Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra, as the only Polish orchestra, has found itself in the final stage of the most prestigious phonographic event in the world, the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA)!

Of the 374 nominations, the jury selected 48 finalists – three in each category. “Urlicht. Songs of Death and Resurrection” was recorded by the Poznań ensemble under Łukasz Borowicz with the baritone Samuel Hasselhorn; it also features the boys’ voices of The Poznań Nightingales, the Boys and Men’s Choir of the Poznań Philharmonic. The album of songs and airs by Gustav Mahler, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Alexander von Zemlinsky, Hans Pfitzner, Engelbert Humperdinck, Alban Berg and Walter Braunfels, was published to excellent reviews and international honours by Harmonia Mundi.

Our orchestra’s recording competes in the category of Vocal Music with albums by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle with the mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožena (“Czech Songs”), and by the French ensemble Les Talens Lyriques under Christophe Rousset with the baritone Michael Spyres (“In the Shadows”).

Holder of a number of nominations for the prize, Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra was awarded the trophy in 2018 for the album “Quo vadis” by Feliks Nowowiejski.

Łukasz Borowicz, the Chief Conductor of Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director of the Poznań Philharmonic has also been short-listed for the ICMA 2025. His album “Grażyna Bacewicz, Complete Symphonic Works Vol. 3: Symphony No. 1, Concerto for large orchestra, Partita for large orchestra, In una parte” recorded with the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, and published by cpo, is nominated in the Symphonic Music category.

Winners of ICMA 2025 will be announced on 14 January 2025. The prize-giving ceremony and gala concert will be held at the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf on 19 March 2025.