Przemysław Neumann – fot._Fundacja 2.8; Michał Barański – fot. Oleg Panov; Michał Tokaj – fot. Jacek Poremba; Łukasz Żyta – fot. Maria Jarzyna

x
2023 marks the 105th birth anniversary of the great conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein. It is a great opportunity to recall his achievements, including his most popular and loved musical West Side Story. The musical is particularly well-known for its 1961 film adaptation (as well as the more recent one in 2021 by Steven Spielberg). Ever since its Broadway premiere in 1957 the musical has been produced primarily in theatres. The popular and enjoyable selection of striking symphonic dances from the musical will be complemented by the colourful, lively overture of the Candide operetta by the same composer (written at the same time) based on Voltaire’s allegorical poem about the protagonist’s journey in search of “the best of worlds”.
Concerto for Jazz Bass was written by Jeff Beal, the acclaimed American composer, Emmy Award winner and author of music scores for numerous films, including House of Cards TV series, among others. The 1989 three-part piece was commissioned by John Patitucci, who recorded it in the album Heart of the Bass in 1991. The composition will be performed by Michał Barański, one of the leading Polish virtuosos of double bass and bass guitar. Barański is a graduate of the Jazz Department of the Music Academy in Katowice. He was noticed during a music workshop run by the American clarinettist Brad Terry at the early age of 14. Together with pianist Mateusz Kołakowski and percussionist Tomasz Torres they became part of Terry’s quartet, touring the USA on numerous occasions and learning their craft at the source. Michał Barański won the Grand Prix award in the ensemble category at the 40th Jazz on the Oder Festival. He has performed at the Knitting Factory in New York, the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, the Vail Jazz Festival in Colorado, and the Berklee Performance Center in Boston. He collaborates with leading American and Polish jazz musicians.

Another big name in the film music industry is John Williams, who celebrated his 90th birthday in 2022. He has won twenty five Grammy Awards, seven British Academy Film Awards and five Academy Awards (he was nominated for the Oscar 52 times!). Williams has composed music for over 100 films, including Star Wars, Jaws, ET, Schindler’s List, Indiana Jones, Kevin Home Alone, Saving Private Ryan and parts of the Harry Potter saga. Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park was the 1993 blockbuster (followed by two sequels, the last one in 2001 was directed by Joe Johnston – all with music by Williams). During the concert the orchestra will play the main theme from the film, filled with lyricism and splendour.
The concert will be conducted by Przemysław Neumann, Director of the Opole Philharmonic and, from 2022, Music Director of the Silesian Opera in Bytom. Neumann is particularly dedicated to the mission of recreating the forgotten aspects of Polish music. He is a graduate of the Poznan Academy of Music studied symphonic and opera conducting in Professor Jerzy Salwarowski’s and Professor Antoni Gref’s class. While still at the academy, he co-operated with the Poznań Music Theatre and worked there as the Conductor and Orchestra Manager until 2013. For nine artistic seasons he launched several premieres and conducted several hundred performances and concerts. Neumann also collaborated with the Grand Theatre in Poznań and the Gliwice Music Theatre. He is a lecturer at his alma mater, among others, and was received the title of Professor of Musical Arts in 2017.

Organiser:Jerzy Semkow Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra
The organiser reserves the right to change the programme or the performers of the concert

Media patronage: TVP Kultura, Presto, polmic.pl

Standard price of the tickets: 65 zł/1 seat
Reduced price of the tickets: 45 zł/ 1 seat
for:
• students, students before 26, pensioners and the persons after 70,
• students of the schools of music and ballet as well as the students of the universities of music and musicology departments

Tickets: Polskie Radio – Bilety24, eBilety