Born in 1972 in Gdynia, he graduated with honours from the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw in 1996, in Prof. Bogusław Madey’s symphony and opera conducting class. He has been managing and artistic director of the Białystok Philharmonic since 1997. He is also the artistic director and conductor of the Mała Filharmonia Warsaw Chamber Orchestra. He works with various symphony orchestras in Poland and abroad (Germany, Denmark, Spain). He has given concerts with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Polish Radio and Television Grand Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, Sinfonia Varsovia, the Polish Radio Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Cracow, and the Academy of Music Orchestra in Warsaw.

   He is also a guest conductor for the Teatr Wielki - Polish National Opera. His other field of interest and artistic work is solo singing which he is studying in the class of Prof. Leonard Andrzej Mróz. He is a winner of the First Prize in the Polish National Music Competitions - Violin and Viola Class in Elbląg and the F. Platówna Fourth Vocal Competition in Wrocław, at which he also won a special prize from the Minister of Culture and Art - the Grand Prix, Apollo’s Chariot. The artist makes archival recordings for Polish Radio. He also records music for films and on CD’s. One of these records, with pianist Stanisław Drzewiecki, received a nomination for the Fryderyk ’98 award.

   Marcin Nałęcz-Niesiołowski takes part in numerous festivals and music reviews (including the Witold Lutosławski Forum, Warsaw Oratorio Days, and Viva Il Canto). His varied repertoire includes vocal and instrumental works, symphony music, operas and world premiere performances of contemporary Polish music.

   In August 2005, he appeared at the European Parliament in Brussels with the Białystok Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Stanisław Drzewiecki, in a concert inaugurating the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the birth of Solidarity. In June 2006, he conducted a performance of Penderecki’s Matins at Smolny Cathedral in St. Petersburg, featuring Russian soloists and choirs as well as the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra. He had been appointed general and artistic director of the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic, a new cultural institution established by the minister of culture and the marshal of Podlasie province, in September 2005.

   He received the culture minister’s Ad Astra award for young, talented creators of culture in 2001. In 2004, for his contribution to the development of culture and for professional achievement, he was granted the Silver Cross of Merit, and in June 2006 – the Gloria Artis Silver Medal for Service to Culture.

Photo: Archive