Sinfonia Varsovia is a center for music based on the belief that music is the most universal art form. At the heart of the institution is the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra whose identity, international reputation, and high artistic standards serve as its capital and basis for operation. As an institution with international reach, Sinfonia Varsovia cares for the local community by engaging and encouraging different groups to participate in culture.
Origins
The Orchestra was formed in April 1984 as a result of expanding the Polish Chamber Orchestra. The expansion was brought on by the arrival of legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin. The artist was invited by Waldemar Dąbrowski, the then General Director of the St. I. Witkiewicz Art Center Studio in Warsaw, and Franciszek Wybrańczyk, the director of the PCO to perform as conductor and soloist in Poland. The joint concerts soon won public acclaim and Menuhin took on the role of the first guest conductor.
“Working with no other Orchestra gave me as much satisfaction as my work, as soloist and conductor, with the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra” – Yehudi Menuhin said in interviews.
Soon after Sinfonia Varsovia started its world tour, playing in the world’s most prestigious concert halls. The Orchestra’s extensive repertoire, which includes works from such artists as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Krzysztof Penderecki, has resulted in numerous collaborations with soloists and conductors. The Orchestra has established artistic relationships with the world’s greatest conductors, including Valery Gergiev, Witold Lutosławski, and Lorin Maazel, as well as world-class soloists such as Piotr Anderszewski, Martha Argerich, and Anne-Sophie Mutter.
Sinfonia Varsovia has played over 4,000 concerts all over the world and made over 300 records, including for Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, Sony, and Warner. The recorded repertoire includes works from the 18th century to the present day. A special place in the Orchestra’s concert program is occupied by the works of Polish composers, including Frederic Chopin, Krzysztof Penderecki, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Witold Lutosławski, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki, and Wojciech Kilar. The Orchestra has premiered numerous works, including those by John Adams, Krzesimir Dębski, Jan A. P. Kaczmarek, Witold Lutosławski, Paweł Mykietyn, Onutė Narbutaitė, Krzysztof Penderecki, Marta Ptaszyńska, Marcin Stańczyk, and Paweł Szymański. [..]
https://www.sinfoniavarsovia.org/en/sinfonia-varsovia/about-us/