Five Conductors and Four Symphony Orchestras at Karłowicz Fest This December

Five conducting personalities

The festival’s concerts will unfold under the batons of renowned masters. The Philharmonic’s Golden Hall welcomes Antoni Wit – a living legend of Polish conducting. Maestro Wit has conducted worldwide at the helm of the most prestigious ensembles, leaving a legacy of over 200 albums and sales exceeding five million records – a rare feat in classical music.

Also taking the podium is Paweł Przytocki, Artistic Director of the Łódź Philharmonic. He has appeared with leading European orchestras and performed at major festivals such as Musikfest Stuttgart, Prague Spring, and Wratislavia Cantans. His recording of Rachmaninoff’s First Symphony earned high acclaim from the American magazine La Folia for its ‘rare intensity and musical commitment.’


Paweł Przytocki (photo: Marcin Stępień)

We will also welcome Daniel Smith - laureate of four major international conducting competitions, including the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors (Golden Baton and Orchestra Prize). He is a regular guest with top European ensembles, including the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai in Rome and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony.

Maciej Kotarba – First Prize and Special Award winner at the 2nd Polish National Conducting Competition in Wrocław – will take the baton as well. A semifinalist in the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition and the 10th Fitelberg Competition, he stands as one of Poland’s most gifted young conductors.

Last but not least, several concerts will be led by Przemysław Neumann – General and Artistic Director of the Szczecin Philharmonic, host, and creator of Karłowicz Fest. For years, Maestro Neumann has been dedicated to restoring Polish music to its rightful place on concert stages. His recording of Witold Maliszewski’s works with the Opole Philharmonic earned a Fryderyk nomination, while his brainchild, the ‘Forgotten Polish Music’ concert series in Opole, met with resounding acclaim. Maestro Neumann regularly guest-conducts Poland’s leading orchestras and mentors future generations of conductors at the Academy of Music in Poznań.

Four orchestras, different traditions

Karłowicz Fest also brings showcase performances from acclaimed Polish symphonic ensembles. Bringing fresh energy and talent to the stage is the Jerzy Semkow Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra – composed of Poland’s most gifted young musicians. A guest at festivals worldwide, the ensemble has collaborated with renowned soloists such as Aleksandra Kurzak, Alena Baeva, and Janusz Olejniczak.

We will also hear the Artur Rubinstein Łódź Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble backed by over a century of history. The orchestra has toured extensively abroad, gracing venues such as the Tonhalle Zurich, Sala Verdi in Milan, Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp, and the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. They have worked alongside legendary soloists – including Lang Lang, Piotr Anderszewski, and Garrick Ohlsson – under the direction of elite conductors.

Joining the lineup is the Polish Baltic Philharmonic - one of the country’s leading orchestras. Their catalog includes numerous radio, television, and studio recordings, notably Britten’s War Requiem under Sir Neville Marriner and albums with soloists like Alena Baeva and Maxim Vengerov. The orchestra has toured internationally, including major runs across China and the United States.


Orkiestra Polskiej Filharmonii Bałtyckiej (photo: Paweł Jaremczuk)

Naturally, audiences will hear – on multiple occasions – the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble long committed to championing the music of its patron, Mieczysław Karłowicz. Marking nearly 80 years of history, the orchestra has toured widely across Europe, including two performances at the Herbert von Karajan Hall in the Berlin Philharmonie, the Konzerthaus Berlin, and recently the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Their discography encompasses nearly all of Karłowicz’s orchestral repertoire alongside collaborations with world-renowned artists; in the past decade alone, they have performed with Bomsori Kim, Christian Tetzlaff, and Mischa Maisky.

Karłowicz Fest This December

Karłowicz Fest is the first festival in Poland dedicated to the music of Mieczysław Karłowicz, organised to mark the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth. From 11 to 19 December 2026, the Szczecin Philharmonic will bring together the music of its namesake and the story of his passions and love of the mountains. The festival programme includes symphonic and chamber concerts, an exhibition of Karłowicz’s photographs, a film screening, talks and educational events.

For the full programme and ticket information, visit KARLOWICZFEST.PL