International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is one of the very few international youth orchestras in Europe. Our mission is to provide young classical musicians from all over the world the chance to gain experience and skills in playing in a real symphony orchestra. True to its belief that music knows no borders and is the only common language of humanity, ILYO is open to all nationalities. The world famous building of the Szczecin Philharmonic (North-West Poland) has been the home of the orchestra since its founding in 2013.
ILYO meets every year in late summer. Participants selected through online auditions held in March and April, first work in instrumental sections, conducted by experienced orchestra musicians from leading Polish and foreign ensembles as well as outstanding teachers. Only in recent years, ILYO tutors have included musicians from the Berliner Philharmoniker, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Polish National Radio Orchestra in Katowice. After the sectionals, young musicians participate in tutti rehearsals with an experienced conductor and soloist. This is when the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is actually created. Finally, the orchestra gives at least two concerts in front of a real audience. One of them always takes place in the golden concert hall of the Szczecin Philharmonic, home of the project, the other is performed in another reputed classical music venue. The line-up of the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is renewed every year.
It all started in 2013 when we celebrated the 100th birth anniversary of Witold Lutosławski, who was undoubtedly one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. We then decided to open the doors of the Szczecin Philharmonic to young musicians and give them a chance to gain invaluable experience in playing in a real symphony orchestra. We invited young, talented instrumentalists and exceptional tutors from all over Europe, who prepared the participants, note by note, during masterclasses in individual instrumental sections, for the first symphony concert.
It is how we became the first international youth symphony orchestra in Poland! This extraordinary musical meeting turned out to be so successful that we knew immediately that it would become a tradition of the Szczecin Philharmonic. And that's what happened!
In 2014, we moved to the new Philharmonic building, which has become an architectural icon of Szczecin and Europe. In the same year, the shape of our new headquarters received the prestigious Eurobuild Awards 2014. In addition, it won the "architectural Oscar" Mies van der Rohe Award a year later. Our new edifice stands in the same place where the German Konzerthaus Stettin stood before World War II – thus, we continue the musical traditions of our beautiful city. But architectural laurels are not just about prestige. It is an appreciation of the extraordinary acoustic qualities of our two concert halls (symphonic and chamber) and highly modern and comfortable working conditions for musicians, which this remarkable building guarantees.
In 2022, between August 10 and 19, the 10th jubilee edition of the project took place, and ILYO played for the first time in Berlin at the largest festival of youth orchestras in the world – Young Euro Classic. This festival has been opening the stage of the Berlin Konzerthaus for over twenty years for young instrumentalists from all over the world. ILYO's debut in the capital of Germany turned out to be a great success. The numerous audience rewarded the young musicians with a long-lasting and enthusiastic ovation, and the concert received praises in the German media. The event was also broadcast in its entirety on the German public radio Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
In 2023 the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra performed twice: in the National Forum of Music in Wrocław (August 24) and in the golden hall of the Szczecin Philharmonic (August 25). In 2024 ILYO performed for the first time at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music.
In 2025 the 13th edition of the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra project will take place. We very much hope to see you in Szczecin.
ILYO meets every year in late summer. Participants selected through online auditions held in March and April, first work in instrumental sections, conducted by experienced orchestra musicians from leading Polish and foreign ensembles as well as outstanding teachers. Only in recent years, ILYO tutors have included musicians from the Berliner Philharmoniker, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Polish National Radio Orchestra in Katowice. After the sectionals, young musicians participate in tutti rehearsals with an experienced conductor and soloist. This is when the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is actually created. Finally, the orchestra gives at least two concerts in front of a real audience. One of them always takes place in the golden concert hall of the Szczecin Philharmonic, home of the project, the other is performed in another reputed classical music venue. The line-up of the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra is renewed every year.
It all started in 2013 when we celebrated the 100th birth anniversary of Witold Lutosławski, who was undoubtedly one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. We then decided to open the doors of the Szczecin Philharmonic to young musicians and give them a chance to gain invaluable experience in playing in a real symphony orchestra. We invited young, talented instrumentalists and exceptional tutors from all over Europe, who prepared the participants, note by note, during masterclasses in individual instrumental sections, for the first symphony concert.
It is how we became the first international youth symphony orchestra in Poland! This extraordinary musical meeting turned out to be so successful that we knew immediately that it would become a tradition of the Szczecin Philharmonic. And that's what happened!
In 2014, we moved to the new Philharmonic building, which has become an architectural icon of Szczecin and Europe. In the same year, the shape of our new headquarters received the prestigious Eurobuild Awards 2014. In addition, it won the "architectural Oscar" Mies van der Rohe Award a year later. Our new edifice stands in the same place where the German Konzerthaus Stettin stood before World War II – thus, we continue the musical traditions of our beautiful city. But architectural laurels are not just about prestige. It is an appreciation of the extraordinary acoustic qualities of our two concert halls (symphonic and chamber) and highly modern and comfortable working conditions for musicians, which this remarkable building guarantees.
In 2022, between August 10 and 19, the 10th jubilee edition of the project took place, and ILYO played for the first time in Berlin at the largest festival of youth orchestras in the world – Young Euro Classic. This festival has been opening the stage of the Berlin Konzerthaus for over twenty years for young instrumentalists from all over the world. ILYO's debut in the capital of Germany turned out to be a great success. The numerous audience rewarded the young musicians with a long-lasting and enthusiastic ovation, and the concert received praises in the German media. The event was also broadcast in its entirety on the German public radio Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
In 2023 the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra performed twice: in the National Forum of Music in Wrocław (August 24) and in the golden hall of the Szczecin Philharmonic (August 25). In 2024 ILYO performed for the first time at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music.
In 2025 the 13th edition of the International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra project will take place. We very much hope to see you in Szczecin.
International Youth Orchestra – International Lutosławski Youth Orchestra (ILYO) on the 30th anniversary of Witold Lutosławski's death. The project was co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.
Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin - Municipal Institution of Culture is co-led by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
