LA FOLLE JOURNEE DE VARSOVIE

The band has been existing since 1973. dr hab. Stanisław Śmietana – its founder and leader has been running the band till now. At the beginning it was a band of Basic Technical School of the mine “Jastrzębie”. It has been a Cultural Institution of the town with the seat in the State School of Music of the 1^st and 2^nd degree since 1990.

The talent and the skills of the young musicians have been appreciated many times by the jury of contest and competitions giving them awards and prizes.

In the seventies and eighties of the last century young musicians from Jastrzębie were prize – winners of the Polish and international contest and festivals. In the year 1993 the band came first at the 41^th European Festival of Music Playing Youth in Neerpelt (Belgium).

In 1995 the band got at the Saxoniade in Hohenstein – Ernstthal (Germany)the highest prize – “Summa cum laude”.

The participation in the World Contest of Brass Bands in Valencia in 1996 resulted in coming second.

In the year 1997 the band won the main award at the European Contest in Bosel in Germany and in 1998 – the band came first at the 22^nd Contest of the Brass Bands in Siklos in Hungary.

The band went in 1999 to Vocklabruck in Austria to take part in the Days of Music where it came second.

In 2002 the band performed during an audience given by the Holy Father John Paul the Second in the Vatican City.

What’s more in 2007 the band came second at the 55^th European Festival of Music Playing Youth in Neerpelt .

The participation in the 53^th International Days of Music in Rastede in 2008 resulted in taking gold medal for the band and award for the best conductor to dr hab. Stanisław Śmietana.

In the year 2009 the band won the third award at the International Days of Music in Vöcklabruck.

In the year 2010 band came silver medal at the International Festival in Pécs (Hungary).

In 2011 the band received the “golden belt” at the Young Musicians’ International Festival in Bratislava (Slovakia).