On Friday, May 27, the Krzysztof Penderecki European Music Center in Lutosławice will host a concert by the Youth Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine “Slobozhansky” from Kharkiv. The artists will perform with the great American violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn, and the whole event will be conducted by Jurek Dybał.

The concert program will include Henryk Wieniawski – 2nd Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 22 and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy – 3rd Symphony in A minor, Op. 56 “Scotch”.

Ukrainian musicians are staying in Lutosławice from May 10 as part of an artistic residence thanks to the support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Polish cultural institutions. Their stay and intensive rehearsals are aimed at preparing the band for concerts in Poland and the United States.

The Youth Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine ” Slobozhansky” was established in 1993. In 1994, at the European Music Festival in Copenhagen, it was recognized as the best youth symphony orchestra in Europe. For a significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian culture and high professionalism, in 2008 the orchestra received the status of an academic performance ensemble. Currently, young musicians from all over Ukraine work in the orchestra in Poland. The orchestra’s repertoire includes almost all the world’s masterpieces of classical music, works by contemporary composers and music of various genres and styles. Until the outbreak of the war, it regularly participated in various special events, national and international music festivals and competitions.

Elizabeth Pitcairn is one of the most famous and popular soloists in America. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California and from Colburn School in Los Angeles. She was also educated by professors such as Julian Meyer, Sylvia Ahramjian, Jascha Brodsky and Shmuel Ashkenasi.

Elizabeth Pitcairn plays the violin that is one of the most famous instruments in the world – the “Red Mendelssohn”, the famous Stradivarius violin, made by an Italian violin maker around 1720.

Adrian Andrzejewski