Santander Orchestra

The Santander Orchestra is a unique project for young musicians – students of music universities and academies in Poland. In 2015, the orchestra toured with world-famous conductors Maestro Krzysztof Penderecki and John Axelrod.

The students rehearsed for the tour at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice under the eye of professors from leading European orchestras. Additionally, the young musicians attended special coaching sessions in self-presentation, media communication, and copyright, which gave them a chance to gain new experiences, and learn about the realities of the music industry in a broader context.

The musicians, selected in a recruitment process from all over Poland, performed with eminent trumpeter Gábor Boldoczki and Szymon Nehring, a finalist in the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Their tour in November and December 2015 included performances in the prestigious concert halls in Lusławice, Wrocław, Katowice, Warsaw and Szczecin.

The idea to establish a youth orchestra arose simultaneously, though independently, at the MyWay Foundation and Bank Zachodni WBK. “For many years, we have been proving with our activity that art is one of the fields of social life that requires special support. With the Santander Orchestra project, we intend to help young Polish musicians to gain professional knowledge and develop their careers. At the same time, we wish once again to emphasise the important role of business taking patronage over culture,” says Katarzyna Meissner, Director of Sponsorship and Relationship Projects Office at Bank Zachodni WBK.

The Santander Orchestra Project is carried out by the MyWay Foundation, together with the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice.

fot. Wojciech Grzędziński