The International Festival of Cracow Composers (formerly known as Days of Music by Cracow Composers) has been present among the cultural events in Cracow since 1989. The main purpose of the Festival is the promotion and presentation of contemporary, professional work of Cracovian composers (from classics and professors, through the outstanding middle generation to the youngest composers and students of composition) created in relation to the musical tradition of neighbouring countries, countries of the European Union and music of the world. This concept is realised via organisation of concerts and meetings with composers. What is more, there are organised special lectures during the Festival (conducted, among others, by the music theorists of the Academy of Music in Cracow and musicologists of the Jagiellonian University). For the last 20 years the musicologist Jerzy Stankiewicz was the art director and the author of the Festival’s programme. From the 2014 the person responsible for the Festival is the composer Marcel Chyrzyński.
 
 
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!

The program of the 27th International Festival of Krakow Composers is a nod towards the music of Far East. Within the nine days of the festival, alongside the music by Cracow and European composers, the compositions by artists coming from Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia and India will be presented. The traditional instrumentation of these countries, including shakuhachi, Chinese sheng, as well as Korean gayageum and heageum will be used during the concerts.

The highlight of this year’s festival, will definitely be the visit of an acclaimed Japanese artist, Toshio Hosokawa. His music, based on the rich culture of the East, Nō theatre, gagaku and Zen philosophy, is an example of symbiosis between European and traditional Japanese music. During the festival, we’ll have a chance to listen to his concerto Voyage X — Nozarashi, performed by shakuhachi maestro, Tajima Tadashi.

We will be also honoured by the presence of Wu Wei – a Chinese composer and sheng virtuoso. Korea will be represented by the Good-mori Ensemble and the Modern Ensemble, which both play contemporary composers’ music on gayageum and heageum among other instruments.

Also the pieces by Polish artists, inspired by the culture of this area can be included in the stream of the music of Far East. We will have pleasure of listening to the compositions written by Maciej Jabłoński, Szczepan Tesarowicz, Aleksander Kościów, Jakub Polaczyk and Franciszek Araszkiewicz.

As every year, the compositions by Cracow composers will be performed at the Festival, including those by Wojciech Widłak, Wojciech Ziemowit Zych, Mateusz Bień, Michał Pawełek, Jarosław Płonka, Pawłeł Sydor, Zaid Jabri, and many others. Additionally, there will be two concerts featuring works by the composers associated with the Electroacoustic Music Studio of the Academy of Music in Cracow. One of the most important events during the Festival will be a Polish premiere of the Double Concerto “Lila” for violin, cello and chamber orchestra by Konstanty Regamey.

All of the compositions presented to audience during the festival, will be performed by the best Polish and foreign artists. Apart from the already mentioned musicians, also Mariusz Pędziałek, Dorota Imiełowska, Maciej Lulek, Szymon Krzeszowiec, Jan Kalinowski, Marek Szlezer, Bartłomiej Duś, Lech Bałaban, the New Music Orchestra conducted by Szymon Bywalec and the Chamber Orchestra “Lviv Virtuosos” will perform at the Festival. On the opening day, we will have pleasure of listening to the outstanding Motion Trio and talented young Polish pianist Piotr Orzechowski.

I hope that the musical part of our programme will meet your expectations, especially since special meetings with Toshio Hosokawa and Wu Wei will be held in the Academy of Music in Cracow. Another tradition of the Festival, are symposiums and meetings with musicians and music theorists. This year, this section covers the promotion of Jerzy Stankiewicz’s book Olivier Messiaen. The Man and the Artist in the Stalag VIII A in Görlitz., a lecture by Dohun Lee (South Korea) on the use of traditional Korean instruments in the contemporary music and a lecture by Piotr Kletowski, PhD, on Tōru Takemitsu film music.

Marcel Chyrzyński

Artistic Director