In 1954, Andrzej Panufnik (1914-1991) escaped the Communist Poland and arrived to Great Britain where he remained until the last days of his life. This distinguished composer and conductor, by many called a classic of the 20th century, is not a widely known person in Poland – even despite having earned an international fame and a nobility title.
For Andrzej Panufnik emigration meant an escape towards an artistic and personal freedom, however the reaction of the authorities at that time was to place the composer’s name and music on a censorship index. The ban – which stayed in force until 1977 – resulted in the artist being all but completely erased from the memory of Polish listeners. The Emigration Museum in Gdynia rediscovers this eminent Pole – an emigrant and an inspiring artist who managed to create an original world of sound while remaining faithful to the traditional values, such as melody, harmony, and – above all – the beauty of tone.
We would like to invite all music aficionados, as well as people not yet familiar with Andrzej Panufnik’s output, to a meeting with the very rich and modernly classic music of the composer. The chamber music concerto performed by the young NeoQuartet and accompanied by multimedia visualizations offers an enriched form of the reception of classical music.
The monumental concert by the Symphony Orchestra of Baltic Philharmonic – conducted by maestro Jerzy Maksymiuk and accompanied by the distinguished violinist Patrycja Piekutowska – will undoubtedly prove to be immensely attractive to a wider audience.
Various lectures and meetings will offer a deeper insight into the artist’s life and his artistic accomplishments. The event will be also graced by the presence of the composer’s wife, Lady Camilla Panufnik. The event will be completed by a selection of biopic screenings, including an exciting documentary “My Father, Iron Curtain and Me”, whose main protagonist is the conductor’s son.
For our youngest music aficionados, organizers have prepared several music workshops, during which they will have an opportunity to test their skills in the field of contemporary music.
The program of “The Return of Panufnik” Centenary of Composer’s Birthday (PDF)
Free entry to all events. Entry to the concert and the workshops with a free entry pass.
Photo © Camilla Panufnik. Sinfonia di Sfere, London 1977.
More information on: the Emigration Museum in Gdynia
