Giancarlo Guerrero Brings The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Across The US In 2020

This winter, the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic embarks on a twelve-city US tour with conductor Giancarlo Guerrero, Music Director of the Polish orchestra since 2017. This tour is the first time the orchestra has toured the United States since 2012. Throughout the tour, the orchestra will perform works of Polish composers from across generations, including Frederic Chopin, Karol Szymanowski and Witold Lutosławski, an original patron of the National Forum of Music (NFM) in Wrocław. Johannes Brahms, a composer with close ties to Wrocław will also be represented on tour along with other Central European composers Antonin Dvořák and Béla Bartók.

The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic begins the tour on January 10 in Ft. Myers, FL and goes on to Gainesville (January 11), Daytona Beach (Jan 12) and West Palm Beach, FL (Jan 13-14) performing a Szymanowski Concert Overture or Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Dvořák's "New World" Symphony or Brahms Symphony No. 1 and Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist David Fray, described by Die Welt as the "perfect example of a thinking musician." Polish violinist Janusz Wawrowski joins the tour for the Szymanowski Violin Concerto in a second concert in West Palm Beach also including Lutosławski Symphonic Variations and Brahms Symphony No. 1. The orchestra performs an all- orchestral program of Lutosławski, Szymanowski and Dvořák in Greenville, SC on January 19.

In Nashville, Chicago and Carmel, IN, outside Indianapolis (Jan 21-25), Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski joins the Wrocław Philharmonic for Bartók's Concerto No. 3 in performances that include Szymanowski's Concert Overture, Lutosławski's Symphonic Variations and Brahms Symphony No. 1. A key figure in Wrocław's musical history, Brahms was awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Wrocław (then Breslau) in 1879. In response to the composer's note of thanks, the city urged him to come to the University to compose for a year. He accepted the invitation and went on to write his Academic Festival Overture for the city of Breslau as a gesture of thanks.

The final leg of the tour will bring the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic west to Wickenburg near Phoenix, AZ (Jan 29), Orange (Jan 30), Palo Alto (Jan 31) and Rohnert Park, CA (Feb 1) where they perform the Szymanowski concerto with violinist Bomsori Kim, along with the orchestral works of Lutoslawski, Dvořák and Brahms. Bomsori is a prize-winner of Poland's International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition and is presented on tour with the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic as part of the country's continued support of this "fierce" (New York Times) talent described by the Violin Channel as "One of the eminent young, rising stars of the international concert stage."

"In the US, the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic will perform repertoire by three generations of Polish composers," says Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero. "Of course, no tour by a Polish orchestra would be complete without Chopin, who visited Wrocław several times over his lifetime.

Szymanowski, representing the early 20th century, was inspired by Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler, and you will hear their Romantic influence in the Concert Overture, but with the Violin Concerto of 1916, Szymanowski is coming into his own. Though it is orchestrated for huge forces, including a piano, celesta and harps, the piece is still written in a transparent way where the violin undoubtedly leads the way. This work is really the first great concerto of the 20th century in a modern style. Lutosławski was the original patron of the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic and with his Symphonic Variations from 1938, we highlight the composer's strong relationship with Wrocław and the orchestra, which has now recorded Lutosławski's entire orchestral output."

"With this important tour, NFM Wrocław Philharmonic reaches beyond the borders of the city to become a real cultural ambassador for Poland," Guerrero continues. "I am energized by the vision of what this orchestra is becoming, and I am proud to bring them on tour to the United States to represent this important European cultural center."

NFM Wrocław Philharmonic with Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero US Tour January 10-February 1, 2020

Friday, January 10

Barbara Mann Performing Arts Center

Ft. Myers, FL

Szymanowski Concert Overture in E major Op. 12; Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 (David Fray, piano); Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 "From the New World"

Saturday, January 11

Phillips Center

Gainesville, FL

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 (David Fray, piano); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Sunday, January 12

Peabody Auditorium

Daytona Beach, FL

Szymanowski Concert Overture in E major Op. 12; Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 (David Fray, piano); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Monday, January 13

Kravis Center

West Palm Beach, FL

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 35 (Janusz Wawrowski, violin); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Tuesday, January 14

Kravis Center

West Palm Beach, FL

Szymanowski Concert Overture in E major op. 12; Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 (David Fray, piano); Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 "From the New World"

Sunday, January 19

Peace Center

Greenville, SC

Szymanowski Concert Overture in E major Op. 12; Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 "From the New World"

Tuesday, January 21

Schermerhorn Symphony Center

Nashville, TN

Szymanowski Concert Overture in E major Op. 12; Bartók Piano Concerto No.3, BB 127 (Piotr Anderszewski, piano); Lutosławski Concerto for Orchestra

Thursday, January 23

The Palladium

Carmel, IN

Szymanowski Concert Overture in E major Op. 12; Bartók Piano Concerto No.3, BB 127 (Piotr Anderszewski, piano); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Saturday, January 25

Orchestra Hall

Chicago, IL

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Bartók Piano Concerto No.3, BB 127 (Piotr Anderszewski, piano); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Wednesday, January 29

Del E. Webb Center

Wickenburg, AZ

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 35 (Bomsori Kim, violin); Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 "From the New World"

Thursday, January 30

Musco Center

Orange, CA

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 35 (Bomsori Kim, violin); Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 "From the New World"

Friday, January 31

Bing Concert Hall

Palo Alto, CA

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 35 (Bomsori Kim, violin); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Saturday, February 1

Joan and Sanford Weill Hall

Rohnert Park, CA

Lutosławski Symphonic Variations; Szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 Op. 35 (Bomsori Kim, violin); Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68