# Grzegorz Nowak (conductor)

Grzegorz Nowak (born 15 August 1951, Poznań) is a Polish conductor. He has served as music director of the Polish National Opera, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Radio Orchestra in Kaiserslautern, Germany), and Sinfonia Helvetica and festival Musique and Amitié in Switzerland. He is the Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.

## Biography

Born in Poznań, Poland, he began his international conducting career by winning the first prize at the Ernest Ansermet Conducting Competition in Geneva. He also won the Grand Prix Patek Philippe, Rolex Prize, Swiss Prize, American Patronage Prize and the Europäische Förderpreis für Musik as the European Musician of the Year. Nowak was honoured with the Distinguished Teacher Award during his tenure as Professor at Bowling Green State University, and the title of "Honorary Professor" was bestowed upon him by the University of Alberta.
After studying conducting, composition and violin at the Music Academy in Poznań, Nowak was awarded a doctorate fellowship at the Eastman School of Music. He honed his skills at Tanglewood on a Serge Koussevitzky Fellowship with such masters as Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Erich Leinsdorf and Igor Markevitch, before assisting Kurt Masur with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
In Europe Nowak has worked as a conductor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Lamoureaux in Paris, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, RAI orchestras in Milan, Rome and Turin, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, Tonhalle Orchestra in Zürich, National Orchestra of Belgium, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, National Orchestra of Spain and the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon. He has also conducted many times in Scandinavia, performing with the philharmonic and radio orchestras of Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen.
In North America, Nowak has conducted the Montreal Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Carmel Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic orchestras and the Xalapa Symphony in Mexico. He has also earned critical acclaim for his performances in the Far East and elsewhere with the Philharmonic and Yomiuri Orchestras in Tokyo, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Taipei Philharmonic in Taiwan and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
Nowak has conducted operatic productions in Italy, Monte Carlo, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States and Canada, including works by Mozart (The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Il Seraglio, Così fan Tutte, The Magic Flute), Rossini (The Barber of Seville, Semiramide), Beethoven (Fidelio), Bizet (Carmen), Borodin (Prince Igor), Moniuszko (Halka, Haunted Manor), Verdi (Otello, Don Carlos and the Polish première of Simon Boccanegra) and Puccini (Madam Butterfly, La bohème, Turandot and Tosca – including a tour with Welsh National Opera). His production of Debussy's Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien was broadcast live from Rome on the Eurovision television network. He received rave reviews at the 2006 Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden for conducting Giordano's Andrea Chénier, a co-production of the Polish National Opera with Plácido Domingo and the National Opera in Washington.
His recordings have been highly acclaimed by the press and public alike, winning many awards. Diapason in Paris praised his KOS CD with Martha Argerich and Sinfonia Varsovia as 'indispensable... un must', and the second edition of this recording won the Fryderyk Award. The Polish Symphonic Music of the 19th Century recording with Sinfonia Varsovia won the CD of the Year Award, a nomination for the Fryderyk Award and the Bronze Bell Award in Singapore. The American Record Guide praised Nowak's Gallo label CD of Frank Martin Violin Concerto with Piotr Milewski and the Biel Symphony as 'by far the best'. Chopin's piano concerti with Janusz Olejniczak and Sinfonia Varsovia won the Fryderyk and CD of the Year awards, and his CD with Stanislaw Drzewiecki and Sinfonia Varsovia was also nominated for the Fryderyk Award. His Haenssler-classic disc with Anja Silja won two Classical Internet Awards, and his recording of Czerny Symphonies No. 2 and 6 (world premiere recording) received critical acclaim around the world. His CBC record with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Amanda Forsyth won the Juno Award, the CD-Accord recording with Joanna Kozłowska and the Poznań Philharmonic was hailed as 'superb' and Gramophone Magazine praised his ASV recording with the London Symphony Orchestra as 'outstanding'.
Nowak has performed alongside soloists, including pianists Vladimir Ashkenazy, Angela Hewitt and Anton Kuerti. He has performed many times with Krystian Zimerman, including tours in Switzerland, Italy and Spain. He has accompanied violinists Nigel Kennedy, Adam Taubitz, Joseph Silverstein and Pinchas Zukerman, among others. Nowak has worked with several cellists, including Ofra Harnoy and Mstislav Rostropovich. He has collaborated with singers, including Ben Heppner, Marilyn Horne, Gwyneth Jones, Kathleen Battle, Ewa Podles and the Swingle Singers.

## Discography

| Year | Orchestra | Works | Soloists, Prizes | Label |
| 2017 | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Mieczysław Karłowicz: Returning Waves Mieczysław Karłowicz: Eternal Songs Mieczysław Karłowicz: Lithuanian Rhapsody | | RPO SP 52 Archived 26 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine |
| 2007 | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 'Scottish' Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 'Italian' | | RPO SP 011 |
| 1985 | London Symphony Orchestra | Bartók: Dance Suite Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé | | ASV CD DCA 1794 |
| 2006 | London Symphony Orchestra | Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé | | Union Square Music USMCD011 |
| 1993 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Rossini: L'Italiana in Algeri Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 'Italian' | Martha Argerich | KOS CD S1-002K |
| 2000 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 | Martha Argerich Arthur Rubinstein Fryderyk Award | CD-Accord ACD 080 |
| 2004 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Weill: The Seven Deadly Sins Weill: Quodlibet | Anja Silja Julius Pfeifer, Alexander Yudenkov, Bernhard Hartmann, Thorsten Müller Classical Internet Award French Classical Internet Award | CLASSIC CD 93.109 |
| 2006 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Czerny: Symphony No. 2 op. 781 'Grande Symphony' Czerny: Symphony No. 6 in G minor | world premiere recording | CLASSIC CD 93.169 |
| 1995 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Kurpinski – Two Huts (Dwie Chatki) Dobrzyński – Monbar Moniuszko – The Fairy Tale (Bajka) Zelenski – In the Tatra Mountains (W Tatrach) Noskowski – The Steppes (Step) | CD of the Year Bronze Bell Award (Singapore) Fryderyk Nomination | CD Accord-PolyGram ACD 019 |
| 1995 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 | Janusz Olejniczak CD of the Year Fryderyk Award | CD-Accord-PolyGram-Rhône-Poulenc ACD 013 |
| 2005 | Poznań Philharmonic | Puccini: •Si, mi chiamano Mimi – La bohème (Mimi) •Donde lieta usci al tuo grida d’amore – La bohème (Mimi) •Un bel di, vedremo – Madama Butterfly (Butterfly) •Tu…Piccolo Oddio – Madama Butterfly (Butterfly) •Signore ascolta – Turandot (Liu) •Tu che di gel sei cinta – Turandot (Liu) •Vissi d’arte – Tosca (Tosca) •O moi babbino caro – Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta) Verdi: •Pace moi Dio – La forza del destino (Leonora) •Era piu calmo?… Emilia, te ne prego… Piangea cantando… Ave Maria – Otello (Desdemona) | Joanna Kozłowska | CD Accord ACD 135-2 |
| 2005 | Sinfonia Helvetica and Deutsches Kammerorchester | Dvořák: • Cello Concerto in B-minor, Op. 104 • Polonaise A-Dur, B. 94 • Silent Woods, Op. 68, No. 5 • Rondo g-moll, Op. 94 | Wen-Sinn Yang | ARTS 47638-2 |
| 1998 | Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | Malcolm Forsyth: •Electra Rising •Valley of a Thousand Hills •Tre Vie | Amanda Forsyth, violoncello Bill Street, saxophone Juno Award | CBC SMCD 5180 |
| 1990 | Biel Symphony Orchestra | Martin – Violin Concerto Baer – Violin Concerto Meier – Trames I-IV | Piotr Milewski, violin | Gallo Records CD-582 |
| 1996 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 1 Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 2 | Piotr Plawner Bartek Niziol Fryderyk Nomination | CD Accord – PolyGram ACD 024-2 / 456 087-2 |
| 2007 | Orchestre de Bretagne | Tchaikovski – Piano Concerto No. 1 Chopin – Piano Concerto No. 2 | Laure Favre-Kahn | TRANSART LIVE TR 151 |
| 2005 | Poznań Philharmonic | Mozart: •Don Giovanni – Champagne Aria •The Marriage of Figaro – Aria of Count 'Hai già vinta la causa!' Verdi: •Traviata – Aria of Germont 'Di Provenza li Mar' •Rigoletto – Aria of Rigoletto 'Cortigiani' Borodin: Prince Igor – Aria of Igor Tchaikovsky •Eugene Onegin – Aria of Oniegin •Yolande – Aria of Robert •The Queen of Spades – Aria of Jeletzky Bizet: Carmen – Aria of Torreador Wagner: Tannhäuser – Song of Wolfram | Wojtek Drabowicz | DUX 0494 |
| 1995 | Warsaw National Philharmonic | J.S. Bach •Piano Concerto BWV 1052 in D Minor •Piano Concerto BWV 1054 in D Major •Piano Concerto BWV 1056 in F Minor | Piotr Folkert | Arti PD 3001 |
| 2007 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Weill – Quodlibet | | hänssler CLASSIC |
| 2001 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Moniuszko – Mazurka from opera Haunted Manor | Platinum CD | DUX 0334A05100 92 |
| 1992 | Gävle Symphony | Malmlöf-Forssling – Shanti, shanti | Anita Soldh | Bluebell ABCD 069 |
| 2001 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Moniuszko – Bajka Chopin – Piano Concerto No. 2 Noskowski – The Steppes | Janusz Olejniczak | CD Accord ACD 019-2 SE |
| 2001 | London Symphony Orchestra | Ravel – Daphnis et Chloé | | ASV Quicksilva ASQ 6126 |
| 1991 | London Symphony Orchestra | Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 1 Saint-Saëns – Violin Concerto No. 3 | Takashi Shimizu | Platz-Nippon Columbia PLCC-550 |
| 1995 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Mussorgsky/Gorchakov – Pictures at an Exhibition Prokofiev – Romeo & Juliet (selections G. Nowak) | | Sonoris SCD 5158 |
| 2000 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Chopin – Piano Concerto No. 1 | Stanislaw Drzewiecki Fryderyk Nomination Golden CD | CD Accord ACD 019-2 SE |
| 1992 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Poulenc – Sinfonietta Ravel – Le Tombeau de Couperin, Prokofiev – Classical Symphony | | Sonoris SCD 5152 |
| 1993 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Stravinsky – Firebird (1919) Liszt – Les Préludes Borodin – In the Steppes of Central Asia Rossini – Wilhelm Tell Overture | | Sonoris SCD 5153 |
| 2000 | Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | Smetana – Ma Vlast (My Homeland, original 1874-75 version) Janáček – Moravian Dances | | MCE 5001 |
| 1999 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Schumann •Piano Concerto •Cello Concerto | Nelson Goerner, piano Wen-Sinn Yang, violoncello | SCD 5162 |
| 2003 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Leoncavallo – Der Bajazzo: Glockenchor Weber – Der Freischütz: •Ouvertüre •Chor der Jäger •Chor der Brautjungfern Nicolai – Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor: •Ouvertüre •Mondchor Smetana – Die verkaufte Braut: •Tanz der Komödianten •Eingangschor Mascagni – Cavalleria rusticana: Vorspiel und Chor der Landleute Wagner – Der fliegende Holländer: •Matrosenchor •Chor der Spinnerinnen Verdi – Nabucco: Gefangenchor 'Va pensiero' Bizet – Carmen: •Vorspiel •Chor der Zigarettenarbeiterinnen Gounod – Margarethe: Chor der Soldaten Donizetti – Don Pasquale: Dienerchor Verdi – Der Troubadour: Zigeunerchor | Staatschor der Republik Lettland 'Latvija' | Bodensee-Festival BSF 03/1-2 |
| 2003 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Kodály – Tänze aus Galánta | | hänssler CLASSIC |
| 2003 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Hindemith – Tuttifäntchen | | BBC MUSIC VOL. 12 NO. 4 |
| 1998 | SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern | Chopin – Andante Spianato und Grande Polonaise Es-Dur op. 22 Karol Szymanowski – Lied der Roxana aus der Oper 'König Roger' Karol Szymanowski – Ballett 'Harnasie' – Tanz der Bergbauern Lutosławski – Kleine Suite für Orchester: Fujarka, Tanz | Ewa Kupiec | Bodensee-Festival BSF 98/1-2 |
| 2004 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 2 | Bartek Niziol | TMHW 1001 |
| 1992 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Rossini – Overture La scala di Seta Tchaikovsky – Rococo Variations Mozart – Die Entführung: 'Wer ein Liebchen hat gefunden' Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro: 'Se vuol ballare' Mozart – Die Zauberflöte: 'In diesen heil'gen Hallen' Debussy – Danse sacrée et profane J.S. Bach – Concerto for 2 Violins Mozart – 'Exsultate, Jubilate' | Juliana Gondek, soprano Marie-Pierre Langlamet, harp Yuzuko Horigome & Barbara Gorzynska, violins Marek Gasztecki, bass Leonid Gorokhov, violoncello | Sonoris SCD 101 |
| 1993 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Rossini – Overture L'Italiana in Algeri Mozart – Die Entführung us dem Serail 'Solche hergelauf'ne Laffen' (Osmin) Mozart – Don Giovanni 'Catalogue Aria' (Leporello) Vivaldi – Concerto for 4 violins in B-minor Bellini – Aria 'Oh! quante volte' from 'I Capuleti e I Montecchi' Mozart – Symphonia Concertante | Hideko Kobayashi, viola Naoko Okada, soprano Natalia Morozova, Jacek Klimkiewicz, Marek Kowalski, Krzysztof Wegrzyn, Robert Zimansky – violins | Sonoris SCD 103 |
| 1994 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Rossini – Overture Wilhelm Tell J.S.Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 Vivaldi – Concerto for 4 Violins Mozart – La Clemenza di Tito: 'Parto, Parto' Dvořák – Polonaise Mozart – Die Zauberflütte 'O Isis und Osiris' Verdi – Simon Boccanegra: 'Il Lacerato Spirito' Wieniawski – Faust Fantasy | Helene Schneiderman, mezzo-soprano Marek Gasztecki, bass Wen-Sinn Yang, violoncello Krzysztof Baranowski, Piotr Milewski, Bartlomiej Niziol, Krzysztof Plawner, Jan Stanienda – violins | Sonoris SCD 105 |
| 1995 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Bizet – Carmen: Habanera Bizet – Carmen: Seguidilla Glazunov – Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 82 Tchaikowsky – Eugene Onegin: Aria of Prinz Gremin Verdi – Don Carlos: Aria of Philip Wagner – Tristan und Isolde: Prelude & Lovedeath | Helene Schneiderman, mezzo-soprano Marek Gasztecki, bass Piotr Milewski, violin | Sonoris SCD 107 |
| 1996 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Rossini – Il Barbiere di Siviglia Overture Vivaldi – 4 Seasons: Winter Mozart – "Ch'io mi scordi di te?" Fauré – Flute Fantasy J.S. Bach – Andante from Suite for solo violin Saint-Saëns – Havanaise Richard Strauss – Serenade op. 11 Rossini – Cenerentola Overture | Pierre Amoyal, Bartlomiej Niziol, Jan Stanienda – violins Jane Irwin, mezzo-soprano Stphane Réty, flute | Sonoris SCD 108 |
| 1998 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Vivaldi – Concerto pour 2 violons en la mineur Janáček – Sonate pour violon et piano Saint-Saëns – Morceau de Concert Sarasate – Navarra Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No. 2, op. 18 | piano: Pascal Rogé, François Killian violins: Akiko Tanaka, Marek Kowalski, Jan Stanienda, Radosław Szulc Hervé Joulain, French horn | Sonoris SCD 109 |
| 1999 | Sinfonia Helvetica | Mozart – The Impresario Overture, K. 486 J.S. Bach – Concerto for oboe and violin, BWV 1060 Vivaldi – Concerto for two violoncellos in G Minor Mozart – Horn Concerto No. 3 in E flat Major, K. 447 Bottesini – Grand Duo Concertante | Bartek Niziol & Radosław Szulc, violin Birgit Welpmann, oboe Lidia Grzanka-Urbaniak & Stefan Rieckhoff, violoncellos Piotr Stefaniak, contrabass Hervé Joulain, co | Sonoris SCD 110 |
| 1996 | Sinfonia Varsovia | Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 1 in F sharp Minor Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor | Piotr Plawner & Bartek Niziol | Henryk Wieniawski Society |
| 1994 | Sinfonia Helvetica & Deutsches Kammerorchester | Dvořák: •Cello Concerto in B-minor, Op. 104 • Polonaise A-Dur, B. 94 •Silent Woods, Op. 68, No. 5 •Rondo g-moll, Op. 94 | Wen-Sinn Yang | Sonoris SCD 5154 |
| 1996 | POZNAN PHILHARMONIC | Lalo – Spanish Symphony Wieniawski – Violin Concerto No. 1 | Akiko Tanaka Reiko Otan | TMHW 1996-2 |
| 1984 | Biel Symphony Orchestra | Haydn – Symphony No. 92 'Oxford' | | Suisa MH CD 75.2 |
| 1986 | Biel Symphony Orchestra | Shostakovich – Cello Concerto No. 1 | Wen-Sinn Yang | Suisa MH CD 77.2 |
| 1987 | Biel Symphony Orchestra | Martin – Ballade for Viola & Orchestra Haug – Trumpet Concerto | Ole Edvard Antonsen, trumpet Hong-Mei Xiao, viola | Suisa MH CD 70.2 |
| 2001 | Hammerhead Consort | Orff – Carmina Burana | Aleksandra Kurzak Marek Gasztecki Calgary Girls Choir | Suisa MH CD 70.2 |
| 1984 | Biel Symphony Orchestra | Martin – Athalie Overture Haydn – Symphonie No. 92 'Oxford' | | Suisa MH SE-8 |
| 1983 | Bowling Green Philharmonia | Francesconi – Viaggiatore Insonne | | Access S-10 |
* Cultural offices Preceded byUri Mayer Music Directors, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra 1994-2002 Succeeded byWilliam Eddins