The International Cello Academy (ICA) is one of only few events in Europe dedicated to cellists from all over the world. It has primarily an educational function, combined with a festival. As part of the ICA, concerts with a very wide repertoire are organized. Their programmes include Baroque pieces as well as jazz and contemporary music. The ICA was created to bring the world of cello ensembles closer to the audience and to support talents wishing to master their cello skills.

The originator and organiser of the International Cello Academy is the Polish Cello Quartet. It was established in 2011 on the initiative of young Polish cellists: Tomasz Daroch, Wojciech Fudala, Krzysztof Karpeta and Adam Krzeszowiec. The PCQ programmes include works for cello quartet. This repertoire is constantly expanded to include pieces written today by Polish and international composers, such as by Agata Zubel, Artur Zagajewski, Piotr Moss or Annelies Van Parys.

During the concert, cellists in various ensembles will perform graceful, melodious works of artists from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: Deux piéces pour quatre violoncelles op. 89 by Joseph Jongen, considered the most important Belgian composer after César Franc, and the Suite pour quatre violoncelles of a lesser-known Hungarian artist Emánuel Moór. These compositions will be preceded by Chaconne in memoria Giovanni Paolo II by Krzysztof Penderecki, a moving piece written after the news of the death of Pope John Paul II, which almost twenty years ago plunged the faithful into mourning. Roberto Trainini, with the accompaniment of the ICA Orchestra, will present the intriguing work of Sofia Gubaidulina, Am Rande des Abgrunds, characterized by simplicity of expressive means and a rich palette of musical colours. The summer evening will be crowned with the sounds of the Prayer for Ukraine by Valentyn Silvestrov.