Główna zawartość
Program festiwalu
Zakończenie Sezonu / Inauguracja Festiwalu / Marek Wakarecy In Memoriam
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 60 / 45 PLN (BUY TICKET)
Performers:
- Paweł Wakarecy – piano
- Iwona Hossa – soprano
- Kaunas State Symphony Orchestra (Lithuania)
- Toruń Symphony Orchestra
- Dainius Pavilionis (Lithuania) – conductor
Programme:
- W. Lutosławski – Variations on a Theme by Paganini
- R. Strauss – Four Last Songs (Vier letzte Lieder)
- R. Strauss – Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (Symphonic Poem)
- The Song of Two Rivers:
The Vistula (Magdalena Cynk)
The Neris ( Zita Bružaitė)
On 20 June, the Concert Hall of the Jordanki Culture and Congress Centre will become a meeting place for two orchestras and two rivers, while also serving as the setting for two world premieres. The evening will feature two outstanding soloists. With the concert Marek Wakarecy in Memoriam, we will bring the 47th artistic season of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra to a close and inaugurate the 30th International Nova Music and Architecture Festival.
The programme offers a remarkable journey through the richness and diversity of musical genius. Acclaimed pianist Paweł Wakarecy will perform Witold Lutosławski’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini, a work with a fascinating history. Its original version was composed in 1941, bringing moments of hope and artistic freedom to audiences in occupied Warsaw. The later orchestral version, completed in 1978 blends virtuosic brilliance with modern orchestral sound.
The evening’s more contemplative dimension will be provided by Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs, performed by the distinguished soprano Iwona Hossa. The first three songs were composed to the poems by the German Nobel Prize-winning writer Hermann Hesse, while the final song draws on a poem by a German Romantic writer Joseph von Eichendorff.
The culmination of the evening will be the Toruń premiere of Richard Strauss’s symphonic poem Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Inspired by the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, this monumental work contains one of the most famous openings in the history of classical music – the iconic Sunrise. For this performance, two orchestras will join forces on stage: the Toruń Symphony Orchestra and the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dainius Pavilionis.
Their collaboration will provide a fitting setting for the world premiere of The Song of Two Rivers. This unique project brings together two newly commissioned compositions: The Vistula by Magdalena Cynk and The Neris by Zita Bružaitė – the two rivers that have shaped the identities of Toruń and Kaunas for centuries.
The concert is dedicated to the memory of Marek Wakarecy, the long-serving director of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra and one of the most influential figures in the cultural life of Toruń. In 2026, fifteen years will have passed since his untimely death.
Muzyczne kadry z Polski
Location: The Artus Court / Entrance: 50 PLN (BUY TICKET)
Concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of Andrzej Wajda's birth and the 150th anniversary of Mieczysław Karłowicz's birth
- Wojciech Waleczek - piano
- Magdalena Miśka-Jackowska - host
Programme:
- F. Chopin – Romance from Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 (arr. Wojciech Waleczek)
- F. Chopin – Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1 (featured in A. Wajda's film Ashes)
- I. J. Paderewski – Humoresques de concert, Op. 14 (1. Menuet célèbre, 2. Sarabande, 6. Cracovienne fantastique)
- S. Moniuszko – Chime Aria from the opera The Haunted Manor
- S. Moniuszko – Mazurka from the opera The Haunted Manor (featured in A. Wajda's film Ashes)
- W. Kilar – Vocalise from the film The Ninth Gate
- W. Kilar – Theme from the film The Pianist
- W. Kilar – Waltz from A. Wajda's film The Promised Land
- W. Kilar – Polonaise from A. Wajda's film Pan Tadeusz
- M. Karłowicz – Chant de Mai (tytuł oryginalnie francuski, zachowywany w angielskim)
- M. Karłowicz – Andante in F major
- Fryderyk Chopin / Franz Liszt – 6 chants polonais, S. 480 (2. Spring, 3. The Ring, 4. Merrymaking)
On 26 June, we will celebrate with a programme devoted entirely to Polish music. The evening will honour two remarkable figures whose anniversaries fall in 2026.
The first is Andrzej Wajda, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. The concert will feature music from The Promised Land and Pan Tadeusz, two landmark films for which the scores were composed by Wojciech Kilar. The artistic partnership between Kilar and Wajda began with the adaptation of Władysław Reymont’s The Promised Land and soon became one of the most celebrated collaborations in the history of Polish cinema. Released in 1975, the film marked the beginning of a long and creative relationship between the composer and the director. In addition to The Promised Land, Kilar wrote music for four other Wajda films: Korczak (1990), A Chronicle of Amorous Accidents (1995), Pan Tadeusz (1999), and The Revenge (2002).
Kilar’s deep fascination with the Tatra Mountains and the musical traditions of the Polish highlanders found a parallel in the life of the evening’s second honouree, Mieczysław Karłowicz, whose 150th birth anniversary falls in 2026. Karłowicz is remembered not only for his symphonic poems, but also as an avid mountaineer and passionate lover of the Tatras. Tragically, his life was cut short in 1909 when he was killed by an avalanche in the mountains he so dearly loved. The concert will offer a glimpse into the composer’s earliest creative years. The audience will hear Chant de Mai for piano, composed between 1883 and 1884 and regarded as Karłowicz’s earliest surviving work, as well as the Andante in F major from 1896, another miniature for solo piano.
Let us return for a moment to the world of Andrzej Wajda. The concert programme will also feature operatic works by Stanisław Moniuszko and compositions by Frédéric Chopin that appeared in Wajda’s film Ashes. Anyone who has ever listened to Polish Radio Programme 1 will instantly recognise the opening bars of Chopin’s Polonaise in A major, Op. 40 No. 1. It is quite possible that Chopin perfected the piece in the studio of the painter Eugène Delacroix, who at the time was working on his famous double portrait of the composer and George Sand. So eager was Chopin to continue his work that a piano was specially brought to the studio for his use. The pianist and composer Jan Kleczyński wrote of the Polonaise in A major that “every note, every accent here is seething with life and vigour.”
The same vitality and spirit can be found in the other works featured in the programme, including Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Humoresques de Concert and Chopin’s Polish Songs, Op. 74, which bring the evening to a fitting conclusion.
Guiding audiences through the Musical Portrait of Poland will be Wojciech Waleczek – pianist, professor of arts, and an artist renowned for an uncompromising approach to performance arts. Equally at home as a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed with orchestras across the globe and appeared in prestigious concert halls throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Wróćmy jeszcze na moment do Wajdy – w programie koncertu znalazły się również dzieła operowe Stanisława Moniuszki i utwory Fryderyka Chopina, wykorzystane w filmie Popioły. Kto słuchał kiedykolwiek Programu I Polskiego Radia, z pewnością rozpozna wstęp Poloneza A-dur op. 40 nr 1. Niewykluczone, że Fryderyk doskonalił go w pracowni Eugene’a Delacroix, który malował wówczas portret podwójny kompozytora i George Sand. Chopin sprowadził tam specjalnie wypożyczony fortepian, aby móc kontynuować tworzenie. Jan Kleczyński, pianista i kompozytor, o Polonezie A-dur mówił tak: „każda nutka, każdy akcent wre tu i kipi życiem i siłą”.
Energią kipią też Humoreski koncertowe Ignacego Jana Paderewskiego oraz Pieśni op. 74 Fryderyka Chopina dopełniające program koncertu.
Muzyczne kadry z Polski namaluje dla Państwa Wojciech Waleczek, pianista i profesor sztuki, znany z bezkompromisowego podejścia do sztuki wykonawczej. Występuje jako solista i kameralista, koncertuje z orkiestrami z całego świata. Grał w renomowanych salach koncertowych w Europie, Azji, Afryce oraz obu Amerykach.
Wirtuozeria i wyobraźnia - Rossini / Mozart / Williams / Kilar
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 50 PLN (BUY TICKET)
- Krzysztof Jakowicz - violin
- Jerzy Semkow Sinfonia Iuventus Polish Orchestra
- Wojciech Rodek - conductor
- Gabriela Ułanowska - host
Programme:
- G. Rossini – William Tell Overture
- W.A. Mozart – Violin Concerto in A major, K. 219
- J. Williams – Suite from the film Harry Potter
- W. Kilar – Suite from the film Pan Tadeusz
“They asked me how many times I had read Pan Tadeusz while composing this music. Good heavens! Not once. Because, as far as I am concerned, the only Pan Tadeusz that existed for that matter was Wajda’s. I was not writing music for Mickiewicz’s epic, but for Wajda’s film. Yet Pan Tadeusz lives within every Pole, and therefore it lives within me as well, even if I do not keep a copy on my bedside table. I have read it many times, and all those scenes are deeply ingrained in my memory. It is part of my Polish identity. And when it came to composing, the music seemed obvious.”
This is how Wojciech Kilar described the creation of the score for Andrzej Wajda’s acclaimed film Pan Tadeusz. The music earned the composer numerous distinctions, including the Golden Duck Award for Best Music in a Polish Film (2000), the Polish Film Academy Eagle Award for Best Original Score (2000), and a Platinum Record for sales exceeding 20,000 copies. In 2007, the famous Polonaise scene received a special Golden Duck Award as part of the magazine’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, winning in the category of Best Dance Scene. At the Jordanki Culture and Congress Centre, the audience will have the opportunity to hear the Pan Tadeusz Suite from this legendary film.
The evening will also take audiences on a journey into the magical world of Harry Potter. The programme includes the Suite from the film series about the young wizard, composed by John Williams, one of the most celebrated and influential film composers of all time. A true record-holder in the history of the Academy Awards, Williams has received an extraordinary 54 Oscar nominations and won five. Among the most iconic film franchises for which he has written music are Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter.
The programme will also feature the overture to Rossini’s four-act opera William Tell, which premiered in 1829. In April 1828, Rossini announced in the pages of La Revue musicale that William Tell would be his final opera.
The concert will conclude with Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, known as the “Turkish” Concerto. The composer wrote the work while serving as Konzertmeister at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg, Hieronymus von Colloredo.
The soloist for the evening will be Krzysztof Jakowicz, laureate of the First- and Second-Class Awards of the Minister of Culture and Art, the Award of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Award of the Polish Composers’ Union. He will perform with the Jerzy Semkow Sinfonia Iuventus Polish Orchestra under the baton of Wojciech Rodek. The mission of Sinfonia Iuventus is to support exceptionally talented young musicians by providing them with opportunities for debut orchestral experience. The ensemble is composed of instrumentalists under the age of thirty. The concert will be hosted by Gabriela Ułanowska.
Muzyczne dialogi #1 / Six Pianos
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 50 zł (BUY TICKET)
Steve Reich 90th Birthday Celebration Concert
Partner: Yamaha
The concert will be accompanied by an exhibition "Phase Shift / Między dźwiękiem a obrazem"
- Adam Kośmieja - piano
- Mariusz Klimsiak - piano
- Radosław Kurek - piano
- Michał Szymanowski - piano
- Paweł Wakarecy - piano
- Bartłomiej Wezner – piano
- Karol Furtak - host
Programme:
- Terry Riley - Keyboard studies nr 1
- Philip Glass - 4 movements for 2 pianos
- Steve Reich - Six pianos
Six pianos on one stage, masterworks by leading minimalist composers, and the rare spectacle of a piano sextet — all this awaits audiences on 5 July at the Concert Hall of the Jordanki Culture and Congress Centre. The opening concert in the Musical Dialogues series will feature compositions by Philip Glass, Terry Riley, and Steve Reich, who celebrates his 90th birthday this year.
Reich is an American composer, pioneer of musical minimalism, and two-time Grammy Award winner. His composition Six Pianos emerged from the idea of writing a work for every instrument in a piano showroom. The composer eventually abandoned this concept, however, concluding that such a large number of instruments produced an overly dense sound and proved difficult to control. Instead, he opted for a work scored for six pianos, whose distinctive sonority allowed for the performance of fast, rhythmically intricate music while enabling the performers to hear one another with clarity and precision.
The programme will also include music by Philip Glass, widely regarded as one of the most celebrated, prolific, and influential composers of our time. Although often associated with minimalism, Glass himself has preferred to describe his style as “music with repetitive structures”. The Toruń audience will hear his Four Movements for Two Pianos. While originally composed for two performers, the work will be presented here in a fresh and innovative arrangement for six pianists. Rather than a single duo, three pairs of musicians will alternate and engage in a musical dialogue.
The programme will also feature Keyboard Studies, one of Terry Riley’s most frequently performed and acclaimed works. “Composed between 1964 and 1965, the two Keyboard Studies perfectly encapsulate the musical language of Terry Riley, a composer and pioneer of musical minimalism. Built from repetitive, hypnotic sound structures based on recurring musical ‘cells’, the works gradually evolve through repetition, overlap, and subtle transformation. Although their processes may appear mechanical, they generate remarkably rich and captivating sonic landscapes, creating shimmering textures that seem to ripple and resonate through space,” explains Adam Kośmieja. The composition was originally written for a single keyboard instrument. “Our performance of Terry Riley’s Keyboard Study No. 1 will be presented in an original arrangement for six pianists and six pianos,” Kośmieja adds.
The piano sextet appearing in the 5 July concert will consist of Adam Kośmieja, Michał Szymanowski, Mariusz Klimsiak, Paweł Wakarecy, Radosław Kurek, and Bartłomiej Wezner. Together, they form a unique piano collective that brings together distinguished artists representing a wide range of contemporary pianistic traditions and performance practices.
Muzyczne dialogi #2 / Elegancja fletu, harfy czar
Location: The Burghers’ Hall / Entrance: Admission free *
Wystąpią:
- Łukasz Długosz - flute
- Carlos Peña-Montoya (Kostaryka) – harp
- Gabriela Ułanowska - host
W programie:
- G. Faure - Après un rêve
- J. Donjon - Rossignolet
- E. Schneider - Ailulu
- A. de Cabezon - Pavane i wariation
- Anonim - Romance
- L.L. de Ribayaz - Hachas
- C. Debussy - Arabesque nr.1
- G. Bizet - Intermezzo
- J. Donjon - Pan
- G. Faure - Pavane Op. 50
- C. Salzedo - Chanson dans la Nuit
- J. Ibert - Entr'acte
Surrounded by works of art within the historic interiors of the Old Town Hall, the audience will embark on a truly musical grand tour. Together, we will journey through France, Germany, and – fittingly for the summer season – sun-drenched Spain.
The programme will feature music by renowned composers, including Claude Debussy, one of the leading figures of musical Impressionism, and Georges Bizet, whose opera Carmen remains among the most beloved operatic works. Alongside these celebrated names, the concert will also present works by distinguished contemporary composers, including Enjott Schneider, winner of the Bavarian Film Award for Best Film Score in 1990, who is very popular mainly in Germany.
The audience will also encounter the rich musical heritage of Renaissance and Baroque Spain. Although Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz was trained as a theologian rather than a professional musician, this did not prevent him from making a lasting contribution as a composer. Antonio de Cabezón followed a different path. Born into a musical family, he became one of the most influential figures in Spanish Renaissance music and the first Iberian composer to achieve lasting recognition for his keyboard works.
Returning to France, the programme will additionally feature compositions by Johannes Donjon, a musician whose works occupy an important place in the flute repertoire; Gabriel Fauré, a master of miniature forms; Carlos Salzedo, the celebrated harp virtuoso; and Jacques Ibert, who was awarded the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour in recognition of his artistic achievements.
The performers at the Old Town Hall will be Łukasz Długosz, the most awarded Polish flautist in history who is regarded by critics as one of the leading flute virtuosos of his generation, and Carlos Peña-Montoya, a harpist from Costa Rica who serves as Principal Harpist of the Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic in Gdańsk. In 2014, he graduated with distinction from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, where he studied under Professor Helga Storck. Alongside his performing career, he is also a dedicated educator and a teacher of harp at the Feliks Nowowiejski General Music School in Gdańsk and the Zygmunt Noskowski Music School in Gdynia. The concert will be hosted by Gabriela Ułanowska.
Free admission tickets available at the CKK Jordanki ticket office from 2 July 2026.
Stworzenie Świata. Spektakl muzyczno-aktorski
Location: The Church of Holy Spirit / Entrance: Free
- Aleksander Machalica - actor
Arte dei Suonatori:
- Magdalena Karolak - oboe
- Aureliusz Goliński - violin
- Anna Krzyżak-Siarkowska - viola
- Anna Wieczorek - viola
- Borys Piszczatowski - cello
Programme:
- J. Haydn – The Creation (arr. for oboe and string quartet by F. J. Rosinack)
“God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players, to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won’t tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time” – Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens.
With this quotation, we invite you to a musical and theatrical performance entitled The Creation of the World, inspired by Joseph Haydn’s celebrated oratorio of the same name. The 18th-century oboist Franz Joseph Rosinack arranged this monumental work for oboe and string quartet, continuing the then-popular tradition of adapting large-scale compositions for more intimate instrumental forces. The individual movements vividly depict the story of Creation – from primordial chaos, through the emergence of light, the earth, and the celestial bodies, to the formation of water, animals, and humankind. The third part of the performance recalls the story of Adam and Eve in Paradise. Musical excerpts will be interwoven with passages from the Book of Genesis, the Psalms, and John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, which also served as one of the literary inspirations for Haydn’s oratorio. These texts will be narrated by the actor Aleksander Machalica, known for his roles in productions such as Crimen (1988), Vinci (2004), War Girls (2017), and Volta (2017). The Church of the Holy Spirit provides a natural setting for this narrative. Its distinctive architecture and sacred atmosphere not only carry the spoken biblical texts, but also enhance the intimate dialogue between oboe and strings.
The oboe part will be performed by Magdalena Karolak, a highly regarded representative of the younger generation of instrumentalists. She regularly collaborates with ensembles such as Jordi Savall’s Le Concert des Nations, the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Capella Cracoviensis, and the Historical Orchestra.
She will be joined by members of the Arte dei Suonatori ensemble in a chamber formation, featuring violinist Aureliusz Goliński, violists Anna Krzyżak-Siarkowska and Anna Wieczorek, and cellist Borys Piszczatowski.
Muzyczne dialogi #3 / Piano&Cello
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: Admission free *
- Marcin Pająk - piano
- Antoni Wrona - cello
- Gabriela Ułanowska - host
Programme:
- L. Janáček – Pohádka
- C. Debussy – Cello Sonata in D minor, L. 135
- T. Prasqual – Tombeau
- S. Prokofiev – Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 119
On 19 July, the third concert in the Musical Dialogues series will take place. It promises to be an intriguing event in every respect – including on a more personal note. Although the performers’ names may suggest a close encounter with nature, the evening will in fact offer an encounter with chamber music of the highest calibre. With a precision reminiscent of fine lacework and a natural, soaring expressivity, pianist Marcin Pająk and cellist Antoni Wrona – both internationally acclaimed artists – will lead the audience on a musical journey across Europe, from France to the Czech Republic.
Sergei Prokofiev composed his Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 119, in 1949, four years before his death on 5 March 1953. Interestingly, Joseph Stalin died on the very same day – a coincidence that has given rise to a well-known anecdote. According to this story, Grzegorz Fitelberg, director of the Polish Radio Grand Symphony Orchestra, arrived at rehearsal the day after the deaths of Stalin and Prokofiev, intending to honour the great composer with a minute of silence. Turning to the concertmaster, Władysław Wochniak, he reportedly asked: “Władziu, is it true that Stalin has died?”
The programme will also feature Claude Debussy’s Cello Sonata in D minor, L. 135, dedicated to the composer’s wife. Hence the dedication in the sonata cycle where it can be found: Six sonatas for various instruments, composed in honour of Emma by Claude Debussy, her husband.
The audience will also hear Pohádka, a work by Leoš Janáček inspired by The Tale of Tsar Berendey by Vasily Zhukovsky, the Russian poet who also wrote the lyrics to the imperial anthem of Russia. In Czech, Pohádka means “fairy tale” or “fable”, and the piece’s lyrical, flowing, and often dreamlike character corresponds perfectly to this title.
A very different mood is introduced by Tombeau (French for “tomb” or “gravestone”) by Tomasz Prasqual, a contemporary composer known for his stylistic versatility and his recurring engagement with the theme of death, reinterpreted here through a modern musical language.
Let yourself be carried away by this intricate musical web of sounds.
Free admission tickets available at the CKK Jordanki ticket office from 2 July 2026.
Muzyczne dialogi #4 / Violoncello Vibrez
Location: Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Toruń / Entrance: Free
Cellos:
- Cecylia Stanecka
- Agata Nowak
- Weronika Kujawa
- Michał Koziński
- Jakub Grajewski
- Karolina Szczechowicz
- Katarzyna Bączkowska
- Zuzanna Pocztowska
- Urszula Urzędowska - host
Programme:
- M. Corrette – Le Phénix
- R. Wagner – Tristan und Isolde – Prelude
- A. Piazzolla – Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (arr. for cello octet)
- A. Piazzolla – Fuga y Misterio
Did you know that the cello is often regarded as the instrument closest to the human voice? It can produce a deep, velvety tone, only to soar moments later into registers of remarkable brilliance and expressive intensity, rivalling even the violin. Now imagine not one or two cellos, but eight of them sounding together beneath the soaring Gothic vaults of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Toruń. This is the experience we have prepared for audiences as part of the fourth concert in the Musical Dialogues series.
The star of the evening will be an energetic cello octet. Such ensembles remain a rarity in the world of chamber music, offering a unique combination of power and intimacy. Their sound can rival that of a small orchestra in richness and dynamic range, while retaining the flexibility, precision, and subtlety that are the hallmarks of chamber performance.
The programme presents a fascinating journey across centuries, countries, and contrasting musical landscapes. Familiar works will be heard in distinctive arrangements for eight cellos, revealing new colours, textures, and expressive possibilities. Among them is Le Phénix, a Baroque concerto regarded as one of the earliest works in music history composed specifically for bass instruments alone. Like the mythical phoenix from which it takes its name, the piece continues to be reborn through modern performances, captivating listeners with its courtly elegance and refined charm. The overture to Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde promises to be one of the emotional high points of the evening. This celebrated operatic prelude transformed the course of Western music through the introduction of the so-called Tristan chord, one of the most influential and debated harmonic innovations in music history. Within the opera, the music embodies the protagonists’ unfulfilled love, longing, and emotional torment. A performance by eight cellos will heighten both the work’s lyricism and its dramatic intensity.
The programme will also feature music by Astor Piazzolla, the creator of tango nuevo, a style that revolutionised traditional Argentine tango by combining it with elements of jazz and classical music. The audiences will hear Fuga y Misterio, a work that brilliantly fuses Bach-inspired melody with the vibrant rhythms of Buenos Aires, as well as selections from The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires in a thrilling arrangement for cello octet.
Guiding audiences through this musical world of striking contrasts and powerful emotions will be the journalist Urszula Urzędowska.
Efekt Chopina #3
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: Admission free *
The concert is part of the 'Efekt Chopina' ('The Chopin Effect') concert series, organized by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
A concert to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising.
- Andrzej Wierciński - piano
Weronika Kudrej - host
Programme:
F. Chopin:
- Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat major, Op. 61
- Impromptu in G-flat major, Op. 51
- Scherzo in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
- Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55 No. 2
- Scherzo in E major, Op. 54
- Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 58
“I would like to finish the Cello Sonata, the Barcarolle, and something that I do not yet know what to call,” Frédéric Chopin wrote in a letter to his family. That “something” would eventually become the Polonaise-Fantasy in A-flat major, Op. 61. Franz Liszt discerned within it elements of melancholy and anxiety, while the musicologist and critic Zdzisław Jachimecki observed that “the piano speaks here in a language hitherto unknown.” During the 19th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2025, the Polonaise-Fantasy was included for the first time among the compulsory works in the final round, alongside Chopin’s piano concertos.
The recital programme will also feature the Impromptu in G-flat major, Op. 51, a work notable for its arabesque-like character. Brilliant passagework intertwines with lyrical melodic lines. The atmosphere of Mallorca is often associated with the Scherzo in C-sharp minor, Op. 39. According to the eminent Chopin scholar Mieczysław Tomaszewski, it is “music given over to wild frenzy, mysteriously fading away, only to erupt once more in aggressive octaves. And then: a slowing of the tempo, a calming, a quietening.”
This evening, Andrzej Wierciński will also perform a work that has long divided the experts. Writing in Chopin in His Most Successful Works, Jan Kleczyński remarked of the Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55: “With broad phrasing it appears noble, yet it is not among the most rewarding of his compositions.” A very different opinion was expressed by the French critic Hippolyte Barbedette, who wrote: “Chopin’s Nocturnes are perhaps the greatest source of his fame; they are his most perfect works.”
The recital will also feature the Scherzo No. 4 in C-Sharp minor, Op. 54, a work distinguished by its luminous, almost fairy-tale character. Its central section is contemplative and expansive, gazing towards distant horizons; at times it seems to voice a declaration of love that is both pure and deeply passionate. The programme will culminate in the Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 58, composed during Frédéric Chopin’s fifth stay at George Sand’s estate in Nohant in 1844. The work initially met with a mixed reception. Franz Liszt was unconvinced by the sonata. The organist and critic Frederick Niecks argued that its opening movement contained an excess of thematic material, while the composer Vincent d’Indy criticised what he perceived as a lack of structural coherence. It was only in the twentieth century that the sonata received the recognition it deserved.
Chopin’s works will be performed by Andrzej Wierciński, a graduate of the Royal College of Music in London, semi-finalist of the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition, and laureate of numerous prestigious international competitions, including those held in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Vienna.
Free admission tickets available at the CKK Jordanki ticket office from 23 July 2026.
Muzyczne dialogi #5 / Słowackie opowieści
Location: The Amphitheatre of "Baj Pomorski" / Entrance: Free
Concert under the patronage of the Honorary Consul of Slovakia in Toruń
- Janka Macíková (Slovakia) - violin
- Ken Wasim Ubukata (Slovakia) - cello
- Ladislav Fančovič (Slovakia) - alto saxophone
- Urszula Urzędowska - host
Programme:
- N. Bacri – Petite musique de nuit for alto saxophone, violin and cello, Op. 111
- A. Busch – Suite for alto saxophone and violin
- N. Kapustin – Duet for alto saxophone and cello, Op. 99
- E. Roters – Trio for alto saxophone, violin and cello, oW26b
- M. Piaček – Suburban Folk for alto saxophone, violin and cello
Stories are best told around a campfire, beneath the open sky, on a warm August evening… But what about Slovak stories? They, too, are best shared under the open sky and in August – on 8 August, to be precise. We may not be able to provide a campfire, but we are convinced that the stage will be ablaze.
This time, as part of the Musical Dialogues series, Slovak tales woven from sound will be told by string instruments accompanied by a saxophone.
An exceptionally original trio will take to the stage: Janka Macíková, a young Slovak violinist; Ken Wasim Ubukata, a cellist born in France to Japanese and Tunisian roots, yet closely connected with Slovakia; and alto saxophonist Ladislav Fančovič, an outstanding Slovak musician regarded as one of the leading figures on the European music scene, with nearly forty albums to his name. Replacing the piano – a traditional component of such ensembles – with a saxophone is a rare and highly intriguing approach in chamber music. It promises a sound that is fresh, surprising and warm – and we hope this summer evening will be just as warm.
The programme presents a fascinating mosaic of styles, ranging from jazz and classical music to folk-inspired sounds with a contemporary twist. We shall hear Nicolas Bacri’s charming and somewhat enigmatic miniature Petite musique de nuit, alongside the sophisticated compositions of Adolf Busch and Ernst Roters, which beautifully demonstrate how the violin, cello and saxophone – instruments that might at first seem unlikely companions – can engage in a captivating musical dialogue. A particular highlight of the evening will be the Duet by Nikolai Kapustin, a composer celebrated for his masterful fusion of classical forms with the exhilarating energy of jazz. The programme is brought to a fitting close by a contemporary work from Slovakia: Marek Piaček’s Suburban Folk, which playfully reimagines traditional motifs with remarkable freshness and lightness. This is a programme made for a summer evening: ambitious and thought-provoking on the one hand, yet immediately engaging and accessible on the other.
Your guide through this Slovak world of sound will be the acclaimed music journalist Urszula Urzędowska. Thanks to her colourful stories and behind-the-scenes insights, you will have no difficulty unravelling the threads of these musical tales. And we hope our guests from Slovakia can count on a standing ovation from the Toruń audience.
Fortepiany z Dalekiego Wschodu
Location: Chamber Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: Admission free *
Piano:
- Choi Heewon
- Kang Minwook
- Ahn Heejung
- Yoon Minyoung
- Kim Heejin
- Choi Youngeun
- Yu Hyeyeon
- Shin Saim
- Heo Yunjae - haegeum
- Park Jongsung - clarinet
- Weronika Kudrej - host
Programme:
- F. Chopin – Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53
- S. Rachmaninoff – Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos, Op. 17: III. Romance
- Ch. M. Widor – Introduction and Rondo, Op. 72
- F. Chopin – Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 No. 1
- G. Rossini – Overture to The Barber of Seville
- F. Chopin – Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47
- P. Youngnan – The Tearful Arirang Pass on the theme of "Haeju Arirang"
- L. Jisoo – Arirang Rhapsody
- P. Youngnan – Reflections for clarinet, haegeum and piano
- P. Youngnan – Fantasy on the theme of Korean Folk Songs
“What's Chopin’s most famous piece?” “Chopin’s? The Polonaise in A-flat major, the ‘Revolutionary’ Étude…”. With this memorable exchange from Marek Koterski’s cult film Day of the Wacko (Dzień Świra), we invite you to a unique concert performed by pianists from South Korea. The music of Frédéric Chopin will form the heart of the programme for Pianos from the Far East. Among the featured works will be the Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, one of the composer’s most celebrated and beloved compositions. The distinguished musicologist and composer Hugo Leichtentritt wrote of the work: “Everything that the polonaise possesses in terms of splendour, dignity, power, and enthusiasm has been expressed in this masterpiece in the most stirring way possible.” Similarly, the eminent Polish music critic Zdzisław Jachimecki described the Polonaise in A-flat major as “the most perfect work in the history of the genre.”
Today the piece is universally known as the Heroic Polonaise. The nickname most likely derives from comments made by Chopin’s lifelong companion, George Sand, who wrote: “Inspiration! Strength! Vigour! There is no doubt that such a spirit must have been present during the French Revolution. From now on, this polonaise should be a symbol — a symbol of heroism.”
The programme will also include two further masterpieces by Chopin: the Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47, and Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 No. 1.
Alongside Chopin’s music, audiences will hear the overture to Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, a work that remains one of the most beloved and frequently performed operatic overtures in the world. Ironically, the opera’s premiere has gone down in history as one of the most chaotic opening nights ever witnessed in a theatre. A cat reportedly wandered onto the stage, a bucket of green paint was poured onto the composer and the count’s guitar was out of tune. Yet the very next performance proved an extraordinary triumph. Rossini, unwilling to risk another public humiliation, stayed at home and claimed illness, while the opera itself was met with overwhelming enthusiasm.
The concert programme will also pay tribute to Charles-Marie Widor. Recalling Parisian musical life, Ignacy Jan Paderewski wrote: “At Widor’s famous Sunday morning concerts one could meet the entire artistic and aristocratic world of Paris. The church was always filled with the most distinguished and elegant ladies of Parisian society. Sometimes even foreign visitors from the highest social circles would attend…” The concert programme will feature the Introduction and Rondo, Op. 72.
The guests from Korea will also perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Suite for Two Pianos – in the chamber piano music of nineteenth-century Russia, piano duets, four-hand pieces and works for two pianos were extremely popular.
The programme also features works by Park Youngnan, a highly regarded South Korean composer known for blending traditional Korean sounds with Western music, as well as a modern arrangement of the famous Korean folk song Arirang.
The pianos will be accompanied this evening by the sounds of the clarinet and the haegeum, a traditional Korean string instrument.
Free admission tickets available at the CKK Jordanki ticket office from 23 July 2026.
Głosy gór
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 50 PLN (BUY TICKET)
The Lassak "Helios" Family Folk Ensemble from Zakopane
- Katarzyna Lassak „Helios” – violin(prym), vocal, traditional pastoral instruments: złóbcoki, double pipe
- Halina Maciata-Lassak – violin, vocal
- Anna Lassak „Helios” – violin, vocal
- Tomasz Lassak „Helios” – Podhale bass, vocal
- Toruń Symphony Orchestra
- Adam Banaszak – conductor
- Paweł Sztompke - host
Realizacja koncertu przy współpracy z Polskim Wydawnictwem Muzycznym w ramach programu TUTTI.pl promującego wykonawstwo muzyki polskiej
Programme:
- „Nuty” góralskie – traditional Podhale melodies
- Nuty przywitalne. Marsz Madziarski. Marsz Jaworzyński
- Nuty ozwodne „Zokopiańskie”
- Nuty Sabałowe i drobne
- Nuta balladowa Janosikowa „Kie Janicka wiedli od Lewoce”
- Nuty wierchowe
- Nuta krzesano „wiecno” i ozwodno „zielono”
- Nuty do tońca zbójnickiego - J.A. Maklakiewicz – Violin Concerto No. 2 "Góralski"
- W. Kilar - Krzesany
- W. Kilar - Kościelec 1909
There is no need to travel to the mountains this summer. For one evening, the spirit of Podhale will come to Toruń. Our guests will be members of the Lassak Family Band “Helios” from Zakopane, heirs to the rich, multi-generational traditions of highlander music from the Skalne Podhale region. Their family history is intertwined with the cultural heritage of the Tatras and contains stories as remarkable as the music they perform. Among their ancestors was Szymon Lassak, a master carpenter who, in 1904, built the famous chapel in Jaszczurówka to a design by Stanisław Witkiewicz. The family’s roots in the region reach back even further: the oldest known engraving depicting highlander musicians, dating from 1809, features members of the Maciat family, from whom the Lassaks are descended.
The star of the evening will be Katarzyna Lassak, a violinist and graduate of the Chopin University of Music, who holds a doctoral degree in the arts. Her work successfully bridges the worlds of classical and folk music. Nominated for the Fryderyk Award 2026, Katarzyna Lassak gained particular recognition through the world premiere recording of Jan Adam Maklakiewicz’s Violin Concerto No. 2 “Highlander”. Through her performances, she has played a leading role in restoring this unjustly neglected work to the repertoire of concert halls and philharmonic orchestras across Poland.
“The concerto has finally found its ideal performer – a violinist who understands both the music of its origins and its artistic transformations. We may expect the work to enjoy a new life on the concert stage”, wrote Ruch Muzyczny in praise of the artist.
The artist herself describes Maklakiewicz’s fascination with the folklore of Podhale in the following way: “While gathering material for the concerto, he listened to highlander musicians performing live and transcribed their music by hand. (...) The principal themes of the work never return in exactly the same form. Instead, they reappear in ever-changing variants, enriched with new ornamentation and modelled on the improvisatory, variational character of traditional Podhale lead melodies.”
Alongside Maklakiewicz’s concerto, the Jordanki Concert Hall will resonate with the authentic sounds of the Tatra Mountains. Traditional melodies from the Podhale region will be performed using original highlander instruments, including the złóbcoki – a traditional string instrument associated with the region – and shepherds’ pipes.
The musical journey will culminate in performances by the Toruń Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Adam Banaszak. The programme will feature two of Wojciech Kilar’s most celebrated symphonic poems inspired by the Tatras: Krzesany, a vibrant and rhythmically charged work named after one of the region’s most spectacular traditional dances, and Kościelec 1909, a dramatic and deeply moving composition written in memory of Mieczysław Karłowicz, who tragically lost his life in an avalanche near Mount Kościelec.
Guiding audiences through this journey into the heart of the Polish mountains will be Paweł Sztompke, a journalist from Polish Radio Programme 1.
Musical Melodies. Broadway w Toruniu
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 100 PLN (BUY TICKET)
- Edyta Krzemień – vocal
- Damian Aleksander – vocal
Sekcja rytmiczna: - Piotr Matuszczyk – piano
- Maciej Szczyciński – double bass, bass guitar
- Waldemar Franczyk - drums
- Toruń Symphony Orchestra
- Krzysztof Herdzin – conductor
Contemporary musical theatre in Poland has many celebrated stars, but Edyta Krzemień and Damian Aleksander occupy a truly special place among them. Over the years, both artists have built remarkable careers, yet their performances as Christine Daaé and the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera remain among the most memorable achievements. Each has an impressive list of leading roles and artistic projects to their name, but they continue to return to the stage together, united by a shared passion for music and performance. Edyta Krzemień has captivated audiences in productions such as Les Misérables and Pilots at Warsaw’s Roma Musical Theatre, as well as Miss Saigon and Jekyll & Hyde. She has also lent her voice to numerous film productions, including the character of Glinda in the Oscar-winning film adaptation of Wicked. Damian Aleksander has likewise appeared in Les Misérables and Jekyll & Hyde, and is also known for his acclaimed performances in Dracula at the Musical Theatre in Łódź and Wicked at the Roma Musical Theatre. In August, their exceptional voices will resonate through the Concert Hall of the Jordanki Culture and Congress Centre in Toruń.
Musical Melodies is more than a concert. It is an intimate encounter with the greatest hits of musical theatre, enriched by lesser-known gems and fascinating musical discoveries. The evening will be led by the outstanding pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor Krzysztof Herdzin. Joining the Toruń Symphony Orchestra will be an ensemble of distinguished musicians: pianist Piotr Matuszczyk, double bassist Maciej Szczyciński, and percussionist Waldemar Franczyk. Musical Melodies transcends the boundaries of a traditional concert. It is musical theatre distilled to its very essence – a unique fusion of expressive voices, symphonic sound, and powerful emotions that speak directly to the heart. As for the programme itself, audiences will have to wait a little longer. For now, its contents remain a carefully guarded surprise. What we can reveal, however, is that the evening will take listeners on a journey through some of the most beloved melodies in musical theatre, including unforgettable songs from the great Broadway productions.
Magia Hollywood
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 100 PLN (BUY TICKET)
Wystąpią:
- Katarzyna Dondalska - vocal
- Toruń Symphony Orchestra
- Dainius Pavilionis (Lithuania) - conductor
- Magdalena Miśka-Jackowska - host
Programme:
- H. Mancini – Tribute to Mancini
- H. Mancini – Waltzes
- H. Mancini – Le Jazz Hot!
- Ennio Morricone – Theme from Go West
- H. Mancini – Crazy World
- Themes from James Bond films
- H. Mancini – You and Me
- H. Mancini – It Had Better Be Tonight
- J. Williams – Tribute to John Williams
- H. Mancini – Moment to Moment
- Theme from Mission: Impossible
- H. Hupfeld – As Time Goes By
- H. Mancini – Man's Favorite Sport
- G. Paoli – Senza Fine
- Music from Pirates of the Caribbean
- F. Loewe – I Could Have Danced All Night from the musical My Fair Lady
Can the magic of cinema be captured through sound alone? You will find out at the penultimate concert of the 30th International Nova Music and Architecture Festival. The programme is filled with music from Hollywood’s greatest productions and features one of the true masters of film music: Henry Mancini. Audiences will hear his timeless, Academy Award-winning Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as well as the dazzling and energetic Le Jazz Hot! from the musical film Victor/Victoria.
And that is only the beginning. We will embark on a nostalgic journey to inter-war Casablanca accompanied by the immortal As Time Goes By; experience the excitement of espionage with unforgettable themes from the James Bond films and the Mission: Impossible series; and set sail on a swashbuckling adventure with the heroes of Pirates of the Caribbean. The evening will culminate in a festive musical tribute to another titan of the silver screen, John Williams, whose unforgettable scores will be brought to life by the outstanding singer Katarzyna Dondalska. Her coloratura soprano vocal range, distinguished by extraordinary lightness and brilliance, allows her to reach notes beyond the capabilities of most female singers. Her performance of the beloved I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady, alongside Mancini’s sparkling, jazz-infused melodies, is certain to delight the Toruń audience.
The rich and cinematic soundscape of the evening will be brought to life by the Toruń Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Dainius Pavilionis. Guiding audiences through the world of Hollywood will be Magdalena Miśka-Jackowska, acclaimed journalist, broadcaster, and expert on film music. Through her engaging commentary, fascinating stories, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, the concert will become much more than a musical performance.
We warmly invite you to join us for an evening filled with nostalgia, emotion, and melodies that have become part of the collective imagination of audiences around the world. Expect unforgettable musical moments and, of course, more than a touch of Hollywood magic.
MAHLER / KILAR
Location: Concert Hall CKK Jordanki / Entrance: 60/45 PLN (BUY TICKET)
Grand Finale of the 30th "Nova Music and Architecture" International Festival
- The Pomeranian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
- Toruń Symphony Orchestra
- Dainius Pavilionis (Lithuania) – conductor
- Urszula Guźlecka - host
Programme:
- W. Kilar – Suite from the film Dracula
- G. Mahler – Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor (Toruń premiere)
We have prepared something truly special for the grand finale of the 30th International Nova Music and Architecture Festival. For the first time in its history, the Toruń Symphony Orchestra will perform Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor – a monumental work that demands the forces of a large symphony orchestra. To achieve its vast dynamic range, striking contrasts, and extraordinary emotional intensity – spanning grief and wrath, all the way to triumph – Mahler called for an expanded ensemble of strings and winds. More than one hundred musicians will take to the stage of the Jordanki Culture and Congress Centre. Joining the Toruń Symphony Orchestra will be the Symphony Orchestra of the Pomeranian Philharmonic, performing under the baton of Dainius Pavilionis.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 is widely regarded as marking the beginning of the composer’s middle creative period, characterised by a more personal and reflective musical language. The symphony unfolds across five movements, the fourth of which – the Adagietto – achieved worldwide fame through its use in Luchino Visconti’s film Death in Venice. The work’s cinematic legacy extends far beyond, as Mahler’s Fifth Symphony served as a central musical and symbolic reference point in Tár, with Cate Blanchett in the title role.
The programme will also include Wojciech Kilar’s suite from Francis Ford Coppola’s film Dracula. Recalling the beginnings of his collaboration with the acclaimed director, Kilar said: “Francis Ford Coppola, thanks to The Godfather and the first part of Apocalypse Now, had always been my favourite director. One day, at three o’clock in the morning, he called me with a proposal to compose the music for Dracula. Naturally, I agreed, for two reasons. First, I have always associated cinema with Coppola, because I admire and value precisely the kind of filmmaking that his name represents. Image, movement, action, great passions, and so on. If I seek metaphysics, I do not go to the cinema; I simply reach for my bookshelf – for Pascal, St Thomas Aquinas, or the Holy Scriptures. And second, there is no denying that, to quote The Godfather, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
The concert will be hosted by Urszula Guźlecka, a distinguished television presenter and journalist, renowned for her long broadcasting career and the authorship of hundreds of television programmes.