Guerrero to Serve Concurrently as Music Director in Nashville and in Wrocław
Nashville, Tenn. (June 9, 2017) – The National Forum of Music in Wrocław, Poland, today announced that Nashville Symphony music director Giancarlo Guerrero has been named music director of the Wrocław Philharmonic, and will begin his tenure there on a part-time basis starting with the upcoming 2017/18 season.
A five-time GRAMMY® Award winner who has overseen a highly productive and successful period for Music City’s resident orchestra, Guerrero will continue to serve as the Nashville Symphony’s music director, a post he has held since 2009 and to which he has committed through the 2024-25 season.
Guerrero will conduct four weeks during his first season in Wroclaw (pronounced “Vro-tz-wav”) and will then spend eight weeks per season with the orchestra, in addition to touring and recording activities, beginning with the 2018/19 season. The National Forum of Music in Wrocław is located in the historic center of Wrocław and operates a state-of-the-art multifunctional concert venue which opened in 2015.
For Guerrero, the new concert hall’s impact on the community reminded him of the effect that the Schermerhorn had on Nashville when it opened in 2006. “Wrocław takes great pride in its orchestra, and the new hall reflects the vibrant community around it, revitalizing the city in a way that is reminiscent of what Schermerhorn Symphony Center helped to do for downtown Nashville when it opened 10 years ago,” he said.
Another parallel Guerrero found between Nashville and Wrocław was an undeniable chemistry with the orchestra’s musicians: “As with my first encounters with the Nashville Symphony, I felt a connection with the musicians of the Wrocław Philharmonic from the moment I started working with them, when I came to fill a last-minute cancelation in October 2016. My initial impressions of the musicians, the quality of the new hall and this lively city were confirmed when I returned in December.”
Nashville Symphony president and CEO Alan D. Valentine said that Guerrero’s appointment in Wrocław affirms the growing visibility of Nashville’s own orchestra. “Maestro Guerrero’s vision, drive and commitment to artistic excellence have played an integral part in the Nashville Symphony’s steadily building reputation,” Valentine said. “His appointment to lead the Wrcoław Philharmonic is a testament to the impact he has made in Nashville, and it reflects the acclaim that his work with our orchestra is generating around the world. Maestro Guerrero will dazzle audiences in Wrocław, just as he continues to do in Music City, and I am confident that in his new role he will be a dynamic ambassador for Middle Tennessee.” Giancarlo Guerrero’s full bio can be found online here.
About the National Forum of Music and Wrocław Philharmonic
In 1945, when Poland emerged from the chaos of war, the Polish city of Wrocław immediately founded the City Symphony Orchestra, which was later renamed Wrocław Philharmonic. Today the orchestra performs over 50 projects per season of subscription concerts, education projects, recordings, radio broadcasts, and outdoor concerts. The orchestra has worked with all of Poland’s great 20th century composers, including Krzysztof Penderecki, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, and Witold Lutosławski. Promoting Polish music is a special focus of the orchestra. While touring Europe and the United States, the orchestra has presented works by Szymanowski, Lutosławski, Górecki, and Penderecki.
In addition to the Wrocław Philharmonic, the National Forum of Music organizes the activities of 11 instrumental and vocal ensembles, including the NFM Symphony Orchestra, NFM Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra, Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, NFM Choir, Polish National Youth Choir, NFM Boys’ Choir, Lutosławski Quartet, LutosAir Quintet, NFM Ensemble, Polish Cello Quartet, and NFM Leopoldinum String Trio.
The NFM gives special importance to educational projects for children and young people, as well as projects dedicated to adults, engaging new audiences by encouraging active participation in cultural life. NFM ensembles participate in recordings and tour internationally. More on the National Forum of Music can be found here.
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