A quarter of a century of music! The anniversary Salesian Music Summer Festival has made history [PHOTOS]

For the 25th time, Przemyśl has become the summer capital of sacred, classical, early music, and even jazz! The anniversary edition of the International Przemyśl Festival, the Salesian Music Summer, provided an unforgettable experience for the large audience and was a true celebration of music at the highest level.

The festival opened with a gala concert in the Salesian Church, featuring the Slovak brass ensemble Slovak Brassquintet, accompanied by the distinguished organist Małgorzata Trzaskalik-Wyrwa. This energetic opening set the tone for a series of concerts held in the city's most beautiful sacred and cultural spaces – from the Benedictine Abbey to the Przemyśl Carmel and the halls of the Przemyśl Cultural and Science Centre "Zamek". This year's program included many events that delighted both lovers of early music and contemporary sounds. The all-female vocal ensemble Flores Rosarum performed at the Benedictine Abbey, and the Franciscan Church featured the program "Via Sacra" by Floripari – Wawel Musicians. Jazz was also featured prominently, making its first appearance at the festival. The hospitable "Zamek" hall of the Polish Cultural and Natural Science Center hosted a special concert by the Maciej Fortuna International Quartet, which, alongside Polish musicians, featured artists from the USA – Erik Unsworth (double bass) and Frank Parker (drums). This event demonstrated that the Salesian Music Summer is not afraid of musical experimentation and successfully combines tradition with modernity. Performers included outstanding instrumentalists such as Paul Archibald, Ladislav Kozderka, Giorgos Laskaridis, and Tomasz Głuchowski, as well as vocal ensembles, including the male Orthodox Church music ensemble Katapetasma, the Cracov Singers choir, Byzantine Voices from Greece, and A'Cappella Leopolis from Ukraine, which performed in the final concert with the program "Lost Beauty – Orthodox Church Music of the First Polish Republic." The festival was organized by Tomasz Ślusarczyk, the event's artistic director, and Daniel Prajzner, the artistic director on behalf of the Salesian Organ School Foundation. Co-organizers included the PCKiN "Zamek," the National Museum of the Przemyśl Region in Przemyśl, the parish of St. Joseph/Salesians, as well as the Orthodox parish in Przemyśl, the parish of the Holy Trinity, the Benedictine Sisters' Abbey, the Greek Catholic Archcathedral Parish of St. John the Baptist, the Monastery of St. Teresa of Jesus (Discoteous Carmelites), and the Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene (Franciscans). Its goal – in addition to spreading musical culture – was also to build a space for people, traditions, and spirituality to meet.

GG