The International Festival of Krakow Composers (formerly known as Days of Music by Krakow Composers) has been present among the cultural events in Krakow since 1989. The main purpose of the Festival is the promotion and presentation of contemporary, professional work of Krakow 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 Krakow 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.
Ladies and Gentlemen!
The image as a source of musical inspiration is the theme of this year’s edition of the International Festival of Krakow Composers. The theme, however, is nothing new, as painting, graphic or film have already influenced much the music of the 20th century, and despite time passing by they remain to be important artistic impulses for the following generations of composers.
At this year’s edition of the festival, we will present e.g. compositions inspired by Japanese woodcuts, paintings by European and American artists, film and optical phenomena. Outstanding musicians will be performers, such as the recognised Korean singer, permanently resident in Germany, Yeree Suh will be performing Klage by Toshio Hosokawa, bass-baritone Robert Keller from Switzerland will perform the new world premiere of Persian Songs by Konstanty Regamey, and Simone Beneventi, the Italian drummer, will present for the first time a composition by Kraków composer, Karol Nepelski. We will also hear an outstanding flutist Jadwiga Kotnowska, who will perform the Polish premiere of Run by Hanna Kulenty. Moreover, great ensembles and orchestras will be playing, such as: Dafô Quartet, Silesian Trio, Sinfonietta Cracovia, the Orchestra of Academy of Music in Krakow and Orchestra of the K. Szymanowski Philharmonic in Krakow.
At the festival, the academic session titled “Music and image” will take place, during which theorists from the Academy of Music in Krakow and Academy of Music in Łódź will give lectures.
Also, the important element of the programme of the 31st International Festival of Krakow Composers is the 2nd International Krzysztof Penderecki Competition for Young Composers, which was established on the occasion of his 85th birthday. The idea of the competition is to promote music of composers of the young generation from the whole world. This year, the winner of the First Prize is Olgierd Juzala-Departi (b. 1994) for the work Whispers [Szepty] for string quartet.
The special guests of the festival are Hanna Kulenty and Ada Gentile, the composer from Italy, who will present the lecture on her output at the Academy of Music in Krakow. Her compositions will be performed by outstanding Italian musicians.
In connection with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Poland and South Korea, the composers of the middle and young generations from Korea will be guests of the Festival, namely: Chang-Min Park, Jeo See and Lydia Deokin Ko.
During the concerts, the output of composers from Poland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Great Britain, USA, Mexico, South Korea and Japan will be presented. We will hear 20 world premieres and 13 Polish premieres.
I hope that the events of this year’s edition of the festival will be filled with unforgettable experiences.
Marcel Chyrzyński
General and artistic director