Inauguration of the 41. artistic season
Artists:
Leo De María – piano
Dainius Pavilionis – conductor
Toruń Symphony Orchestra
Programme:
M. Bałenkowski - Hommage à Lipiński (WORLD PREMIERE) - a piece from the IMiT program "Zamówienia kompozytorskie"
P. Czajkowski – I Koncert fortepianowy b-moll op. 23
J. Brahms – Symphony No. 1 in C-minor, Op. 68
MACIEJ BAŁENKOWSKI - (1993) – composer, currently PhD student under the supervision of prof. dr h.c. mult. Krzysztof Penderecki at The Academy of Music in Cracow. He started his music education at the age of 7 at The Oskar Kolberg Music School of the First and Second Degree in Radom (piano, trumpet and organ classes). In the years 2012-2017 he studied composition under dr hab. Robert Kurdybacha at The Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław (graduation with distinction and „Primus inter pares“ honorary diploma in 2017). Laureate and finalist of over 20 international and national composition prizes. His works have been performed and awarded in the USA, Canada, the UK, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia and Poland.
LEO DE MARÍA - Born in Madrid in 1995, he started his musical training at the age of 11. He studied at the Music and Scenic Arts Faculty at Alfonso X El Sabio University of Madrid under the leadership of his father, Leonel Morales. Now he is studying under the supervision of Prof. Pavel Gililov.
Recently, he has obtained the National Award ‘Cultura Viva’ 2018 to the Artistic Revelation. In addition, Leo de María has received more than 30 National and International awards. Some of the highlights include the First Prizes in International Piano Competitions including Ciudade de Ferrol (November, 2017 Spain), MozARTè (September, 2016. Germany) and Grand Prix of Lyon (June, 2016. France). At the age of 15, he performed Concert No.1 by Prokofiev with the Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra in Adana, Turkey, under the direction of Maestro Emin Güven Yasliçam. In recognition of this success he was invited to Antalya again at the age of 16, to perform Concert No. 1 by Tchaikovsky.
Since then, his activity as a performer has taken him to different places all around the world. Some of the most prestigious halls where he had the honour to perform include the Wiener Saal in Salzburg, San Pedro’s Auditorium in Monterrey, Mexico at the Festival Santa Cecilia- Parnassós, Salle Molière in Lyon at the Festival ‘Les Virtuoses du Piano’, Bibiena de Mantova Theatre in Italy, the House of A. Scriabin in Moscow, Radio France in Paris, Elfer’s Concert Hall in Connecticut-USA, Vermietung Laeiszhalle de Hamburg, Germany, and also halls of Slovenia, Italy, Holland.
In Spain, he has collaborated with the Foundation Yehudi Menuhin and performed in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen mother Doña Sofía, with Juan March Foundation, Olivar del Castillejo Foundation, Juventudes Musicales of Sevilla. He also performed in Granada in different halls including the Manuel De Falla Auditorium, Fine Arts Academy in San Fernando of Madrid, Iturbi Concert Hall in the Palau de la Música in Valencia, Castellon’s Auditorium, Mozart Hall of Zaragoza’s Auditorium.
More information about the pianist:
www.leodemaria.es
Instagram: @leodemariapiano
Hommage à Lipiński by Maciej Bałenkowski has been commissioned by Toruń Symphony Orchestra specially for the inauguration of the 41st artistic season 2019/2020. By opening the concert with this work the orchestra will pay a symbolic tribute to the outstanding Polish violinist and composer Karol Lipiński and make an introduction to the upcoming 5th Karol Lipiński International Violin Competition, due to begin on 1 October 2019. Therefore, it is the violin section that will play the dominant role in this work. The composer's aim is to achieve a blend of the traditional and the modern with a touch of his own style (including innovative syncopation, dynamics, energy and lack of routine). The educational element of the project will also be invaluable: nurturing the memory of this great violinist and composer by creating a new work for symphonic orchestra which is dedicated to his memory and bears references to his work; preserving him and the role he played in Polish music; promoting his music and imprinting it into the consciousness of the listeners.
