THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF PODLASIE OPERA AND PHILHARMONIC

IN BIALYSTOK

The Białystok Symphony Orchestra was established in 1954. After 20-years of the artistic activity the orchestra received the status of Philharmonic and moved to a new seat. In 1997 Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski was appointed the orchestra’s Managing and Artistic Director. In 2005, in view of its dynamic development and preparations for the opening in 2011 of a new opera and concert hall, The Białystok Philharmonic changed its name into The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic. On 9 September 2005, during the inauguration of 2005/2006 artistic season, the Minister of Culture Waldemar Dąbrowski and the Marshal of the Podlasie Voivodenship Janusz Kazimierz Krzyżewski signed a declaration establishing The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic – the European Centre of Culture in Bialystok as an institution of national culture. During its 54-years of history, the Philharmonic stage has played host to many renowned conductors, soloists and composers. Since 1994 The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic has run the Competition for Young Conductors named after W. Lutosławski.
Under the baton of Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski The Orchestra of The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic has recorded many CDs with the participation of prominent soloists: Jakub Jakowicz, Kałudi Kałudow, Teresa Żylis- Gara, Waldemar Malicki.
The Orchestra performs in Poland as well as abroad. Foreign tours have taken the orchestra to Austria, Belgium, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Italy and the United States. In 1995, during the USE tournee, the ensemble under the baton of M. J. Błaszczyk gave a concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall. In August 2005, the Orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic, under the direction of  Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski, gave a gala concert in the European Parliament in Brussels.
In September 2007 the orchestra performed in the final concert of the M. K. Ogiński Festival at the Ogiński Palace in Plunge and in the congress Hall in Vilnius within the framework of events marking the 16th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Lithuania. In 2007 the orchestra also made a tour, giving concerts in Paris, among others in the famous La Madeleine Church, promoting a CD with works by Aleksander Tansman.
In June 2008 orchestra toured in Russia, with appearances in the Concert Hall of the Shostakovich Academic Philharmonic during the Yuri Temirkanov Summer Festival and in the concert Hall of St Petersburg Academic Capella with the participation of Russian soloists. 2008 it performed many concerts in Helsinki Tallin, Riga and Vilnius in occasion of 90. anniversary of the independence of Poland.
In October 2009 the Orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic, under the baton of  Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski, performed in Berward Halle in Stockholm, and in the seat of the Goeteborg Symphony Orchestra. In December 2009 the Orchestra gave 3 concerts in Great Britain – during celebrations of the Polish Yoear ‘Polska! Year’ it appeared in the London Cadogan Hall, Royal College of Music as well as in the Oxford Sheldonian Theatre.