Music on the Heights

One of its highlights was the Polish premiere of ‘Memories of my Father’ by Roxanna Panufnik, the daughter of the Polish composer Andrzej Panufnik, who was born 100 years ago in Warsaw and spent the latter half of his life in Britain.

To mark Panufnik’s centenary, the festival programme includes several of his pieces and among the guests of the event are both Roxanna Panufnik and the composer’s widow, Lady Camilla.

‘Memories of my Father’ was commissioned by the Brodsky String Quartet, which came from the U.K. to Zakopane to perform the piece.

Featured performers at the ‘Music on the Heights’ Festival also include the Apollon Musagete Quartet, Sinfonietta Cracovia, and the cellist Marcin Zdunik.

The Mayor of Zakopane, Janusz Majcher, told the Polish Press Agency that when the festival was launched six years ago many people were sceptical, claiming that Zakopane is associated first and foremost with highlanders’ folk music. ‘Today we can’t think of Zakopane without this chamber music festival – Music on the Heights’, he said.

The event continues until Sunday, 21 September. (mk/pg)