The 2^nd edition of Stanisław Moniuszko International Polish Music Competition will be held between 11–18 September 2021 at the Artur Malawski Philharmonic in Rzeszów. The participants will compete for a prize pool of over eighty thousand euro, in two categories – piano and chamber ensembles. The competition is organised by the Institute of Music and Dance.

Poland is famous for its international competitions including the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition and the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition. Apart from these events, the Institute of Music and Dance for the second time invites Polish and international musicians to tap into the legacy of Polish composers. The primary objective of the Stanisław Moniuszko International Competition of Polish Music is to rediscover and disseminate the heritage of Stanisław Moniuszko and other excellent Polish composers amongst a wide spectrum of listeners and to promote 19^th– and 20^th-century Polish music, which has been forgotten or – for various reasons – has been less popular in concert practice.

In the competition, the contesting artists will present the works of 56 Polish composers, most of which were composed in the 19^th and 20^th century. The competition is open to musicians-instrumentalists who apply individually and as chamber ensembles – from duos to twelve-person ensembles. There are no restrictions in terms of the age and nationality of the participants. The call for applications will be opened in a few weeks and will end on 14 May 2021. Additionally, separate eliminations for Polish candidates will be organised in Warsaw – the exact date, place and regulations of the preliminary round will be announced soon. For each category of the competition, a separate Jury will be appointed, consisting of distinguished Polish and foreign musical artists and musical personalities.

– The musicians participating in the competition also get the chance to win many special extra-statutory prizes that range from financial prizes to performances in leading concert halls in Poland and at festivals – said Katarzyna Meissner, the Director of the Institute of Music and Dance. – Additionally, Polish Institutes that cooperate with the competition, grant the selected winners with the possibility of performing recitals in the cities of their headquarters including Bratislava, St. Petersburg and Vienna. The winners of the competition can thus not only present their skills but also promote the work of less known Polish composers all over the world.

There is one more surprise for the participants – i.e. the possibility of having a live recording of selected music pieces in the course of all the stages of the competition. The selection of the most interesting recorded pieces will be released as a multi-disc series – an audio chronicle of the competition. Some of the compositions featured in the compilation will have their worldwide premieres on the phonographic scene. DUX – a leading Polish label, which has been awarded for the quality of its productions both in Poland and abroad, will be responsible for the recording and release of the series.

The contest regulations (Rulebook), the calendar of the competition, application forms, information about the repertoire, composers and musical materials, as well as all the news related to the competition and its course, are available on the website: www.konkursmuzykipolskiej.pl/en/.

The competition is financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.