This overture of the usually grim Brahms is bright, optimistic, more spectacular than profound music. The central theme, the song "Gaudeamus igitur", most often associated with school graduation ceremonies, focuses on the message "Let us, therefore, rejoice, while we are young". Similarly to many other composers in the last century, one of the greatest 20th-century masters, Lutosławski, was commissioned by the head of the Basel Chamber Orchestra, Paul Sacher, to write several important works for his musicians. The same applies to this piece: Paul Sacher commissioned this concerto for Heinz und Ursula Holliger. Therefore, the choice of the solo instruments was inspired by the couple itself. The orchestra carries on the unusual match: besides the strings, only percussionists are involved; no wind instruments are playing in the piece.

In conclusion, the audience can relish Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 “Titan”, premiered by the promising young composer in Hungary. With this composition, the programme receives a unique framework, as Brahms dedicated his Academic Festival Overture to the University of Wrocław, so for the Polish orchestra, it is a kind of home speciality, while the world premiere of Mahler's symphony in Budapest was a milestone in the Hungarian music scene of the time. The Wrocław-based orchestra is singularly receptive towards its own and other cultures; this is why they picked two compositions in close connection with their and their host's music histories.

NFM – Wrocław Philharmonic

Is one of the leading symphonic orchestras of the Polish music scene. In recent years, the orchestra has been conducted by, among others Jacek Kaspszyk, Benjamin Shwartz, Giovanni Antonini, Andrey Boreyko, Philippe Herreweghe, Tõnu Kaljuste, Paul McCreesh, Eiji Oue, Krzysztof Penderecki, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, Lawrence Foster, Michael Schønwandt, Dima Slobodeniouk, Gilbert Varga, Mario Venzago, and Antoni Wit. Giancarlo Guerrero has been its Artistic Director since the 2017/18 season.

The ensemble cooperates with recognized soloists, such as Piotr Anderszewski, Yulianna Avdeeva, Radek Baborák, Seong-Jin Cho, Boris Giltburg, Kevin Kenner, Mariusz Kwiecień, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Jan Lisiecki, Marcin Masecki, Midori, Alexei Ogrintchouk, Garrick Ohlsson, Julian Rachlin, Sondra Radvanovsky, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, István Várdai, and Janusz Wawrowski.

Thanks to collaboration with NFM festivals, such as Jazztopad and Musica Electronica Nova, the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic performs with leading representatives of the avant-garde and jazz scene; so far they have been, among others John Zorn, Brad Mehldau, Charles Lloyd, Terence Blanchard, Wadada Leo Smith, and Wynton Marsalis & Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic has gained special recognition in the symphonic repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries, and regularly performs works commissioned by the National Forum of Music. They include pieces by, among others Grażyna Pstrokońska-Nawratil, Elżbieta Sikora, and Paweł Mykietyn.

The NFM Wrocław Philharmonic is often a guest at the most important concert halls around the world. In January and February 2020, the ensemble returned to the USA, performing, among others in Chicago, Nashville and Stanford. It was led by its Artistic Director Giancarlo Guerrero, and the soloists were Piotr Anderszewski, David Fray, Bomsori Kim, and Janusz Wawrowski. The orchestra has also played in many venues important to European musical culture, such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Kölner Philharmonie, Tonhalle in Zurich, Berwaldhallen in Stockholm, Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Brucknerhaus in Linz, Frauenkirche in Dresden, Flagey in Brussels, Symphony Center in Chicago, Warsaw Philharmonic, and the new venue of the NOSPR in Katowice. In recent years, the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, has also performed in other cities in Austria and Germany, as well as in Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Serbia, and Sweden.

During the season, in addition to regular concerts, the orchestra carries out a wide variety of artistic projects, including educational and outdoor concerts and recording sessions. 
In its educational activities, it focuses not only on concerts for children and young people, but also collaborates with the Academy of Music in Wrocław, the Orchestra Academy and the Choral Academy (projects run by the NFM).

Recordings of the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic have won prestigious awards from the phonographic industry. The album Hector Berlioz – Grande Messe des Morts 1837, which was created under the direction of Paul McCreesh, was awarded by the BBC Music Magazine Award in 2012 in the ‘Technical Excellence’ category.

In its recordings and while on tour, the orchestra regularly performs the works of such composers as Witold Lutosławski, Krzysztof Penderecki or Arvo Pärt. It is running the Witold Lutosławski. Opera omnia phonographic project (CD Accord). In 2011, the album Witold Lutosławski. Opera omnia 02: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 4, recorded under the direction of Jacek Kaspszyk, received a Fryderyk in the category ‘Album of the Year – Symphonic and Concertante Music’. A year later, another recording from this series, Witold Lutosławski. Opera omnia 03: Preludes and Fugue for 13 string instruments, Double Concerto for Oboe, Harp and Chamber Orchestra, was nominated for this award in the same category. Recorded under the baton of Benjamin Shwartz and with the participation of Łukasz Długosz, the album Paweł Mykietyn was nominated in 2018 for a Fryderyk in the category ‘Album of the Year – Contemporary Music’. The album Arvo Pärt: The Symphonies, recorded under the direction of Tõnu Kaljuste, was nominated for this award in the category ‘Best Polish Album Abroad’ in 2019. The same release also received the prestigious International Classical Music Award in the ‘Contemporary’ category. In January 2021, the first album of NFM Wrocław Philharmonic conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero was released, containing Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Academic Festival Overture. In June 2021 Deutsche Grammophon will release a much anticipated album of Bomsori Kim, NFM Wrocław Philharmonic and Giancarlo Guerrero.