Second-Prize Winner of the 17th Wieniawski Competition | Má vlast, Vol. 1

Following the recent visits of the prizewinners of the latest Chopin Competition, our Philharmonic will now become the stage for performances by the finest young violinists selected by the distinguished jury chaired by Szczecin’s own Bartłomiej Nizioł. At the time of writing, we do not yet know the names of the soloists, but one thing is already certain: these will be evenings that go down in history.

The International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious violin competitions in the world. It was inaugurated in 1935 in Warsaw to mark the centenary of the composer’s birth and has been held regularly in Poznań every five years since 1952. From the very beginning, it was conceived as an international event, something quite exceptional in the interwar period. The competition attracts young violinists from around the globe and serves as one of the most important gateways to an international career. Its laureates include many of the leading figures of world violin playing, and even the first edition brought success to such artists as Ginette Neveu and David Oistrakh.

The competition consists of several stages of auditions, during which participants present both solo repertoire and concerto performances with orchestra. Works by Henryk Wieniawski form an important part of the programme. The competition usually lasts between two and three weeks and concludes with a final round accompanied by a symphony orchestra. Participants are evaluated by an international jury composed of distinguished violinists and teachers. Prizewinners receive not only substantial financial awards but also meaningful support in developing their careers through concert engagements, recordings, and cooperation with leading musical institutions. As a result, the Wieniawski Competition remains one of the key reference points in international musical life.

An additional treat for our audience will be the opportunity to hear the complete cycle of symphonic poems Má vlast by Bedřich Smetana – provided, of course, that you attend both prizewinners’ concerts. This extraordinary cycle, consisting of six movements, offers a fascinating perspective on nineteenth-century music as a vehicle for the construction of national identity. Although Smetana and Wieniawski represent different genres – Smetana through monumental symphonic narrative and Wieniawski through virtuoso violin lyricism – they are united by their era, their aesthetic outlook, and a shared belief that music can tell the story of a nation, its landscape, emotions, and culture. Attending both concerts, therefore, becomes not only an artistic experience but also a richer encounter with one of the most remarkable periods in musical history.