University of Florida Performing Arts

Antoni Wit, Conductor
Valentina Lisitsa, Piano

Program
Serenade, Op. 2 – Karlowicz
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major – Liszt (Valentina Lisitsa, Piano)
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 – Brahms

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
The National Orchestra of Poland
The first musical performance of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra took place on November 5, 1901 in the newly opened Philharmonic Hall. The artistic director and principal conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra Emil Młynarski conducted this inaugural concert. The soloist was the world-renowned pianist, composer and future statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski. The program of this historic concert included Paderewski’s Piano Concerto in A minor and works of other Polish composers: Chopin, Moniuszko, Noskowski, Stojowski and Żeleński.

The early years of the Orchestra were characterised by the gradual achievement of a high level of professionalism and numerous performances by outstanding soloists and conductors from all over the world. Before World War I and in the inter-war period, the Warsaw Philharmonic was the main centre of musical activity in Poland and also one of the leading centers of music in Europe. Almost all the outstanding conductors and soloists of the day appeared with the orchestra, including Grieg, Honegger, Klemperer, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Rodzinski, R. Strauss, Stravinsky, Arrau, Horowitz, Kempff, Rubinstein, Huberman and Sarasate.

The first three International Chopin Piano Competitions (1927, 1932, 1937), in which the Orchestra participated were held in the Hall, as well as the first International Wieniawski Violin Competition (1935) and the first Public Festival of Polish Arts (1937). Those events showed Warsaw’s active participation in European musical life.

After 38 years of prosperity, the outbreak of World War II brought a temporary halt to the activities of the Philharmonic. The Hall was bombed and partially burnt in the first days of September 1939 and completely destroyed by the end of the war. The orchestra lost 39 of its 71 players.

In the first years after the war, Straszyński and Panufnik conducted the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. In January 1950 Witold Rowicki was appointed director and principal conductor. He took it upon himself to organize a new ensemble. Despite the lack of its own hall and difficult working conditions, the Orchestra made rapid progress. Performances were organized in different places, such as sports halls and theaters. The orchestra improved systematically during the first years under Rowicki and became a leading Polish ensemble. Their first concert abroad took place at the 1951 International Youth Festival in Berlin and was followed up by a tour of Romania in 1952. In October 1952, a “Choir Studio” under the auspices of the Philharmonic was established. This studio was the origin of the mixed choir, which appeared for the first time in a symphony concert with the Orchestra in May 1953. Since then the Choir has received the name of the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir with a status of a fully professional ensemble. Also at that time the Warsaw Philharmonic started to promote its own chamber music series, which it still does today.

On February 21, 1955 the rebuilt Philharmonic Hall in Jasna Street was re-opened, with a large hall of over 1,000 seats and a 433 seat-hall for chamber music. On that day the Warsaw Philharmonic received the status of the National Philharmonic of Poland. This represented the status, which the Philharmonic had achieved in Poland as the leading institution of its kind in the country. It also provided new opportunities and challenges for the future.

From 1955 until 1958 Bohdan Wodiczko, an outstanding musician and enthusiast of modern music, conducted the Orchestra. Arnold Rezler and Stanisław Skrowaczewski also worked with the Orchestra, and Roman Kuklewicz directed the Choir. It was a good period for the Warsaw Philharmonic: the orchestra was enlarged, the hall gained an organ, and performances of modern music achieved great success leading to the establishment of the First International Festival of Contemporary Music, in October 1956, known as Warsaw Autumn. In 1958 Witold Rowicki was again appointed artistic director and principal conductor of the orchestra, a post he held until 1977.

In 1977 Kazimierz Kord was appointed artistic director and principal conductor of the Warsaw Philharmonic and served the Orchestra till the end of the centenary celebrations in 2001. From the beginning of his work with the Orchestra he put stress on enriching the repertoire. As a result, along with the symphonies, oratorios and operas were performed in the Hall. A new venture was the series of performances, The National Philharmonic Presents, recorded live and released by the Polskie Nagrania recording company. Presently Maestro Kazimierz Kord holds the position of the Honorary Director of the Warsaw Philharmonic and maintains the close contact with the Orchestra. At the beginning of the 1978-79 season Henryk Wojnarowski took over the leadership of the choir.

As of January 2002 Maestro Antoni Wit has taken over the position of the General and Artistic Director of Warsaw Philharmonic. Maestro Wit, the winner of second prize at the Herbert von Karajan International Conducting Competition in Berlin and many state awards, is one of the most highly regarded Polish conductors. He studied conducting with Henryk Czyż and composition with Krzysztof Penderecki at the Academy of Music in Cracow, and subsequently continued his studies with Nadia Boulanger in Paris.

Today both the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choir have worldwide popularity and appreciation. Both ensembles have completed over 100 tours on five continents. They are regularly invited to the best musical centers in the world, such as Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Festival Hall, Suntory Hall, La Scala and La Fenice. The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra has performed in The Great Orchestras of the World cycle in London and has participated in leading musical festivals, notably the Athens Festival, the Bergen International Festival, the Berliner Festwochen, the Internationale Musikfestwochen Luzern, the Festival Montreux, the Prague Spring Festival, The Wratislavia Cantans, the Festival van Vlaanderen, the Maggio Musicale Florentino, the Interlochen Arts Festival and the Festival Due Mondi in Spoleto. The orchestra regularly takes part in the concerts of the International Festival of Contemporary Music (”Warsaw Autumn”) as well as the final rounds of the Chopin International Piano Competitions.

The Warsaw Philharmonic has made numerous recordings for Polish and foreign record companies, such as Polskie Nagrania, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips, Decca, Naxos and CD Accord. These recordings have won numerous awards and distinctions. The recordings present Polish music through the works of Chopin, Szymanowski, Górecki, Lutosławaski, Panufnik, Penderecki and Szymański, without neglecting the world repertoire. The recording of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Seven Gates of Jerusalem and Roman Maciejewski’s Requiem - Missa pro defunctis were world phonograph premieres. The Orchestra also makes recordings for Polish Radio and Television, as well as participating in film music recordings.

Each season the Philharmonic presents over 80 symphony concerts, more than 50 chamber concerts and a special series of concerts for children, featuring the Orchestra as well as guest symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles, both Polish and foreign.  Eminent  artists that performed with the Warsaw Philharmonic includ the conductors Gary Bertini, Herbert Blomstedt, Rafael Frühbeck  de Burgos, Aram Khachaturian, Charles Dutoit, Philippe Entremont, Neville Marriner, Yehudi Menuhin, Kurt Masur, Helmuth Rilling, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Leopold  Stokowski.  The Orchestra has also performed with famous soloists such as Martha Argerich, Kathleen Battle, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Teresa Berganza, Nigel Kennedy, Evgeny Kissin, Jessye Norman, Midori, Shlomo Mintz, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Garrick Ohlsson, David Oistrakh, Murray Perahia, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Sviatoslav Richter, Mstislav Rostropovich, Henryk Szeryng, Renata Tebaldi, Krystian Zimerman and Pinchas Zukerman.
 
Since its inception, the Warsaw Philharmonic has been Poland’s leading musical institution. It remains so today.  Under the Artistic Director Maestro Antoni Wit, the Warsaw Philharmonic is maintaining a high artistic level and belongs to the leading European symphony ensembles.

Antoni Wit, Conductor
Managing and Artistic Director of Warsaw Philharmonic since January 2002, Antoni Wit previously directed the Pomeranian Philharmonic (1974-77), Polish Radio and Television Orchestra and Choir in Cracow (1977-83), the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice (1983-2000) and Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria (1987-92). His work with each of these orchestras is now remembered as a period of intense artistic development. His concerts and recordings with the Orchestras he directed proved important for Polish music which he promoted on frequent tours in Italy, Germany, Great Britain, France and Spain. Among archival recordings as well as symphonic and oratorio concerts, the first priority was always given to Polish music both by historical and contemporary composers. The artist gave many first performances of compositions by Krzysztof Penderecki, Witold Lutosławski, Wojciech Kilar, and others.

Born in Cracow, he received his education in this city, studying conducting under Henryk Czyż, composition under Krzysztof Penderecki, and law at the Jagellonian University. He then continued his musical studies with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. From 1967 till 1969 he was the assistant to Witold Rowicki at the Warsaw Philharmonic.

The second prize in the International Herbert von Karajan Conducting Competition in Berlin in 1971 paved the way for his great international career. He has given performances in nearly all the major musical centers in Europe, both Americas, the Near and Far East, conducting such leading symphony orchestras as the Berliner Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Dresden, Tonhalle Zurich, the Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia, BBC London, Montreal Symphony, NHK Tokyo, and many others. Recently he conducted, among others, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Staatskapelle Weimar (recording Alpine Symphony by R. Strauss for Naxos) and Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in Tokyo.

Maestro Wit has made nearly 100 recordings for such labels as EMI-HMV, CBS, Naxos, NVS Arts, Pony Canyon, Polskie Nagrania, and others. His 1985 release of Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater on EMI was acclaimed by English critics as one of the best recordings of the year. His version of the complete Prokofiev piano concertos (with Kun Woo Paik as soloist) won the Diapason d’Or and Grand Prix du Disque de la Nouvelle Academie in 1993, while a recording of Messiaen’s Turangalîla symphony received the Cannes Classical Award (Midem Classique 2002). For NAXOS he recorded Lutosławski’s complete symphonic works with National Polish Radio Orchestra. His first record made with the Warsaw Philharmoinc  (Lutosławski, Meyer, Penderecki - for CD Accord) was awarded the Polish record prize Fryderyk 2002 . In June 2003, Maestro Wit recorded Chopin’s complete works for piano and orchestra with the Warsaw Philharmonic and the pianist Kun Woo Paik for the prestigious Decca label, and  in September 2003 he performed and recorded the world premiere of Wojciech Kilar’s September Symphony, which was dedicated to him (CD Accord).

In 2004 Antoni Wit received the Classical Internet Award and was nominated for the Grammy Award for the recording of Penderecki’s St. Luke’s Passion (Naxos). In 2005 he recorded Symphony No. 8 of Mahler, and Te Deum of Penderecki. In December 2005 he was again nominated for the Grammy Award this time for the recording of Penderecki’s Polish Requiem (Naxos). In 2006 Mo. Wit and his orchestra started the recordings of all orchestral works of Karol Szymanowski to commemorate the anniversary of the composer’s death.  The first CD of that series was released Naxos in early 2007.
For the best performance of a Polish work at the “Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music, the artist twice won the Orpheus Critics’ Award. “For outstanding artistic creations and the popularization of Polish music at home and abroad, reaching millions of listeners worldwide”, the Polish Radio awarded him the “Diamond Baton.”

Antoni Wit is professor of conducting in the Frederic Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw.

Valentina Lisitsa
Described by critics as a “bona fide angel playing” and an “electrifying pianist,” the Ukrainian-born Valentina Lisitsa has been receiving rave reviews since her arrival in the United States in 1991. With her multifaceted playing described as “dazzling,” Valentina is at ease in a vast repertoire ranging from Bach and Mozart to Shostakovich and Bernstein. With her highly individual and fearless approach to every work she performs, she has been greeted by enthusiastic audiences throughout the world.

Born to a family of non-musicians in Kiev, Ukraine, Ms. Lisitsa began playing the piano at the age of three and performed her first solo recital at age four. But unlike most music prodigies, Valentina did not think about a career as a concert pianist. She had a different dream - to become a professional chess player! With a minimum of practice time, she sailed through the Kiev Conservatory, winning competitions along the way, by relying on her extraordinary sight-reading abilities and photographic memory. Valentina attributes her effortless technique to hours of mindless repetition of the most difficult passages while simultaneously devouring books that interested her, which she kept open on her music stand. This way, she explains, she was able to convince her family that she was practicing. It was only when she met Alexei Kuznetsoff, a fellow student at the Conservatory and her future partner in life as well as in duo-pianism, that Valentina started thinking about music seriously. Mr. Kuznetsoff, a very serious and knowledgeable musician, became the major influence on Valentina’s transformation from dazzling virtuoso into extraordinary musician.

The first major enterprise undertaken by the young couple turned out to be not only a great success but a turning point in their lives. They decided to prepare for the most important two-piano competition in the world – The Murray Dranoff Two Piano Competition – in the United States. In one year of intense work they achieved something which ordinarily takes decades–becoming a seamless unity as a duo-piano team. Their reward, in addition to winning first prize in the 1991 Competition, was an opportunity to move to the United States and launch a career as one of the most highly-esteemed piano duos in the country, beginning with their orchestral debut at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York.

Although they didn’t know it, the solo career of Ms. Lisitsa was about to take off as well, thanks to a bit of luck, if one can call it luck, to find one unplayable piano at a scheduled two-piano recording session. Rather than calling the day off it,  was suggested that Valentina try recording some solo works. This impromptu recording session resulted in two more CDs - but this time solo CDs - and the launch of Valentina’s highly successful solo career. Soon she was performing in the world’s most prestigious concert venues, from New York’s Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, to Vienna’s Musikverein, to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.

Having well over 30 concerti in her repertoire, she crisscrossed the globe performing with such orchestras as the Sao Paolo Symphony in Brazil, the New Zealand Philharmonic, and the Prague Chamber Orchestra.

Valentina is also frequently invited to participate in chamber music performances with such prominent musicians as the cellist Lynn Harrell, violinists Ida Haendel and Hilary Hahn. She has recorded eight CDs for the Audiofon Record Company, and her DVD of the 24 Chopin Etudes is the first in a series of her music videos. Two more DVDs – one of Schubert-Liszt songs and another of virtuoso masterpieces, including Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit and Liszt’s Don Juan – were released in the fall of 2006.

Valentina Lisitsa is a Bösendorfer artist.