International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra
International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra
Guided by the belief that music knows no borders and remains a universal language, the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is one of the few international youth ensembles in Europe open to young musicians from across the globe – and the only one of its kind in Poland. Its membership is renewed each year, with hundreds of young classical musicians from all continents taking part in the audition process. Founded in 2013, the orchestra has become the flagship project of the Szczecin Philharmonic.
"It is truly remarkable how well a youth orchestra can sound."
Kilian Scholla, Tagesspiegel
The ensemble performs annually in the Szczecin Philharmonic’s Golden Hall, while also appearing in concert venues beyond the city, sharing its passion for music with wider audiences. In 2022, ILYO made its debut at the Konzerthaus in Berlin as part of Young Euro Classic – the world’s largest festival of youth orchestras. The performance in the German capital was met with great acclaim, earning enthusiastic reviews, and was broadcast in full by Deutschlandfunk Kultur. In subsequent seasons, the orchestra has appeared at the National Forum of Music in Wrocław and performed at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music. In 2025, the young musicians of ILYO made their debut at the renowned Gewandhaus in Leipzig. In 2026 they will perform in the grand concert hall of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR) in Katowice.
"The orchestra sounded disciplined and confident. It's safe to say that it was "youth" only in name – because it equaled the level of some professional ensembles.”
Joanna Kołodziejska, Ruch Muzyczny
Over the years, the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra has collaborated with outstanding soloists, both established artists and rising stars of the music scene. Among those who have performed with the ensemble are Joanna Freszel, Piotr Alexewicz, Marcin Zdunik, and Aleksandra Świgut. The orchestra has also worked with distinguished conductors, including Rune Bergmann, Ewa Strusińska, and Ayyub Guliyev. Since 2024, the ensemble has performed under the baton of Przemysław Neumann, General and Artistic Director of the Szczecin Philharmonic.
The International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland and performs under the honorary patronage of the Witold Lutosławski Society.
Guided by the belief that music knows no borders and remains a universal language, the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is one of the few international youth ensembles in Europe open to young musicians from across the globe – and the only one of its kind in Poland. Its membership is renewed each year, with hundreds of young classical musicians from all continents taking part in the audition process. Founded in 2013, the orchestra has become the flagship project of the Szczecin Philharmonic.
"It is truly remarkable how well a youth orchestra can sound."
Kilian Scholla, Tagesspiegel
The ensemble performs annually in the Szczecin Philharmonic’s Golden Hall, while also appearing in concert venues beyond the city, sharing its passion for music with wider audiences. In 2022, ILYO made its debut at the Konzerthaus in Berlin as part of Young Euro Classic – the world’s largest festival of youth orchestras. The performance in the German capital was met with great acclaim, earning enthusiastic reviews, and was broadcast in full by Deutschlandfunk Kultur. In subsequent seasons, the orchestra has appeared at the National Forum of Music in Wrocław and performed at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music. In 2025, the young musicians of ILYO made their debut at the renowned Gewandhaus in Leipzig. In 2026 they will perform in the grand concert hall of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR) in Katowice.
"The orchestra sounded disciplined and confident. It's safe to say that it was "youth" only in name – because it equaled the level of some professional ensembles.”
Joanna Kołodziejska, Ruch Muzyczny
Over the years, the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra has collaborated with outstanding soloists, both established artists and rising stars of the music scene. Among those who have performed with the ensemble are Joanna Freszel, Piotr Alexewicz, Marcin Zdunik, and Aleksandra Świgut. The orchestra has also worked with distinguished conductors, including Rune Bergmann, Ewa Strusińska, and Ayyub Guliyev. Since 2024, the ensemble has performed under the baton of Przemysław Neumann, General and Artistic Director of the Szczecin Philharmonic.
The International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland and performs under the honorary patronage of the Witold Lutosławski Society.
