The Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra comprises of 93 people conducted by Daniel Raiskin who is its Chief Conductor since September 2008. It has been led by such conductors as: Emil Mlynarski, Zdzislaw Birnbaum, Walerian Bierdiajew, Grzegorz Fitelberg. They cooperated also with: Zdzislaw Gorzynski, Henryk Czyz, Zdzisław Szostak, Andrzej Markowski, Jan Krenz, Tomasz Bugaj, Vladimira Kiradjiev, Andrzej Straszynski, Michael Zilm. The Orchestra has performed with such renowned soloists as: Hermann Abendroth, Dean Dixon, Sergiusz Kusewicki, Witold Malcuzynski, Dawid i Igor Ojstrachowie, Swiatosław Richter, Mscislaw Rostropowicz, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Henryk Szeryng, Krystian Zimerman, and in recent years: Andrzej Bauer, Kaja Danczowska, Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, Piotr Paleczny, Ewa Podles, Ivo Pogorelich, Midori. The orchestra made several recordings for ‘Polish Recordings’ and also for western companies. It has recorded Karol Szymanowski’s Symphony No.2, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and the series of the most beautiful arias from the world – famous soprano Teresa Kubiak – Wojtaszek. They also created two hit musical series authored by Henryk Czyz: ’The devil is not so black as he is painted’ and “What’s next, winner? The Orchestra has also toured over the world.
Chief conductor: Daniel Raiskin
Daniel Raiskin has been the Principal Conductor of Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie since 2005. Since September 2008 he has also been The Lodz Philharmonic Chief Conductor. He has won the reputation of one of the most versatile musicians in his generation. Before he began his conducting career, he was one of the leading European viola players. Born in 1970 in St.Petersburg. Raiskin was educated in St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, Freiburg and also attended conductor master courses with Neeme Jarvi and Milan Horvat. He performed at prestigious venues: the Musikverein in Vienna, in Berlin’s Koncerthaus, in Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Tonhalle in Zurich, in the concert halls of Berlin, Munich, St. Petersburg, the Victoria Hall in Geneva and others. He has led the finest orchestras including among others: the Vienna Symphony, The Mozarteum Orchestra in Salzburg, the orchestra of The St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Berlin Symphony Orchestra and The Beethoven Orchestra in Bonn. The conductor has been cooperating with acclaimed soloists: Natalia Gutman, Shlomo Mintz, Julian Rachlin, Dmitr Sitkovetsky, Peter Jablonski and since 2002 he frequently cooperated with The Wroclaw Philharmonic. He often leads the performances of contemporary music to the works by Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt, Gija Kanczeli, Peteris Vasks, Sofia Gubaiduliny and many others. The works of opera are also conducted by him. He has also led the performances of Georges Bizet Carmen at Zuid Opera in The Netherlands in 2006/2007 season as well as in The Municipal Theatre in Koblenz in the 2007/2008 season.