Polish Impressions Iceland

Baltic Neopolis Orchestra Concert (Poland)

On 1 December 2025, Iceland will become the stage for a unique musical encounter. For the first time in Iceland’s history, a Polish chamber orchestra – the Baltic Neopolis Orchestra – will perform in the country. In one of the most beautiful and prestigious venues in Northern Europe, Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík, Polish music of the 20th and 21st centuries will resonate, performed by distinguished artists. The “Polish Impressions Iceland” project is not only an artistic event but also a symbolic gesture of bringing together the cultures and nations of the Baltic Sea region – particularly meaningful in a year when Poland holds the presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, and Iceland is preparing to assume it. Here, music becomes a shared language, connecting the cultures of Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region in a spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding, and inspiration.

Programme:

Mikolaj Piotr Górecki – “Overture”

Adam Wesolowski – “Songs of Angels”

Marcelo Nisinman – “13 Variations on a Polish Melody”

Pawel Lukaszewski – “Advent Music”

Jóhann Jóhannsson – “A Sparrow Alighted upon our Shoulder”

Mikolaj Piotr Górecki – “Divertimento for String Orchestra”

Artists:

Baltic Neopolis Orchestra conducted by Emanuel Salvador

The concert programme consists of highly compelling, often premiere compositions written especially for the orchestra by leading representatives of the young generation of Polish composers. Each work contains a fascinating story – both about the circumstances of its creation and its sources of artistic inspiration, as well as the musical encounters that accompanied its first performances. This repertoire reveals not only the richness of contemporary Polish music but also its distinctive sensitivity and melancholy – emotions deeply rooted in Polish tradition, yet open to dialogue with cultures around the world.

Polish Culture on the Global Stage

The “Polish Impressions Iceland” project combines artistic excellence with a social mission. It presents Poland as a country capable of inspiring, collaborating, and sharing its heritage in a spirit of openness. The performance at Harpa – a place that symbolizes renewal and hope for Iceland – highlights the universal power of music: its ability to transcend borders, languages, and differences. It is a story of Poland that sounds beautiful, courageous, and sincere – and which, through art, is able to connect people, places, and emotions.