The 'Music on the Peaks' Festival starts under the Tatras

Out of passion, determination, and a good dose of madness, the International Chamber Music Festival 'Music on the Peaks' was born in Zakopane. This year, for the third time, it will elevate the Tatra and Pieniny mountains, inviting music lovers. Surrounded by captivating landscapes, world-renowned artists will perform - Olga Pasiecznik, Mayuko Kamio, Mirosław Kułtyszew, and many other outstanding musicians. The first Festival concert will take place on September 17th in Zakopane, and on September 18th, at 8:00 PM in the church of St. Cross in Zakopane, we will have the opportunity to hear the star of this edition, The King's Singers ensemble. The entire Festival, held under the slogan 'Fashion for culture - dress in Music', will last until September 24th.

The realization of the International Chamber Music Festival is a significant organizational and logistical challenge. Danuta Sztencel could see this for herself. Together with her husband, Tomasz, they decided to overcome obstacles and prove to all doubters that persistence and consistency can work wonders. Although they are not native highlanders themselves, out of love for music and fascination with Zakopane, they decided to make Podhale fall in love with chamber music.

A group of supporters of the above idea established the Mieczysław Karłowicz Association in Zakopane. The aim of the Association is to reactivate cultural life in Zakopane and to expand the audience for chamber music. The 'Music on the Peaks' Festival is a means to achieve this goal.

By organizing the 'Music on the Peaks' Festival regularly, we are convinced that what we do is important and necessary, especially now, when we are surrounded by ubiquitous pop culture and commerce. We effectively fulfill the dreams of a festival with top-class performers, a festival that is a several-day celebration of great Art. We aim to popularize Polish music worldwide by including it in the repertoire of world-renowned stars - says Danuta Sztencel, President of the Mieczysław Karłowicz Association in Zakopane.

The first Festival proved to be a success artistically as well as in the media. One of the highlights was the performance of one of the world's most outstanding chamber ensembles - the Kronos Quartet. Equally successful was last year's edition of the Festival, which featured Jonathan Plowright, Maria Żuk, Olga Pasiecznik, and Pablo Márquez, whose concerts under the Tatras were received with great enthusiasm.

This year, the musical star of the event in Zakopane will be the esteemed British vocal ensemble The King's Singers. The Festival will also host the outstanding Russian pianist, winner of the XIII Piotr Czajkowski Competition in Moscow and a finalist of the last Chopin Competition - Mirosław Kułtyszew, as well as the eminent Japanese violinist Mayuko Kamio and many respected musicians. (add Ewa Kupiec, RSQ, S. Schmidt, and Pasieczniki)

Music lovers who choose to visit Podhale in September will also be able to see an exhibition of musical instruments at the 'Koliba' villa prepared by Anna Kozak from the Tatra Museum and the well-known Zakopane luthier Wojciech Topa, while art lovers will enjoy an exhibition of works by Ewa Fortuna. The concerts will be accompanied by exhibitions dedicated to Henryk M. Górecki, Stanisław Wisłocki, and an outdoor exhibition of musical posters by Waldemar Świerzy, on the 80th anniversary of his birth.

This year, the Festival concerts will also take place in Bukowina Tatrzańska and the Szczawnica Spa, in addition to Zakopane. The logo and graphic design of this year's edition of the 'Music on the Peaks' Festival were created by the outstanding Polish graphic designer, co-creator of the Polish poster school - Waldemar Świerzy. The detailed schedule of the Festival is available on the Festival's website www.muzykanaszczytach.com, as well as on www.facebook.com/#!/MuzykaNaSzczytach. Tickets for the concerts can be purchased at www.ebilet.pl

The 'Music on the Peaks' Festival, held under the Tatras in September, not only adds prestige to the capital of Podhale but also permanently inscribes itself in the calendar of Zakopane events. It is also a wonderful opportunity to combine relaxation amidst Tatra landscapes with the beauty of chamber music.