The patron of Sinfonia Iuventus is Jerzy Semkow. - Polska Orkiestra Sinfonia Iuventus

Jerzy Semkow produced a visionary idea: to establish an orchestra for talented youth in Poland – the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra. He was our “founding father” and a true guardian spirit for the first years.

This is how Maestro himself described this idea when rehearsing and performing with the band: 

“It is designed in such a way to give Polish (and not only Polish) orchestras the opportunity to employ people who are already entirely familiar with issues related to symphonic music and thus prepared to move on. This is the most beautiful and noble idea of all, to give our young musicians, our young artists a chance to stay on the Vistula River, instead of going to Guadalajara to find opportunities not only to play, but simply – to earn their bread. All over the world, young people who devote themselves to music sooner or later realise that this is a terribly difficult job, from childhood to complete maturity. I would like to see this orchestra gradually acquiring the whole of the world’s great repertoire, and it will do so, it will much faster than it seems. They are talented, receptive, they want to work and show that they are trustworthy”.

In October 2006 students and graduates of the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, under the baton of Jerzy Semkow, performed Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in an extremely sublime style. Subsequently, Maestro addressed the authorities of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage to provide the most talented young musicians with special support and create an institution where they could continue honing their talents and make a professional debut. It was with them in mind that the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra was established by order of the Minister for Culture and National Heritage of 28 September 2007, created to bring together the most talented graduates of music universities in Poland.

In December 2008 in Bydgoszcz (after an intensive summer workshop in Radziejowice), Jerzy Semkow and POSI recorded their debut album containing two of Schubert’s symphonies (CD Accord ACD146-2), which was very well received by critics (“Schubert’s symphonies played under Semkow’s skilful baton […] are incredibly pleasing to listen to. The symphonies – especially the Fifth, in B flat major – erupt with youth, freshness and joyful exuberance” – from a review by Jacek Hawryluk).

In March the following year Jerzy Semkow conducted Sinfonia Iuventus during a concert at the Polish Baltic Philharmonic in Gdańsk, with a programme containing music by Schubert and Chopin. Half a year later, in October 2009, another wonderful album was produced, with Symphony No. 5 by Tchaikovsky (CD Accord ACD164-2), whose music belonged to the great conductor’s artistic emploi. On 21 February 2010, the ensemble performed under his baton at the Grand Theatre in Warsaw, while on 18 June this year the orchestra together with their unforgettable mentor gave a concert in UNESCO Auditorium in Paris. They presented the programme previously played in Warsaw, namely Chopin’s Concerto in E Minor (François-René Duchâble) and Schubert’s Symphony in C Major (The Great).

After the death of the Master on the eve of Christmas Eve 2014, the ensemble paid homage to Jerzy Semkow by performing in the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Warsaw on 22 April 2015, during a Mass for his intention. The concert on the 22nd of October 2016 in the Community Centre in Radomsko – the city he came from and of which he was an honorary citizen – also had a special significance.

On 8 October 2018, during the concert inaugurating the 11th artistic season of the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra, the Minister for Culture and National Heritage named the ensemble after Jerzy Semkow. The ceremony was attended by Colette Semkow, his wife. For years associated with music, she continues the great work of her late husband by actively supporting young musicians (with particular emphasis on Polish artists) in the Jerzy Semkow Foundation.

At the ceremony, for her involvement in the affairs of the Polish music community and the promotion of Polish culture, Colette Semkow was presented with the Honorary Medal of Merit for Polish Culture.