Strings Festival Zielona Góra - Crescendo for strings — symphonic concert

Performers:

Maria Machowska — violin

FZ Symphony Orchestra

Pablo Urbina — conductor

Thalloris Quartet

Sławomir Kozłowski - conducting

Programa:

S. Moniuszko — String Quartet in F Major

W.A. Mozart — A Little Night Music

E. Elgar — Serenade in E minor for strings, Op. 20

K. Szymanowski — Violin Concerto No. 2 Op. 61

Tickets: 80/60

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The program of the Crescendo concert for strings shows the extraordinary diversity of European music for string instruments — from classical elegance, through the romantic singing of Moniuszko and Elgar, to the expressive and colorful late work of Karol Szymanowski.

The concert will begin with Stanisław Moniuszko's only completed string quartet, probably created in the 1840s, before the composer gained fame as the creator of the Polish national opera. The work remains a rarely performed, but extremely valuable part of his work, showing Moniuszka as a creator excellently found also in chamber music. The quartet is kept in a classical, four-part form, but it clearly reveals the romantic sensibility of the composer. In addition to lyrical, singing themes, one can find exuberant dance rhythms and subtle references to Polish folklore. The characteristic melodiousness and naturalness of the narration make the piece captivating with the sincerity of expression and an interesting link between the classical tradition and the nascent national style.

Few works in the history of music have gained such immense popularity as Eine kleine Nachtmusik (“Little Night Music”). Created in 1787, the serenade is the quintessence of Mozart's classic style — full of elegance, lightness and perfect proportions. The first part with a characteristic, energetic theme is one of the most recognizable fragments of classical music. The Romanza that follows it brings a moment of lyrical silence, the Minuet refers to the court dance tradition, while the finale impresses with its brilliance and serene character. Despite its apparent simplicity, the Serenade requires from its performers extraordinary precision, uniformity of sound and musical finesse, thanks to which it has remained one of the symbols of classical perfection for more than two centuries.

Serenade in E minor is one of Edward Elgar's most beautiful and personal works. Composed in 1892, it is the first major work with which the composer was fully satisfied, and which paved the way for his later successes. The three-part composition captivates with subtle lyricism, the warm, velvety sound of the string orchestra and the extraordinary elegance of conducting the melody. Elgar creates music full of nostalgia, but at the same time free of exaggerated pathos. Delicate dynamic contrasts and rich harmony make Serenade one of the most frequently performed pieces for string orchestra, appreciated by both performers and the audience.

The 2nd Violin Concerto, completed in 1933 and dedicated to the outstanding violinist Paweł Kochański, is the last great orchestral work of Karol Szymanowski. It was created in the period of creative maturity of the composer, when his musical language combined modern means of expression with inspirations from Polish folk music, especially Podhale folklore. The concert has a one-part form, but internally clearly differentiated. The violin part conducts a constant dialogue with the orchestra, moving from virtuosic passages to extremely lyrical, almost improvisational passages. Characteristic of Szymanowski's late style, the richness of colors, modal harmonica and rhythmic energy give the work a unique intensity and emotional depth. It is a piece that requires from the soloist not only excellent technique, but also a huge musical imagination.

Fig. Grzegorz Mart

Maria Machowska - Soloist, chamber musician, pedagogue. Concertmaster of the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw, postdoctoral degree in musical arts. Its masters were Mirosław Ławrynowicz, Marek Zebura and then Konstanty Andrzej Kulka. Winner of the 13th Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition in Poznań (2006) and VI Mozart International Violin Competition in Augsburg (2006). She has toured in all European countries, as well as in the USA, Canada, Japan, China, Korea and Israel. From 2008 to 2014 she was the Concertmaster of the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra.

A significant influence on the artist's development was her cooperation as a soloist, chamber musician and concertmaster with such outstanding figures of the musical world as Ida Handel, Augustin Dumay, Martha Argerich, Krzysztof Penderecki, Bruce Liu, Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, Eduard Schmieder, Wolfgang Marschner, Jacek Kaspszyk, Marc Minkowski. In 2003, on the occasion of the International Day of Music, she performed Pablo Sarasati's Navarra in a duet with Vadim Brodsky. The concert was held at the National Philharmonic and was broadcast live by Polish Television. An unusual artistic experience was a tour of Europe and Asia with Maxim Vengerov in the role of soloist, during which the artist led the Polish Chamber Orchestra from the stage, performing in the most famous concert halls such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, the Barbican Center in London and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo.

Maria Machowska is a professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. He is active as a juror of competitions and as an educator at numerous violin courses and workshops.

In 2022, she was awarded the Bronze Medal “Merited to Polish Culture Gloria Artis”.

The Spanish conductor Pablo Urbina has been the artistic and musical director of the Orquestra do Algarve in Portugal since 2025. His recent and upcoming engagements include his debut with the Companhia Nacional de Bailado (Portugal) with the performance of “Carmina Burana”, as well as the realization of the operas “El retablo de maese Pedro” by Manuel de Falla and “Yerma” by Heitor Villi-Lobos from the Opera de Tenerife. The artist will also make his debut with the Zielona Góra Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Orchestra of Lisbon, will collaborate with the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada during the International Festival in Granada and with Neo Philharmonica as part of the China tour, as well as return to collaboration with the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears, Orquestra do Norte, the Navarra Symphony Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and Orquestra Sem Fronteiras. In previous seasons he has conducted on four continents, collaborating with such ensembles as: Radio and Television Orchestra of Spain (RTVE), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hallé, Ulster Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Symphony Orchestra of Castile and Leon, Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Waco Symphony Orchestra (USA), Orco Cordoba Orchestra, Malaga Philharmonic, Orquestra das Beiras, Madeira Classical Orchestra and Tunisian Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Leonard Slatkin, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Lionel Bringuier and Jaime Martín, as well as artists of this magnitude such as Anthony McGill and Danielle de Niese.

Prior to that, Pablo served as Music Director of the London City Orchestra, collaborating conductor at the Al Bustan Festival in Lebanon and Lerici Music Festival in Italy, as well as assistant conductor at the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears (alongside Pablo Mielgo). It also conducts extensive activities and research in the field of creative leadership, training and professional preparation of musicians, collaborating with private companies and educational institutions through lectures, master classes and consulting. He is equally passionate about opera and symphonic repertoire; he has conducted such works as Dvořák's Rusałka, Mozart's The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni, Verdi's Masquerade Ball and Daniel Catán's Florencia en el Amazonas. In 2016, he hosted the Spanish-language premiere of Karl Jenkins's opera “Eloise” with the Navarra Chamber Opera. Winner of the third prize at the Siemens Hallé International Conducting Competition (2023), Urbina sees music as a driving force for positive social change. Pablo Urbina was born in Vitoria; he was educated in Pamplona (at the Pablo Sarasati Conservatory), then continued his studies in the United States (Thornton School of Music) and in London (Royal College of Music). Throughout his career, he used the guidance of prominent mentors, to whom he owes the formation of his musical path. Recognizing the important role of music in society, Urbina is actively involved in social, educational and popularization projects. In addition to his frequent collaboration with youth orchestras, he serves as an ambassador for The Amber Trust, which supports the blind and visually impaired through music.