Marcin Masecki in Oxford: Improvisation inspired by Hevelius’s “Selenography”

Polish pianist Marcin Masecki will present a one-off jazz improvisation inspired by Johannes Hevelius’s famous map of the Moon during a concert on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford. The event will coincide with the release of the digital edition of “Selenography” in The Bodleian Libraries catalogue. The concert will blend elements of classical music, jazz and experimental rhythms, introducing the audience to both the legacy of the eminent Gdańsk astronomer and the contemporary Polish music scene as part of the UK/Poland Season 2025.

Marcin Masecki’s improvisation on the occasion of the digital release of “Selenography, or A Description of The Moon”

On Wednesday evening, the outstanding Polish pianist and jazz musician Marcin Masecki will invite listeners to explore music inspired by the mysteries of the Moon. At the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, he will perform a one-off improvisation based on Hevelius’s groundbreaking map of the Moon, “Selenographia, sive Lunae descriptio”. This fascinating journey through sound will combine elements of classical music, jazz, and unexpected rhythms, celebrating curiosity, creativity, and cosmic wonder.

The concert will mark the release of the digital edition of “Selenography” in The Bodleian Libraries’ online catalogue. On 29 and 30 October 2025, visitors to the Weston Library – one of the 23 libraries that make up The Bodleian Libraries – will have the opportunity to see the original in person. The book, considered a rare treasure of early astronomy, was written by Johannes Hevelius in 1647 and contains the first detailed map of the Moon, carefully crafted based on his own telescopic observations. The astronomer and brewer from Gdańsk built his own instruments and observatory, and his atlas of the Moon remained unrivalled for generations.

How Johannes Hevelius inspires contemporary music – jazz and classical sounds in the United Kingdom

The commemoration of Hevelius’s achievements combined with contemporary music fits perfectly into the UK/Poland Season 2025 – a cultural programme of unprecedented scale, encompassing dozens of events across cities in Poland and the United Kingdom. The season opens a new chapter of cooperation between the two countries, reinvigorating cultural dialogue and strengthening existing relations. Audiences will have the opportunity to discover some of the most interesting developments on the art scenes of both countries, spanning film, theatre, visual arts, design, and music.

The event at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, one of the oldest and most remarkable buildings of the University of Oxford, will be organised by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in cooperation with the Oxford Polish Association and IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. The festival promotes scientific development and the creation of cultural and social capital by including initiatives from various fields of art within its interdisciplinary programme. In doing so, it contributes to strengthening social and cultural ties, demonstrating how cultural activities can serve as a tool for integration, creativity, and openness to new ideas.

UK/Poland Season 2025: Polish music and astronomy in the heart of Oxford

Similarly, the UK/Poland Season 2025 programme highlights the strong artistic and cultural ties between Poland and the United Kingdom. Artistic expression – bringing people together and drawing on different perspectives, national experiences, and traditions – is one of the pillars of the programme. All events in Poland are organised by the British Council, and in the United Kingdom by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the Polish Cultural Institute and the British Council. The organisation of the Season in the UK and Northern Ireland is supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. 

As part of the UK/Poland Season 2025, various aspects of the contemporary Polish music scene will be presented in the United Kingdom. During the 78th Edinburgh International Festival, one of the UK’s most renowned and long-standing festivals, the Focus on Poland section presented a series of events dedicated to Polish music. In September, the concert “My Life – Preisner’s Music” explored the multi-layered soundtracks accompanying many Polish films. The LOT Polish Jazz Festival in London 2025 showcased innovative sounds, bringing together outstanding artists from Poland and the UK on one stage. Andrzej Panufnik’s “Sinfonia Sacra” was performed twice by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow and Edinburgh. In the autumn, Polish artists will also perform at the EFG London Jazz Festival and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Up-to-date information about upcoming events is available at https://iam.pl/en.

Concert: “Marcin Masecki – improvisation concert on Heveliusz work” – Practical Information

• Date: 29 October 2025

• Time: 7:00 p.m.

• Venue: University Church of St Mary the Virgin (High Street, Oxford, United Kingdom)

• Tickets and more information are available at: if-oxford.com

• The event is organised in collaboration with the Bodleian Libraries and the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival.

• It is part of the UK/Poland Season 2025, organised by the British Council, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and the Polish Cultural Institute, and supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.