"European Symphony": The composers are from Poland and Italy

The decision has been made: The “European Symphony” will be composed by three young composers from Poland and Italy. Andrzej Ojczenasz, Damian Dziwenka, and Francesco Darmanin have been awarded the three composition commissions for the Europe-wide project, as announced by the Dresden Symphony Orchestra, the lead ensemble for the project. 

The three composers, aged 30, 32, and 34, prevailed in the competition against more than 220 submissions from 26 European countries. The competition sought ideas that artistically engage with the unique conditions of a distributed real-time performance, as the participating ensembles are connected via a digital network.

The jury selected Ojczenasz and Dziwenka—both from Poland—to compose two works for a full symphony orchestra. The Italian composer Darmanin was commissioned to write a work for a symphony orchestra with choir. All three will each receive a prize of 14,000 euros. The compositions are to be 15 to 20 minutes long. 

World premiere via real-time broadcast from twelve countries

The world premiere will take place in June 2027. Ten orchestras and two choirs in twelve countries will perform together via real-time broadcast, made possible by specially developed European technology. At the Dresden Exhibition Center, 62 string players from the Dresden Symphony Orchestra will perform—the stage there will serve as the center of the performance. All other instrumental sections will be virtually present on large LED screens.

Participants include the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra with tuba and trombones, the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano in Italy with flutes, and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group in the United Kingdom with piano/celesta and harp. The Mozarteum Salzburg and the Czech Philharmonic will provide the choirs.