The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is seeding a virtual, interactive garden inspired by the work of Krzysztof Penderecki. Penderecki’s Garden will attain full bloom on 23 November, the composer’s birthday. On 20 May, the authors of the project announced their vision. 

“Gardening was one of Krzysztof Penderecki’s greatest passions. Through this project, we are paying tribute to him as a composer and a great humanist. It won’t be just another information database. Penderecki’s Garden.pl is going to be a virtual place of leisure, where visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the Polish composer, to play a music memory game, to compose their own mini-piece, or to listen to a live concert while sitting under a virtual tree,” said Barbara Schabowska, Acting Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.  

“It was a pleasure to hear about the idea of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute to honour my late husband. His music is eternal, and through Penderecki’s Garden people from different countries will be able to continue to be inspired by his contribution to the world,” said Elżbieta Penderecka. 

Penderecki’s Garden will provide a comprehensive overview of the composer’s legacy. The unexpected solutions applied in the Garden will show just how inspiring and versatile Penderecki’s work is. Proof will come from artists who have been commissioned by the AMI to create music in memoriam of the Maestro. Short sound, visual and audiovisual pieces will show the scale and significance of the cultural phenomenon of Penderecki’s music. Film, rock, jazz and electronic music are all areas in which references to Krzysztof Penderecki’s oeuvre can be found. The blooming landscape will also include works to which Penderecki contributed – lesser known, as they do not belong to the main current of his activity as an artist. 

A number of Polish musicians associated with Penderecki have confirmed their participation in the project, including Skalpel, Piotr Orzechowski “Pianohooligan”, Paweł Romańczuk, Hania Rani, and Robert Piotrowicz.