In March, I will be assisting two artists – John Axelrod and Błażej Wincenty Kozłowski. I have had the opportunity to attend Sinfonietta concerts conducted by Axelrod, and I have always been impressed by his charisma and musical imagination. The program will include works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Leonard Bernstein, as well as Mahler's Adagietto from Symphony No. 5, which I am particularly looking forward to – poignant, intimate, and delicate. Błażej Wincenty Kozłowski, on the other hand, will conduct the premiere of Concha Grażyna Pstrokońska-Nawratil's work. Encountering the latest music is always an extraordinary experience – a chance to co-create the interpretation of a work for the first time. Here, the point of reference is not so much tradition as the composer himself – his sensitivity and musical world.

During the last two concerts, I will conduct the orchestra myself. In May, we will perform Mieczysław Karłowicz's Serenade, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, and Giovanni Bottesini's Double Bass Concerto with Marek André as soloist. This will be my debut with a piece in which the double bass plays the solo part. I will certainly pay special attention to the balance of sound, but as a former violinist, I feel at ease among string instruments, so I am approaching this with great enthusiasm. The Serenade is an extremely lyrical and contrasting piece, and I will try to capture all its characters and build a coherent narrative out of them. The mysterious beginning of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony opens the way to music full of light, grace, and pulsating energy— these are the qualities I want to bring out in it.

What will your duties be as a conductor's assistant?

Until now, I have only worked as an assistant in the opera, where this role has a specific character. This time, my responsibilities will depend on the conductors I work with. I will definitely have to be their eyes and ears – conductors often ask how the sound is perceived from different parts of the hall, whether the balance is maintained, and whether the soloist can be heard clearly. I also hope to have inspiring conversations about the interpretation and form of the pieces. Perhaps a conductor will allow me to conduct a rehearsal on my own – it always depends on the specific situation. The role of assistant has remained permanent only in opera, where there are an exceptionally large number of rehearsals, and in a few institutions, such as the NOSPR and the National Philharmonic. The NIMiT program is intended to partially fill the gap resulting from the lack of assistant positions in most Polish orchestras.

So there isn't such a big leap: you finish your studies and suddenly you have to find a way to contact an orchestra yourself?

Yes, exactly. We finish our studies and immediately the question arises: what next?

Where have I heard that before...

Exactly! I think that in this respect, conductors are no different from pianists or other performers. Except that for us, the “entry threshold” is much higher. For various reasons – including financial ones – assistant positions have disappeared in many institutions, not only in Poland. And yet it used to be different. At one point, Leonard Bernstein had as many as three assistants! One of them was Seiji Ozawa, who, in a conversation with Haruki Murakami, recalled that they shared pieces – even though he prepared all the scores Bernstein worked on. He was in constant contact with him: they talked and discussed the pieces. This allowed the assistants to “get inside his head,” so to speak – not only to learn, but also to share their insights. Of course, if the conductor agrees, we can come to rehearsals and observe. This is very important and developmental for me, but it is not enough. Contact with the orchestra is essential. 

At some point, you want to take the reins.

Exactly, which is why it is so important to me that the program also includes conducting concerts independently.

Do you have any supervision, or will you just have to manage on your own?

My mentor won't leave me alone – she will be present at my rehearsals, which gives me a great sense of support. Katarzyna Tomala-Jedynak is a person of exceptional sensitivity, versatile skills, and an empathetic approach to people. Working with an orchestra means working with people, their emotions, and their different perspectives on music. Mistakes are natural, especially for young conductors, because unfortunately, studying and diligent learning alone do not prepare us for everything. I myself approach my residency with great enthusiasm. I have already had the opportunity to participate in Sinfonietta rehearsals and was impressed by both their sound and the atmosphere of cooperation. It is one of the first orchestras I have heard in my life, which is why I have a special fondness for it.