Submitted on 30.09.2025 by

Zbigniew Preisner’s Music Live at the Barbican Centre, London

zdjęcie portretowe Zbigniewa Preisnera
Zbigniew Preisner, photo: press materials

Zbigniew Preisner is one of Poland’s leading composers of film music. To mark his 70th birthday, on Sunday 28 September 2025 the Barbican Centre will host a special concert entitled “My Life – Preisner’s Music”, during which the artist, accompanied by musicians, will perform his most celebrated compositions. The concert is part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 programme.

Zbigniew Preisner – 70th Birthday Concert at the Barbican Centre, London

Zbigniew Preisner is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding Polish composers of film and theatre music of his generation. For many years, he worked closely with the eminent director Krzysztof Kieślowski, composing soundtracks for films such as No End, The Decalogue, The Double Life of Veronique, Three Colours: Blue, Three Colours: White, and Three Colours: Red, which brought him international recognition. In 2005, Preisner arranged songs commissioned by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and eight years later he began collaborating closely with Lisa Gerrard, co-founder of the band Dead Can Dance.

On the occasion of the composer’s 70th birthday, the September concert programme featured works from his long-standing collaboration with Krzysztof Kieślowski, as well as music from the album Requiem for My Friend, dedicated to the memory of the late director. The audience will hear, among other pieces, the multi-layered soundtracks that conveyed existential anxiety in the Three Colours trilogy, moving compositions that balance diegetic and non-diegetic music in The Decalogue, and poignant, operatic sounds from The Double Life of Veronique. During Sunday’s concert, Zbigniew Preisner will be joined on stage by Lisa Gerrard, carefully selected soloists, and the Guildhall Session Orchestra and Singers.

The following artists will perform at the “My Life – Preisner’s Music” concert:

  • Zbigniew Preisner – composer, conductor

  • Lisa Gerrard – vocals

  • Edyta Krzemień –  soprano

  • Konrad Mastyło – piano, Hammond

  • Radosław Pujanek – solo violin

  • Mitch Dalton – guitar

  • Guildhall Session Orchestra and Singers

Preisner’s concert is part of the UK/Poland Season – showcasing Polish contemporary music on British stages.

UK/Poland Season 2025 is a cultural programme of unprecedented scale, featuring several dozen events across multiple cities in both Poland and the UK. Running until November 2025, the season marks a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, revitalising cultural dialogue and strengthening existing ties between the two countries. For residents of both countries, it offers a unique opportunity to explore the most exciting artistic phenomena from both sides – encompassing film, theatre, visual arts, design, and music. In Poland, the events are organised by the British Council, while in the UK – 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, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Poland.

A series of prestigious events are planned for the second half of 2025, highlighting the strong cultural and artistic ties between Poland and the United Kingdom. In October, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow will perform a concert dedicated to Polish-Scottish cooperation, featuring Andrzej Panufnik’s Sinfonia Sacra. A concert by Marcin Masecki, inspired by the discoveries of astronomer Johannes Hevelius, will take place in Oxford. In November, Polish artists will perform at the prestigious EFG London Jazz Festival, and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Together, these events highlight the dynamic development of cultural relations between Poland and the United Kingdom, combining music, science, and social narratives. Information about events is regularly updated on the website: iam.pl.
 

Concert “My Life – Preisner’s Music”: Preisner, Gerrard, and Masterpieces of Film Music

  •  When: 28 September 2025, 8:00 pm

  • Where: The Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London

  • Artists: Zbigniew Preisner, Lisa Gerrard, Edyta Krzemień, Konrad Mastyło, Radosław Pujanek, Mitch Dalton, Guildhall Session Orchestra and Singers

  • Tickets and more information: www.barbican.org.uk
     

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