Can the human ear grasp the difference between light and shadow? What does music that explores the contrast of these qualities sound like? How can we sense the contemporary sound of a symphony orchestra? These are the questions we ask during the 35th Musica Polonica Nova festival, whose theme is THE SENSES. An incredible line-up will take the audience into the sonic world of contemporary composers: flautist Łukasz Długosz and the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, conducted by Geoffrey Paterson. Works by five artists, including Jagoda Szmytka, the festival’s composer-in-residence, will be performed.

Contemporary symphonic music takes on ever-new forms depending on the lighting. Light? Let’s listen to Żaneta Rydzewska’s excellent Fire. Fire is not only about glow, but also temperature, sound, and often even smell. The piece is based on the observation of the burning process of various forms of matter. Sound glows, shimmers, transforms... Shadow? The title of Michał Ziółkowski’s award-winning work, Akhlys, refers to a mysterious figure from Greek mythology: a ghostly fog of sadness. In the shadows of the night, stimuli can be more distinct, and one can discern a kaleidoscope of multi-coloured star fragments orbiting a dark, static center. The pulsating fog eventually envelops every living creature exploring the world.

In the first part of the concert, we will also immerse ourselves in a space of contrast. First, chiaroscuro will make its presence felt in Jagoda Szmytka’s premiere composition. Symphony of the Senses will consist of several movements illustrating each known sphere of the sensual world. The artist intends to harness intersensory collaboration in the creative process. The medium of drawing connects this piece with Marcel Chyrzyński’s Ukiyo-e no. 2. The name of Japanese woodcuts from the 17th–19th centuries means “images of the passing world”. In this graphic technique, a separate negative was used to print each colour. After the break, we will hear the second premiere of the evening – it will be Postmuzyka by Adam Porębski, who will perform the electronic part.