institute of music and dance

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In 2013, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Witold Lutosławski and in 2014 – the 20^th anniversary of his death. It is hard to believe that so many years have passed since this outstanding composer and authority in the field of music passed away. The General Conference of UNESCO resolved that the 100th anniversary of the composer’s birth would be listed amongst the prestigious anniversaries of UNESCO in 2012–2013.

The Sejm of the Republic of Poland adopted a resolution on 7th December 2012, declaring 2013 to be the Year of Lutosławski for the following reason: “His works, performed at all major concert stages for over sixty years, shape new forms of beauty and reveal unique ideas of understanding and experience of the contemporary world. Originating from the great European tradition, from Beethoven and Chopin to Debussy and Bartók, he was also a patriot by virtue of his public activities and a world citizen through his works.”

No more needs to be said. The works and artistic achievements of Lutosławski, as well as the awards, decorations, honorary degrees and other laurels, have confirmed his high position in the international music world. The composer, who wrote for Anne Sophie-Mutter, Mścisław Rostropowicz or Krystian Zimerman, recorded for Deutsche Grammophon and received the Nobel Prize for Music – “the Polar Music Prize”, belongs to this pantheon of world music. Witold Lutosławski was not only an outstanding composer and conductor, but also an erudite and Renaissance man, who was able to link the creative process with theoretical reflection.

The Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bogdan Zdrojewski, entrusted the Institute of Music and Dance with the task of organizing the Celebration Office, and appointed the director of IMIT to be responsible for the Year of Lutosławski. The Minister also announced a special programme “Lutosławski 2013 – Promise” that aims to fill the whole year with artistic, scientific, educational, documentary and promotional events – as many as possible – referring to Witold Lutosławski and his works in the context of 20th-century music, history and culture. As a result of this programme, nearly 100 additional artistic events will take place in Poland and abroad.

A rich programme of concerts, educational and publishing events will be carried out jointly with the Witold Lutosławski Society, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, National Audiovisual Institute and Fryderyk Chopin Institute. It includes another instance of the “Łańcuch” festival, a guide to Lutosławski’s Warsaw, an International Witold Lutosławski Competition for Composers, the Philharmonia Orchestra’s “Woven Words” and a multi-media exhibition dedicated to Lutosławski’s life and works. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and many other institutions, such as Polish Radio, Polskie Nagrania, PWM Editions and the Polish Composers’ Union have also joined the preparations for the anniversary celebration. Information about current projects will be regularly provided on the official website of the Year of Lutosławski www.lutoslawski.culture.pl Media support will be provided by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Photos of the composers, biographical and promotional materials will be prepared for interested journalists.

A special emblem of the Year “100/100 Lutosławski” was designed to be awarded to the institutions involved in the celebration. The Lutosławski Society has created a Medal of the Year, which will be presented to those who contribute to performing, promoting and studying Lutosławski's music. The opening concert of the Year held on 25 January 2013 at the Warsaw Philharmonic.

Honorary Committee of the Year of Lutosławski

• Julia Hartwig
• Wojciech Kilar
• Kazimierz Kord
• Jerzy Kornowicz
• Jan Krenz
• Anne Sophie-Mutter
• Irina Nikolska
• Krzysztof Penderecki
• Esa Pekka Salonen
• Adrian Thomas
• Andrzej Wajda