SYMPHONIC CONCERT — CANON OF POLYHYMNIA

MARIA BELICA-MIECZKOWSKA violin
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FŚ
FILIP SIJER conductor
Carl Maria von Weber - Overture to the opera Oberon
Henryk Wieniawski:
Fantasy on themes from Charles Gounod's opera Faust, Op. 20
Polonaise in D major, Op. 4 for violin and orchestra
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 41 of Jupiter in C major KV 551

The concert will begin with the Overture to Carl Maria von Weber's opera Oberon - a piece full of fairytale atmosphere, subtle colours and romantic momentum. The composer effortlessly juxtaposes lyrical passages with dynamic climaxes, announcing the most important themes of the opera and introducing listeners to the world of magic, adventure and fantastic events.

Then there will be two works by Henryk Wieniawski, in which the singing of the violin is combined with spectacular virtuosity. Fantasia on themes from Charles Gounod's opera Faust Op. 20 uses melodies taken from one of the most popular opera works of the 19th century. Wieniawski transformed them into a brilliant concert composition, requiring from the soloist both excellent craftsmanship and the ability to extract the lyrical and dramatic character of the music.

The Polonaise in D major Op. 4 is one of Wieniawski's most youthful and at the same time most impressive works. Full of brilliance, elegance and dance energy, it shows the violin as an instrument capable of dazzling technical displays, without losing the dignity and nobility characteristic of Polonaise.

The solo part will be performed by Maria Belica-Mieczkowska. The Symphony Orchestra of the Świętokrzyska Philharmonic will be conducted by Filip Sijer.

After the break, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's XLI Symphony No. 551 in C major, called “Jupiter”, will be played. This is the last symphony of the composer and one of the greatest masterpieces of classicism. The monumental character of the work is combined with lightness, clarity and perfection of form. A special impression is made by the finale, in which several independent themes are woven into an artful polyphonic construction, constituting one of the finest examples of Mozart's compositional mastery.

The evening program will combine Weber's romantic fantasy, Wieniawski's virtuosic expression and Mozart's classical perfection, revealing the diverse faces of the musical canon.

Maria Belica-Mieczkowska

She was born in 1999 in an artistic family. She started learning to play the violin at the age of 7 at the M. J. Żebrowski Music School Complex in Częstochowa in the class of Elżbieta Urbańska, MSc. In 2018 she graduated with honors from the State General Education School of Music of the 2nd century in Częstochowa in the violin class of Dr. Aleksandra Szwejkowska-Belica. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź, where she honed her skills for three years in the class of professors Łukasz Błaszczyk and Sławomira Wilga. She completed her second cycle studies under the supervision of Dr. Christian Danowicz at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw with an excellent grade. She is currently a student of the Doctoral School of this university.

She is a laureate of more than 30 violin and chamber music competitions. Among the prizes were: 1st place at the International Violin Competition “Young Paganini” in Legnica, 1st place at the Concurso Internacional de violino de Guimarães in Portugal. She participated in many violin workshops under the guidance of outstanding pedagogues: Wanda Wiłkomirska, Barbara Górzyńska, Małgorzata Rezler, Bartosz Bryła, Jakub Jakowicz, Szymon Krzeszowec, Robert Szreder, Mikhail Waiman, Alexander Sitkovietsky, Piotr Jasiurkowski, Piotr Jasiurkowski, Piotr Tarcholika, Ingolf Turbana, Alfredo García Serrano and Eliseu Silva. In 2018, she received a scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. She is a nine-time recipient of a scholarship from the Mayor of the City of Częstochowa, she also received a scholarship from the Center for Artistic Education and the National Fund for Children. In 2020, she was awarded the “Young Poland” Scholarship Program of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

She has performed as a soloist with the Podkarpackie Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, as well as with the Częstochowa Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the Świętokrzyska Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra de Antonio Fragoso from Porto and the ZSM Symphony Orchestra in Częstochowa. In 2015 she made recordings for the Academy of Film and Television, where as a soloist she performed the Second Concert of H. Wieniawski. She has performed at many festivals, including: Jurassic Autumn Music Festival, “A. Nikodemowicz — Time and Sound” Festival in Lublin, Music at Gałczyński Festival in Pran in Mazury, 7th Summer Music on the Springs Festival in Szczawnica, International Festival of Sola Musica, Karol Szymanowski Days of Music Festival in Zakopane, Festival of Violin under the Sails in Masuria. In July 2022 she had the opportunity to collaborate as part of the Convivios Internacionais de Musika do Porto festival in Portugal, where as a soloist she performed with the orchestra a piece by contemporary composer — Vincenzo Gomez, led the orchestra as concertmaster and premiered Eliseu Silva's piece for solo violin.

Maria Belica-Mieczkowska has been helping to organize the Wanda Wiłkomirska Violin Competition of Polish Music since 2019. He collaborates permanently in chamber ensembles with Daniel Mieczkowski — flutist and conductor, and Aleksandra Szwejkowska-Belica, with whom he promotes the work of Polish contemporary composers.

Phillip Sierre

Born on 13.05.1999 in Łódź.

He started learning the piano at the age of 10 at the State Music School of the First Degree in Opoczno in the class of Marcin Mieszczankowski, MSc. In 2013, after graduating from the State Music School I degree in Opoczno, he began studying at the Tadeusz Wroński State Music School I and II degree in Tomaszów Mazowiecki in the piano class of Anna Zdonek, MA.

Since 2015, he continued to study piano in the class of Dr. Katarzyna Kling at the Henryk Wieniawski Primary and Secondary School of Music in Łódź, which he graduated with a very good grade.

In 2018, he studied at the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź in the piano class of Dr. Katarzyna Kling, professor AM. Since 2020, he started another study — Symphonic Conducting in the conducting class of Jacek Rogala, PhD, professor AM; also at the above university. In June 2023, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in symphonic conducting and a master's degree in piano in December. He is currently completing his education at the Academy of Music in Łódź on a master's degree in symphonic and opera conducting. Among his recent achievements are: 3rd place at the 5th International Competition-Festival of Young Pianists and Piano Teachers dedicated to Aldon Dvarionaite in Zarasai, Lithuania (2019), 3rd place with violinist Zuzanna Ciołek at the International Competition in Moscow (2021) — chamber music category — class Prof. dr hab. Elżbieta Życzyckie-Przybylak, 2nd place in the 1st national competition “Musical Koryfeusz” (chamber music category) Poznań 15.04.2022 — piano quintet composed of: Filip Sijer, Agata Miłś, Alicja Poręba, Malwina Miękoś, Kajetan Kosiec — preparation of the team of Dr. Michał Rot. In March 2023, he qualified for the IV National Competition of Students of Conducting named after Adam Kopyciński in Wrocław. The pianist has performed at numerous concerts and recitals, among others in Warsaw (piano recital from the series “Promotion of young talents” — organized by the National Institute of Fryderyk Chopin -24.10.2019), Łódź, Wrocław.

Currently, as a conductor, he participates in the organization of various artistic and student projects related to the Lodz University of Music, where he has conducted a symphony orchestra several times as part of musica moderna sessions and during other musical events. He served as assistant to Maestro Jerzy Maksymiuk and collaborated with Janusz Olejniczak during the preparations for the concert entitled “Master Interpretations” (26.04.2024), during which he conducted the Oskar Kolberg Symphony Orchestra of the Świętokrzyska Philharmonic next to Jerzy Maksymiuk. He also conducted the symphony orchestra of the Academy of Music in Łódź during the premiere of the author's musical “Eldorado” directed and produced by Rafał Lenartowicz (27.04.2024). In May 2025 he qualified as an active participant in the 1st National Forum of Conductors in Bydgoszcz. 06.06.2025 he conducted during the concert “Estrada Młodych” at the Oskar Kolberg Philharmonic in Kielce, and in the artistic season 2025/2026 he served as resident conductor at this institution.

Filip Sijer has also participated in numerous courses and workshops, during which he has worked under the supervision of numerous world-renowned pianists such as: Kevin Kenner, Cyprien Katsaris, Wolfgang Manz, Einar Henning Smebye, Peter Tuite, Bradley Bolen, Tobias Koch; and conductors: Jerzy Maksymiuk, Marek Pijarowski, Wojciech Mickey Hniewski, Wojciech Rajski, Raoul Grüneis.