Sinfonia Varsovia

The legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin arrived in Poland in April 1984 to perform as soloist and conductor on an invitation from Waldemar Dąbrowski and Franciszek Wybrańczyk, director of the Polish Chamber Orchestra. 

To play the selected repertoire, the orchestra had to invite more musicians to join its ranks and invited many an excellent instrumentalist from across Poland to take part in the project. The enlarged ensemble's first concerts were welcomed enthusiastically by audiences and critics alike. Mr Menuhin eagerly became the first guest conductor of the newly established symphony orchestra: the Sinfonia Varsovia. 

The concert to be held on 3 April 2016 at the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera is a sentimental journey into the past. The programme does not lack references to Sinfonia Varsovia's first concert conducted by Sir Yehudi.  

'[W]ork with no other orchestra gave me so much satisfaction as my work – as soloist and conductor – with Sinfonia Varsovia,' the maestro once said about Sinfonia Varsovia.

A brilliant violinist and great conductor; one of the greatest authorities; a maestro; a legend: Yehudi Menuhin enchanted the world with his talent already as an eight-year-old boy and never stopped. He loved music greatly, respected people deeply, and treated the violin with true reverence.

On the 100^th anniversary of Yehudi Menuhin's birth, Sinfonia Varsovia will pay tribute to one of the greatest artists of the 20 th century, an extraordinary man engrossed in music and people.

PERFORMERS:

Leland Chen – violin
Darwin Chang – violin
Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra
Christopher Warren-Green – conductor

Sinfonia Varsovia performs at the world’s most prestigious concert halls and major festivals, working with world – renowned conductors and soloists. The orchestra has recorded several albums, radio and television performances, and boasts a discography of over 250 CDs, many of which have received prestigious prizes. In 1997 Professor Krzysztof Penderecki became the ensemble’s musical director, and in 2003 also its artistic director. In 2012 Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, mayor of Warsaw, Professor Penderecki, and Janusz Marynowski, Sinfonia Varsovia’s director, signed a letter of intent regarding the construction of a concert hall for the ensemble.

Gioacchino Rossini: Overture to The Italian Girl in Algiers
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 47
Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto for Two Violin in D minor BWV 1043
Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations Op. 36