images from the event, visit www.facebook.com/GalaFryderyk.
Winners in the Jazz and Popular Music categories will be announced at a subsequent gala ceremony on April 24 at the Polish Theater.
[Sources: zpav.pl, polmic.pl, facebook.com]