LA FOLLE JOURNEE DE VARSOVIE

The Polish Youth Symphony Orchestra consists of 70 students of the Fryderyk Chopin General Primary and Secondary Music School in Bytom. The orchestra has been under the care of conductor Andrzej Affeltowicz since 1988. In 1990 the Ministry of Culture and Art gave consent for the orchestra to use the title Polish Youth Symphony Orchestra.

It is the youths’ ambition to perform at a level equivalent to that of similar ensembles operating abroad. The first attempts to perform complete symphonic programmes which included, among others such works as Dvorak’s 9^th Symphony “From the New World”, Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony, Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony and Schumann’s 4^th Symphony have proven that the ensemble performs at a level which allows it to play in renowned concert halls.

The young artists hone their performing skills in various international orchestras, such as the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra under the tutelage of such masters as C. Abbado, R. Chailly and N. Marriner.

The orchestra’s participation in various festivals has become a source of inspiration to continue its work, while thus established contacts resulted in more invitations to Denmark, Scotland (Aberdeen), Germany (Lörrach), Munich and Vienna.

In April of 1994 thePolish Youth Symphony Orchestra performed a cycle of concerts together with the Bavarian Youth Orchestra combined to form a 140 person symphony orchestra.

The orchestra often perfoms for Polish audiences at the Philharmonic concert halls in Warsaw, Cracow, Poznań and Szczecin, in the concert hall of the National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, at the S1 Concert Studio of Polish Radio in Warsaw, at the Academy of Music in Warsaw and at the Young Classic Wratislavia Youth Orchestra Festival.

The ensemble has also accompanied soloists at competitions, including the 6^th and 10^th Silesian Piano Competition in Zabrze, as well as laureates of the Wiktor Osadzin and Edward Mandera National Bassoon and Oboe Competition held bi-annually at the Bytom Music School.