Philharmonic Filharmonia Narodowa

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Warsaw Philharmonic is an internationally renowned cultural institution

The Warsaw Philharmonic - The National Orchestra and Choir of Poland, celebrating its 120 years jubilee in 2021, is one of the oldest musical institutions in Europe.

It was created thanks to the initiative of a group of Polish aristocrats and financiers: Natalia, Stefan and Stanisław Lubomirski, Maurycy and Tomasz Zamoyski, Władysław Tyszkiewicz, Leopold Julian Kronenberg (son of the founder of the Bank of Commerce) and, from the musical world: Ludwik Grossman, Emil Młynarski, Aleksander Rajchman, Marian Sokołowski, and others.

The architect Karol Kozłowski designed the building in the Viennese Secession style, modelling it on the Paris Opera.

Warsaw Philarmonic Orchestra
The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first concert in the newly erected Philharmonic Hall on 5 November 1901. The Orchestra was conducted by Emil Młynarski, the Philharmonic’s co‑founder, first Music Director and conductor. Its star performer and soloist was the statesman, composer and pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who at that time was at the height...
Meet the Orchestra
Warsaw Philarmonic Orchestra
Warsaw Philharmonic Choir
The Warsaw Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1953 under Zbigniew Soja. Later chorus masters have included Roman Kuklewicz (1955–1971), Józef Bok (1971–1974), Antoni Szaliński (1974–1978), and Henryk Wojnarowski (1978–2016), and since January 2017, the post has been held by Bartosz Michałowski.
Meet the Choir
Warsaw Philharmonic Choir
Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Meet the Ensemble
Warsaw Philharmonic History
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Warsaw Philharmonic History
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Krzysztof Urbański

conductor

In September 2025, Krzysztof Urbański entered the second season of his tenures as Music & Artistic Director of the Warsaw Philharmonic and as Chief Conductor of the Berner Symphonieorchester. He is Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana (since 2022).

Krzysztof Urbański appeared as a guest conductor with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Berliner Philharmoniker, Staatskapelle Dresden, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre de Paris, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony, among others.

The artist served as Music Director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (2011–2021) and as Chief Conductor and Artistic Leader of the Trondheim Symfoniorkester & Opera (2010–2017); in 2017, he was appointed Honorary Guest Conductor of this orchestra. He was Principal Guest Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (2012–2016) and of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester (2015–2021).

In 2007, Krzysztof Urbański was awarded the First Prize in the Prague Spring Conducting Competition and in 2015, he received the Leonard Bernstein Award at the Schleswig‑Holstein Musik Festival.

With the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester he recorded albums of Witold Lutosławski’s works, Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Richard Strauss’ works; all on Alpha Classics. His discography also includes Fryderyk Chopin’s small pieces for piano and orchestra with Jan Lisiecki and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester for Deutsche Grammophon which received an ECHO Klassik Award, and Bohuslav Martinů’s Cello Concerto No. 1 with Sol Gabetta and the Berliner Philharmoniker recorded for Sony.

 

[2025]

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