Jury

The 11th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors​

Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski

Born in 1972 in Gdynia. In 1996, he graduated summa cum laude from the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in the symphonic-opera conducting class of Professor Bogusław Madey.
From January 1997 to April 2011, he was the general and artistic director of Białystok Philharmonic (later the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic). From September 2016 to September 2019, he was director of the Wrocław Opera.
He frequently gives concerts and cooperates with leading opera theatres and philharmonic orchestras in Poland. He also performs on stages in the United States, United Kingdom, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Germany, Sweden, France, Belgium and Portugal. Besides, he is the artistic director and conductor of Warsaw Chamber Orchestra “Filharmonia” and guest conductor of Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera. He was on many artistic tours with the orchestra of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic. In August 2005, together with the pianist Stanisław Drzewiecki, he performed in the concert launching the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the birth of “Solidarność” in the European Parliament in Brussels.
In June 2006, he conducted the performance Jutrznia by Krzysztof Penderecki in Smolny Cathedral in St. Petersburg with Russian soloists and a choir. In 2009, he performed in Berwaldhallen in Stockholm and at the seat of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. In December 2009, the orchestra of Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic under his baton performed a series of concerts at Cadogan Hall and the Royal College of Music in London as a part of the “Polska! Year” celebrations in the United Kingdom.
In his concerts, the artist often includes works of lesser-known composers, as well as those who created their works as emigrants. His recordings of Aleksander Tansman’s or Zygmunt Stojowski’s works were very well received in Poland (Fryderyk Award nominations) as well as abroad (the record with Stojowski’s works was awarded the prestigious Gramophone Editor’s Choice in 2009). In April 2012, he received the Fryderyk Award for the album with the works of Ignacy Jan Paderewski – Piano Concerto and Polish Fantasy.
Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski recorded over 25 CD/DVD plates. He made numerous radio and television recordings. He also recorded film music, including M. Zieliński, W. Pawlik, J. A. P. Kaczmarek, and Z. Preisner. Another area of his professional interest and artistic activity is solo singing which he completed under the supervision of Professor Andrzej Mróz at the Academy of Music in Łódź.
He received numerous awards and distinctions – the award “Ad Astra” granted by the Culture Minister to young and talented creators of culture (2001), Silver Cross of Merit for the contribution to the development of national culture and his professional achievements (2004) and the Silver Medal of Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis (2006).
In 2007, he received his doctoral degree at the Chopin University of Music and in 2010, he received his post-doctoral degree. In October 2012, he began his work as a professor at Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk where he ran the symphonic-opera conducting class. In February 2021, he was conferred the title of professor of fine arts by the President of the Republic of Poland.
On 4th June 2014, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski and the President of the United States Barack Obama, and other distinguished guests, he conducted the first performance of the cantata Freedom by Włodek Pawlik during the gala concert closing the celebrations of 25th Anniversary of Freedom Day. In November 2014, he conducted the premiere performance of the ballet 1914 at Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera and in February 2015, he conducted the premiere performance of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at Wrocław Opera.
In April 2016, he received another Fryderyk Award in the category Album of the Year: Contemporary Music for the record Symphony of Providence by Paweł Łukaszewski. In November 2016, he conducted another ballet premiere performance at Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera – Chopiniana/Bolero/Chroma including the work Chroma by Joby Talbot choreographed by Wayne McGregor which was originally performed at Royal Opera House in London.
In September 2018, as one of 13 representatives of creative circles associated with artistic education, he was appointed by the Minister of Culture to the newly created Artistic Education Council.
In November 2018, he was nominated for the Wrocław Music Award 2018 in the category of Classical Music for the masterful performance of the oratorio Via Crucis by Paweł Łukaszewski at Wrocław Opera