"Hearing the Invisible" | workshops and concert for people with special needs | Accessible Culture at the Łódź Philharmonic

Starting April 9, the Artur Rubinstein Łódź Philharmonic will implement the project 'Hearing the Invisible' as part of the Accessible Culture 2025 Program of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

This initiative is directed towards people with visual impairments associated with the Special Educational and Care Center No. 6 named after Major Hieronim Baranowski. As part of these activities, there will be 3 cycles of interdisciplinary workshops addressed to the mentioned individuals, as well as a concert 'in the darkness' open to the general public.

The art and music workshops consist of three meetings during which individuals with visual impairments will have the opportunity to create artistic works using contour methods, inspired by the music of 'Living Sound'. The workshops will be led by visual artist Jerzy Grzegorski, and their culmination will be an exhibition of the participants' works during the concert on June 17, 2025.

Dates and accompanying instruments for the workshops:

April 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM – woodwind quintet

May 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM – percussion (including vibraphone, marimba)

June 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM – string quartet

Music therapy workshops – an initiative aimed at the psychophysical development of participants, taking into account their individual needs. By utilizing various music therapy techniques and art therapy, we aim to strengthen the best qualities of the participants, enhance their sense of agency and self-acceptance, directly influencing the emotions of the listeners. This part of the workshops, which will take place from April to October 2025, will be led by Bibianna Szokalska, Linda Rojewska, and Hanna Jastrzębska-Gzella.

Vocal workshops – consist of five lessons on voice emission and impostation conducted by trainer and singing instructor Mariola Gidelska. They will take place from September to November 2025.

On June 17, 2025, at 5:30 PM, we invite all interested parties to the 'concert in the darkness'. We will strive to equalize the conditions for music reception for both able-bodied participants and those with special needs resulting from visual impairments. The concert will take place with the room darkened, and seeing listeners will be given disposable eye masks. During the event, the students from the School for the Visually Impaired and Blind on Dziewanna Street in Łódź and professional musicians, who will previously create the musical accompaniment during the art workshops, will perform:

1. Woodwind Quintet 'Modern Brass Łódź'

Sławomir Cichor and Paweł Marciniak – trumpets,

Zbigniew Monkiewicz – horn,

Radosław Szulc – trombone

Krzysztof Mucha – tuba

2. Patrycja Urbańska – percussion

3. String Quartet 'Neuma Quartet'

Sławomir Wilga and Michał Nowak – violins

Nela Zaforemska – viola

Agata Nowak – cello

Concert hosted by Michał Marchlewski