Piotr Ryszard Pawlak was born in 1998 in Gdańsk. Pianist of the young generation, is educating in the piano class of Prof. Waldemar Wojtal at the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk. He has performed, among others in the USA, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, Hungary, Russia, Georgia, Denmark, Belgium, Czech Republic and Austria as well as in many Polish cities, in 2019 he went on a concert tour in China. He had the opportunity to perform and cooperate with the Philharmonic orchestra of the Lower Silesian, Baltic, Subcarpathian, Western Czech and other. He is a scholarship holder of the National Children’s Fund, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Minister of National Education, the Prime Minister, the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk and a scholarship funded by Krystian Zimerman. Piotr Pawlak is a laureate of many international competitions, among the awards one should mention the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth in Szafarnia (winner of the 1st prize in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014). He won the 1st prize and the prize for the best improvisation at the 11th International Chopin Competition in Darmstadt, the 2nd prize at the 1st International Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in Beijing, 2nd Prize at the International Stanisław Moniuszko Competition of Polish Music in Rzeszów, 1st prize at the International Competition for Young Pianists “Chopin pod Wawelem” in Krakow, he is also a winner of 2nd prize at the 8th International Chopin Competition in Budapest and many others. He took part in the 17th in 2015 and the 18th in 2021 the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. It is worth mentioning that he qualified for the 18th Warsaw competition, omitting the qualifying rounds, as a laureate of the 2nd prize at the National Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2020.
Dainius Pavilionis — was born in 1977 in Mariampol, Lithuania, in a family with rich musical traditions. He graduated from a music school in the piano class, becoming a laureate of many competitions. In 1992 he started studying at the Conservatory of J. Gruodis in Kaunas in the choir conducting class. From 1996 he continued his studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in the class of Prof. Povilas Gylys, and since 2002 at the Opera and Symphony Conducting Department in the class of Prof. Juozas Domarkas, whom he sees as his mentor and musical father. After graduating in 2006, he became a lecturer at his alma mater, and in 2017 he took the position of head of the conducting department. Since 2006, he has been the conductor of the Representative Orchestra of the Lithuanian Army. The musical community quickly recognized Dainius Pavilionis as an outstanding conductor, and that is why he regularly collaborates with, among others, with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and the Vilnius State Symphony Orchestra. In the years 2010-2015 he was the artistic director and conductor at the State Musical Theater in Klaipeda, where he prepared many premieres, e.g. “Merry Wives of Windsor” by O. Nicolai, “Sister Angelica” by G. Puccini, “Countess Marica” by E. Kalman, “Doctor Aybolit” by I. Morozov and “Queen of Spades” by P. Tchaikovsky. He is the winner of many awards, including at the 4th International Witold Lutosławski Review of Young Conductors in Białystok (2006) and at the 8th International G. Fitelberg Competition for Conductors in Katowice (2007). Dainius Pavilionis conducts symphony orchestras not only in Lithuania and Poland. He is invited to conduct concerts all over Europe. From September 1, 2020, he is the deputy artistic director of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra.
Toruń Symphony Orchestra — Toruń, a city of ubiquitous history and culture since Poland regained its independence, sought its own professional symphony orchestra. The first attempts were made in the 1920s, when the orchestra was established, the Pomeranian Music Society was thriving, and the Conservatory of Music, educating outstanding instrumentalists, was thriving. However, the difficult post-war situation did not allow for a quick return to the activity of a regular music band. In 1975, Szymon Kawalla, a teacher of the Music School, and its director, Bogdan Bilski, organized a concert on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Polish People’s Republic entitled “Music Republic”. The soloists were two outstanding figures of classical music, Regina Smendzianka (piano) and Stefania Toczyska (alto), and they were accompanied by an orchestra composed of music school teachers. The first realization of the aspirations of musicians from Toruń was the creation of a string quartet in 1976. In 1979, Szymon Kawalla was appointed the director and artistic manager, and Andrzej Kobyłecki the deputy director. In 1990, it came under the management of the City of Toruń. As a local government institution, it owes its dynamic development to him. In February 2006, it was transformed into the Toruń Symphony Orchestra. The ensemble has permanently entered the cultural landscape of the city by organizing concerts for the inhabitants of Toruń and glorifying its name on numerous national and international tours. Throughout its activity, the Toruń Symphony Orchestra has given nearly three thousand concerts in all major Polish cities and in many European countries. She has also performed at prestigious festivals. The orchestra is proud. In December 2015, the new seat of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra was officially opened in the Jordanki Cultural and Congress Centre. A significant event in the history of the orchestra is the organization of the International Summer Festival “Toruń – Music and Architecture” since 1997. Since 2022 it has been operating under the name: “NOVA MUSIC and ARCHITECTURE”. Its idea is to present classical music in historical interiors. One of the most prestigious cultural events of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra is the International Violin Festival and Competition, aspiring to be among the most important musical event on the map of Poland and Europe. An important aspect of the activity of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra is the musical education of children and youth, covering not only Toruń, but also the area of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Currently, the director of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra is Przemysław Kempinski, the Deputy Director for Artistic Affairs is Dainius Pavilionis and the first guest conductor is Adam Banaszak.