About this Artist
“That he is no mere flashy wunderkind of the baton was shown by the freshly invigorated playing he drew from the CSO … his keen musical instincts and vigorous way of translating his ideas into orchestral sound that has both shape and meaning,” stated the Chicago Tribune describing conductor KRZYSZTOF URBAŃSKI, who in September 2016 entered the sixth season of his highly acclaimed tenure as Music Director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
In his final season as Chief Conductor and Artistic Leader of the Trondheim Symfoniorkester, Urbański leads the orchestra in performances of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, and the Brahms Requiem and concludes his successful tenure with Mahler Symphony No. 1. Previous highlights include two tours (first with concerts in Germany, Austria, and Poland and second at the International Chopin Music Festival), and a fully staged production of Carmen as his first foray into opera.
In September 2015 Urbański formally became Principal Guest Conductor of NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester; this season, in addition to concerts in Hamburg, they tour Japan with soloists Alice Sara Ott and Sayaka Shoji.
Alongside his performances in Hamburg, this season sees the release of three discs recorded with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester: Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, Also sprach Zazathustra (both for Outhere) and Chopin small pieces for piano and orchestra with Jan Lisiecki (for Deutsche Grammophon). Also soon to be released is Martinů’s Cello Concerto No. 1 recorded for Sony with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sol Gabetta. In addition, his discography includes “wholly excellent renderings” (Gramophone) of Lutosławski works for Alpha Classics with NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester.
In 2016/17 Urbański’s European season includes his debut with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and reinvitations to Rotterdam Philharmonic, Tonkünstlerorchester, Philharmonia, Münchner Philharmoniker, and Wiener Symphoniker for their annual Beethoven Symphony No. 9 New Year concerts. Past debuts include Berliner Philharmoniker, London Symphony, and Oslo Philharmonic orchestras.
In North America Urbański returns to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington. His recent U.S. debuts include the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago and San Francisco symphony orchestras.
In June 2015 Urbański received the prestigious Leonard Bernstein Award when he returned to conduct the Schleswig-Holstein Akademie at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival. Notably, he is the first conductor to have ever received this award.