New works from Poland – London Sinfonietta at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

London Sinfonietta returns to the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival with an electrifying programme of the latest contemporary music. The concert, entitled “Electrifying new works, from Poland and beyond”, will feature British and world premieres of works by Marta Śniady, Paweł Malinowski, and others, creating an extraordinary journey through sounds, traditions, and cultures. The event will take place on 23 November 2025 at Huddersfield Town Hall and is an important part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 programme.

London Sinfonietta – an innovative contemporary music orchestra presents works by Polish composers

London Sinfonietta will perform at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (hcmf//) with an electrifying programme of the latest contemporary music, including premieres that transcend boundaries and identities. It was created thanks to the collaboration between London Sinfonietta, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and the “Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music, and highlights the long-standing and fruitful artistic relationship between Poland and the UK. The concert, entitled “Electrifying new works, from Poland and beyond”, will take place on 23 November 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at Huddersfield Town Hall.

London Sinfonietta is one of Europe’s leading contemporary music ensembles, known for its innovative repertoire and virtuosic performances. Founded in 1968, it has commissioned over 450 new works and presented hundreds of world premieres. The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (hcmf//) is one of the most important international events dedicated to new and experimental music, taking place every November and featuring over 50 events, including concerts, installations, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops. The festival serves as an international platform for new music and related forms of contemporary art in the UK, thanks to its bold programming and diverse, insightful cultural offerings.

Electrifying new works, from Poland and beyond – a musical dialogue between Poland and the UK

The programme of the concert “Electrifying new works, from Poland and beyond” will feature compositions by young artists from Poland and the UK, among others, emphasising the idea of international cooperation and inclusiveness in music. The aim of the project is to promote contemporary Polish music on one of the most prestigious stages in the UK, as well as to create a platform for dialogue between young artists from both countries.

The concert will feature, among others, “Mute” by Laurence Osborne, British premieres of works by Marta Śniady and Paweł Malinowski as part of the UK/Poland Season 2025, mesmerising soundscapes by Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, a musical meditation on growth and transformation by Estonian composer Liisa Hirsch, and the world premiere of “Mi libro es la Tierra: Rosa Ixchel” by Luis Fernando Amaya – a colourful mosaic of myths, memories, and sounds. Under the baton of Geoffrey Paterson, the London Sinfonietta will present the works with its characteristic clarity and commitment, offering listeners music that is inspiring, provocative, and resonant in the contemporary world.

The programme of the concert “Electrifying new works, from Poland and beyond”:

• Laurence Osborne – “Mute”

• Marta Śniady – “How Can I Help You?” (UK premiere)

• Paweł Malinowski – “floating: disappearance” (UK premiere)

• Luis Fernando Amaya – “Mi libro es la Tierra” (world premiere)

• Žibuoklė Martinaitytė – “Solastalgia”

• Liisa Hirsch – “When They Grow their Leaves”

The concert is an extraordinary journey through sound, showcasing the power of contemporary music in its ability to challenge, connect people, and reinterpret the world around us.

UK/Poland Season 2025: music connecting the United Kingdom and Poland

UK/Poland Season 2025 celebrates cultural exchange and rich musical dialogue between the United Kingdom and Poland, and the concert at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is one of its most inspiring highlights. Through cultural institutions working together and joint music events, festivals, and artistic projects, the programme creates a space for sharing experiences, intercultural dialogue, and enjoying live music together. Diverse forms of artistic expression, drawing on different traditions and perspectives, become a bridge connecting audiences across borders, proving that culture can unite and inspire on an international level. 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, since March 2025, the United Kingdom has presented many facets of the contemporary Polish music scene. During the 78th Edinburgh International Festival, one of the most renowned and longstanding festivals in the United Kingdom, a series of events devoted to Polish music were showcased. In September, the concert “My Life – Preisner’s Music” revisited Zbigniew Preisner’s multi-layered film scores. The LOT Polish Jazz Festival in London 2025 showcased innovative sounds, bringing together outstanding artists from Poland and the United Kingdom on one stage, while Andrzej Panufnik’s “Sinfonia Sacra” was performed twice by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow and Edinburgh. In October, Marcin Masecki in Oxford performed an improvisation inspired by Hevelius’s “Selenography”. During the 33rd edition of the EFG London Jazz Festival, six Polish artists and bands performed on London stages. Current information about upcoming events as part of the UK/Poland Season is updated on the website https://iam.pl/en.

Practical information: date, venue, and tickets for the concert as part of hcmf//

• Date: Sunday, 23 November 2025, 7:00 p.m.

• Venue: Huddersfield Town Hall, Huddersfield, United Kingdom

• Tickets: hcmf.co.uk

• The concert is supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.