Join us for the premieres of two new works commissioned by the POLIN museum — a documentary film and a concert reviving the art of Jewish mandolin orchestras — which are being presented this month to commemorate our 10th anniversary. These events celebrate the rich history of Polish Jews and the renewal of this heritage for the next generation.

This concert is the American premiere of Ger Suite, a moving new work commissioned by POLIN Museum, composed by Polish virtuoso Marcin Masecki, and performed by the composer and the orchestra in New York for the museum’s 10th anniversary. The event is part of the New York City Jewish Book Festival at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Conceived by Israeli-American Avner Yonai and directed by renowned multi-instrumentalist Mike Marshall, the Ger Mandolin Orchestra resurrects a little-known musical form that was once-widely popular across eastern Europe and in North American immigrant communities. The group brings to life a unique repertoire of Jewish, East European folk and light classical music, using the complete range of mandolin family instruments (mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello, mandobass). Their rare and moving concert appearances over the last dozen years have been met with overwhelming audience and critical acclaim.

Now, in its first foray into “new” music, the Orchestra will premiere repertoire from one of Poland’s most prolific and idiosyncratic artists. Pianist/composer Marcin Masecki is known for his virtuosic fusion of styles spanning jazz, classical, and folk, blurring the line between high art and popular entertainment. “Gersuita” is a 6-part cycle of compositions created by Masecki specifically for the Ger Mandolin Orchestra.

In its full version, the piece was first presented in Toronto in March 2024, during an extraordinary concert at the Glenn Gould Studio. This new chapter in the history of what seemed to be a forgotten art form, the mandolin orchestra, was rewarded with a nearly 10-minute standing ovation from the audience.

10th Anniversary Program

POLIN museum has reached a significant milestone, our 10th anniversary. Ten years ago, this fall POLIN had Grand Opening, reclaiming Poland as a place of Jewish life. POLIN Museum stands in what was once the heart of Jewish Warsaw, an area that the Germans turned into a ghetto during World War II. A world-class space for remembrance and reflection, POLIN Museum has welcomed more than five million visitors.

The visitors are from Poland and abroad, and the vast majority are not Jewish. POLIN museum is a crucial tool for cultivating the empathy and the historical awareness needed to ensure that Poland will remain a safe place for Jewish life to thrive.