Warsaw Autumn – The New Generation

Screening of a video recording of a concert entitled New Generations, held on 22 September 2003 at Warsaw’s Rozmaitości Theatre as part of the 46th Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music. The concert programme consisted of works by seven young composers, relatively unknown to the wide audience but already acknowledged in the music world: Marcin Bortnowski, Cezary Duchnowski, Adam Falkiewicz, Aleksandra Gryka, Paweł Mykietyn, Michał Talma-Sutt, and Ewa Trębacz. They do not form a unified artistic group; what they have in common is the “generation spirit,” a predilection for electronic instruments, computer technology, and electronic audiovisual media. Their compositions frequently combine music with image. 

The title The New Generation not only refers to the change of generations presented at our Festival, but also marks a new chapter in the Festival’s history; the emergence of a new type of expression. The concert consists of two parts: the first comprises four chamber music works: monada 2 for voice, trumpet and computer by Cezary Duchnowski, Pieces of Light for accordion, harpsichord and computer by Marcin Bortnowski, Spinning Zone for three percussions and electronic media by Ewa Trębacz, and Soundscape 2 for tape and video projection by Michał Talma-Sutt. Part two included three pieces for larger instrumental line-ups: Fearful Symmetry for orchestra by Adam Falkiewicz, 3 for 13 for chamber ensemble by Paweł Mykietyn, and (1") exists as ...(–1") for piano, accordion, three percussions, cello and orchestra by Aleksandra Gryka. The concert culminated in a collective composition specially prepared for the evening, consisting of two-minute pieces by all the composers taking part in the concert, performed in succession and alternating with a refrain that binds all the music together. 

The performers included Szymon Bywalec – conductor, Agata Zubel – voice, Piotr Wojtasik – trumpet, Piotr Dziubek – accordion, Aleksandra Rupocińska – harpsichord, Cezary Duchnowski and Orkiestra Muzyki Nowej (New Music Orchestra). During the interval in the theatre’s foyer, the London-based DJ Robin Rimbaud presented an original installation– performance, based on mixing and creatively transforming sounds characteristic of a busy foyer full of people: conversations and footsteps, the clinking of coffee cups, and the ringtones of mobile phones.