<Article>Yundi and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra In-concert</Article>

Yundi and Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra In-concert

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This summer the renowned Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra will tour China together with Li Yundi, the famous Chinese pianist and brilliant performer of Chopin’s music.

This tour opens a series of events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the regaining of Polish Independence that will be celebrated in 2018.

On the Aug. 31 in Guangzhou and on the Sep. 1 at Shenzhen Concert Hall in Shenzhen, you can experience the greatest Polish composer’s music in the best interpretation.

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra

Warsaw Philharmonic gave its first concert on Nov. 5, 1901 in the Philharmonic’s newly built concert hall. The Orchestra was conducted by Emil Młynarski - co-founder, first music director and resident conductor of the Philharmonic, while the solo part was played by Ignacy Jan Paderewski.

Already before World War I and between the world wars, the Philharmonic became a key center of musical life in Poland and one of Europe’s major musical institutions.

In the early years after World War II, the orchestra’s concerts were held in theaters and sport halls. On Feb. 21, 1955, the Philharmonic moved to a new seat (which replaced the one destroyed by German air raids) and was granted the status of the National Philharmonic. Under its new director Witold Rowicki, it regained the reputation of Poland’s leading symphony orchestra. In 1955-1958 the position of artistic director was held by Bohdan Wodiczko, then again by Rowicki, and from 1977 – by Kazimierz Kord. Between January 2002 and August 2013, Antoni Wit was both the Philharmonic’s managing and artistic director. Since Sep. 1, 2013 the position of artistic director of Warsaw Philharmonic has been held byJacek Kaspszyk.

Today Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra enjoys worldwide popularity and acclaim. It has made over 140 concert tours on five continents, appearing in all of the world’s major concert halls. It also regularly performs during the International F. Chopin Piano Competitions in Warsaw and the ‘Warsaw Autumn’ Festival, records for the Polish Radio and state television (TVP) as well as Polish and foreign record labels and film companies. The Orchestra has frequently been awarded prestigious record prizes, including the Grammy in 2013 (and six Grammy nominations) for their recordings of Penderecki’s and Szymanowski’s large-scale vocal-instrumental works, Diapason d’Or, ICMA, Gramophone Award, Record Geijutsu, Classical Internet Award, Cannes Classical Award, and the Fryderyk Award of the Polish Phonographic Academy.

Li Yundi

Yundi was propelled onto the international stage when he won the first prize at the 14th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition at the age of 18, becoming the youngest and first Chinese winner in the history of the renowned competition. The New York Times praised his performances: “the brilliant young Chinese pianist, has proved a technically astounding pianist who is by turns elegant and rambunctious, coolly expressive and white-hot.”

Since then, he has been regarded as a leading exponent of Chopin’s music. In autumn 2014, the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, as the organizer of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition has invited Yundi to be one of the jury members of the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2015, as the youngest juror of the competition.

On his regular recital tours, Yundi has performed at many prestigious venues and festivals. In addition, orchestras and conductors with whom he has collaborated include the Berliner Philharmoniker and Seiji Ozawa, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester and Riccardo Chailly, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Harding, Rotterdam Philharmonic and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Philharmonia Orchestra and Andrew Davis, Mariinsky Orchestra and Valery Gergiev, and the Israel Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel. He has also performed with the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington), Philadelphia Orchestra, Toronto Symphony and NHK Symphony.

Editor: Jane Chen