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In February 1982, Wojciech Rajski brought together a group of talented Polish string players to set up an orchestra which he called “Polish Chamber Philharmonic”. After meticulous rehearsals, the string orchestra made its début at the Musical Theatre Gdynia and abroad at the opening of Schliessheimer Summer in Munich and 37th Summer Music Days Hitzacker. The young ensemble has delighted the public and critics which gave rise to numerous invitations to all German festivals and to the most important concert venues like Berlin Philharmonic, Gasteig in Munich, Gewandthaus in Leipzig, Musikhalle in Hamburg, Pleyel House in Paris, Musikverein in Wien and Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Since 1984 the orchestra has performed also in an extended formation as a classical full orchestra and it has carried the name of Polish Chamber Philharmonic Sopot since then.
At the end of the 80s the orchestra gave about one hundred concerts every year especially in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, the USA, China, Japan, Belgium, Denmark, Luxemburg, Great Britain and other countries. In 1987 the orchestra gave 33 concerts in the United States playing among others in J. F. Kennedy Centre in Washington and Metropolitan Museum in New York. It visited the US for the second time in 1999. The ensemble was also in Asia. (China – 1990 and Japan – 1997). The philharmonic has cooperated with the worldwide famous soloists such as Mscislaw Roztropowicz, Borys Pergamentschikow, Natalia Gutman, Irene Grafenauer, Sabine i Wolfgang Meyer, Guy Touvron, Misha Maisky, Raphael Oleg, Gil Shaham, David Geringas, Gary Karr and Ivo Pogorelić. The best Polish soloists cooperate continually with the orchestra in Poland and abroad.
The ensemble takes part in the most prestigious European festivals including Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rheingau Festival, Prague Spring, Weilburger Schlosskonzerte, Festival van Vlaanderen, La Chaise-Dieu and many others. Over 10 times the orchestra has attended the Musical Festival in Łańcut and at National Philharmonic in Warsaw for many times. In November 2010 the PCP gave 4 concerts during Chopin Festival in Geneva.
The Polish Chamber Philharmonic has recorded more than 60 CDs since the beginning. The first analogue long plays were recorded in 1983 for Wifon and Thorofon and since 1986 Philharmonic has recorded also for EMI, Midas, Claves, Sonomaster, Opus, Mediaphon, DUX and many others.
The recording of Piano Concerto in E minor of this CD is the first one recorded in versions for piano and strings orchestra.
After 15 years of waiting thanks to Sopot’s authorities’ and Baltic Artistic Agency BART’s efforts the Polish Chamber Philharmonic has lived to see its own seat located at the area of the Forest Opera in Sopot. The Polish Chamber Philharmonic is a cultural institution of The Pomeranian Voivodeship’s Local Government.
In 2022 the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Sopot celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Playeres of Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot
I violin:
Anna Manicka – p.o. koncertmistrza
Anna Wieczerzak – zastępca koncertmistrza
Bożena Budzich
Anna Biadasz-Dolińska
Marta Westfalewicz
Dominik Urbanowicz
II violin:
Tomasz Kaczor
Jacek Koprowski
Grażyna Kasprzyk-Głaszcz
Arkadiusz Połetek
Anna Strojek
Violas:
Karol Jurewicz
Aneta Szybowicz
Marta Szyryńska-Krot
Bogusław Fuks
Cellos:
Alicja Leoniuk-Kit
Grażyna Michalec
Jakub Grzelachowski
Doublebass:
Sebastian Wyszyński
