News

ORA Jazz Festival

As part of the Poland-Romania Cultural Season 2024-2025, the international pre-premiere of Seifert's concert and the first international performance of Mateusz Smoczyński’s concert will take place.

Seifert's concert will be performed again abroad, 50 years after its premiere in 1974.

Program:

• Zbigniew Seifert – Jazz Concerto for violin, symphony orchestra, and rhythm section:

Mateusz Smoczyński – violin

Dominik Wania – piano

Sławomir Kurkiewicz – double bass

Michał Miśkiewicz – drums

Barbara Dragan – conductor

Oradea Philharmonic Orchestra

• Mateusz Smoczyński – Adam’s Apple:

Mateusz Smoczyński – violin

Barbara Dragan – conductor

Oradea Philharmonic Orchestra

About Seifert’s concert:

In her book "Zbigniew Seifert. Man of the Light", Aneta Norek describes the background of the creation of the concert. Zbigniew Seifert regularly collaborated with the NDR radio station, recording both his own works and the compositions of other musicians in Hanover. One day, during a conversation with the recording producer Wolfgang Kunert, the idea of writing a jazz violin concerto was born. The only guideline given to the composer was the available set of instruments. From August 26 to 30, 1974, the "Jazz Concerto for violin, symphony orchestra, and rhythm section" (Jazz-Konzert für Violine, Sinfonieorchester und Rhythmusgruppe) was recorded.

Seifert recalled: "I wrote this 25-minute composition over two months – day and night. In the recording, which took place in Hanover, (...) I played the improvised part against the background of arranged sections. The piece was broadcast on the radio."

Seifert’s music is influenced by Slavic themes, and the characteristic scales and intervals also evoke comparisons with the music of Szymanowski and Karłowicz. The German music journalist, author, producer, and promoter of Polish jazz, Joachim-Ernest Berendt, described his work: "Zbigniew Seifert's music is universal; it can be listened to and understood all over the world. For those familiar with Polish jazz and Polish music in general, Seifert’s compositions and improvisations carry an additional charm, including undeniably Polish elements." When asked about his Polish inspirations, Seifert said: "I don’t hear it so clearly myself, but certainly there is something Slavic, something lyrical in my music – even when I think of Coltrane. I only hear that my music is different from the music played in Western Europe."

About "Adam’s Apple":

"Adam’s Apple" is a groundbreaking project in Mateusz Smoczyński’s career. It is his first album featuring symphonic music, showcasing two poles of the violinist-composer’s musical inspirations: two musical icons, John Adams and Zbigniew Seifert.

"Since the beginning of my musical career," says Mateusz Smoczyński, "I have been regarded by many critics as a continuation of the path set by Zbigniew Seifert. My debut album "Inspirations" was dedicated to him and John Coltrane. I had the opportunity to perform Zbigniew Seifert’s violin concerto several times – I was the soloist at the Polish premiere of this piece in 2009 at the Kraków Philharmonic, and later in 2018 at NOSPR. Despite my deep fascination with Seifert's playing, when composing "Adam's Apple", I wanted to take a completely different direction and show how I am currently on a very different musical pole."

Stylistically, the concert is most closely related to the music of John Adams. "I was inspired by Adams' entire spectrum of work, but mainly his "Violin Concerto", "Harmonielehre", "Naive and Sentimental Music", and "Piano Concerto". Through his compositions, I discovered new beauty in symphonic music. We met for the first time at the Tonhalle in Zurich in 2022," Mateusz recalls. "After the concert, I told him the story of how the piece was created, how his work influenced me, and I explained the title, saying it referred to John Adams’ ‘apple’. I gave him a score and a recording. A few months later, I flew to see him perform in Reykjavik. There, Adams himself approached me and said: ‘Wonderful composition.’ We’ve had the chance to meet two more times, in Prague and London, and we always have friendly conversations."

The concert’s title is a play on words; while it should theoretically be called "Adams’ Apple" (Adams’s apple), Smoczyński shifted the apostrophe, thus giving the piece a programmatic character. The "Adam’s Apple" suggests biblical associations with the story of Adam and Eve. At the same time, the concert title also reflects jazz influences, referencing one of the greatest musicians of our time, Wayne Shorter, and his piece of the same title.

Mateusz Smoczyński:

Mateusz Smoczyński is a violinist, soloist, and composer, and one of the most internationally active Polish musicians. He is the co-founder of Atom String Quartet, and lived for many years in San Francisco, where he collaborated with the legendary Turtle Island Quartet (two Grammy Awards). In May 2024, he signed a contract with Warner Music Poland.

The album featuring Seifert's and Smoczyński’s concerts was released on July 5, 2024, by Warner Music Poland on LP and SACD/hybrid. It was recorded with the Chopin University Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Rafał Janiak, and with outstanding guest musicians forming the jazz combo: Dominik Wania, Sławomir Kurkiewicz, and Michał Miśkiewicz. 

Listen: link

The concert at the Ora Jazz Festival is partnered by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

Tickets: link