On 3–6 December 2025, the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław hosted the tenth anniversary edition of the International Choral Conducting Competition ‘Towards Polyphony’ – the only competition in Poland for young conducting students of such high and established standing. In keeping with tradition, the event culminated in a gala Concert of Laureates, during which the winners of this year's edition presented themselves.

Forty-one young conductors from 12 countries around the world applied to participate in the Competition. After reviewing all applications, 16 people representing China, France, Georgia, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine and Hungary were selected to participate.

The competition, spread over three stages, allowed the jury to assess both conducting technique and musicality, artistic personality and effectiveness in working with the ensemble. Eight participants advanced to the second stage, and the five highest-rated participants advanced to the final.

Winners of the 10th Competition

Main prizes

1st place – Jakob Ivačič (Slovenia)
2nd place – Aistė Krivickaitė (Lithuania)
3rd place – Karol Knapiński (Poland)

Honourable mentions

• Jean Fortunier-Cateland (France)
• Dominika Nakielna (Poland)

Special prizes

• Jakob Ivačič (Slovenia) – Siauliai State Chamber Choir Polifonija Prize (Lithuania): concert in November 2026
• Jakob Ivačič (Slovenia) and Karol Knapiński (Poland) – Special Award from the Cantores Minores Wratislavienses choir: concert in the 2026/2027 season
• Jakob Ivačič (Slovenia) – Award for the best performance of early music, funded by the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Austria, Dr Edward Wąsiewicz
• Aistė Krivickaitė (Lithuania) – Award of the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania, Tomasz Artur Kosonia, for the winner from Lithuania
• Jakob Ivačič (Slovenia) – Tournament Choirs Award, granted by the ensembles participating in the Tournament

This year's edition brought together outstanding choral ensembles, which enabled young conductors to work on a diverse repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to 20th-century works:

AMKL combined choirs
Cantores Minores Wratislavienses
Europa Chor Akademie Görlitz
Chamber Choir of the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz
National Forum of Music Choir
In total, nearly 200 choir singers performed on stage, whose artistic commitment significantly enriched the quality of the competition presentations.

The participants' performances were evaluated by an international jury composed of:

Chairwoman - Prof. Marta Kierska-Witczak, PhD – Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław
Members:

Prof. Alois Glaßner – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
Dr Linas Balandis – Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in Vilnius (winner of the 7th Competition)
Jan Hoffmann – Europa Chor Akademie Görlitz, Semperoper Dresden
Prof. Jolanta Szybalska-Matczak – Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław (replacing Prof. Marek Gandecki from the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań).
Secretary of the jury:

Aleksandra Milcarz, MA – Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław
The professional organisation of the Competition was supported by a team of nearly 20 volunteers – students of our Academy. Their work, commitment and cordiality created an atmosphere conducive to both competition and the exchange of experiences, as well as the formation of new friendships.

Honorary patronage

His Magnificence Rector of the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music, Prof. Krystian Kiełb
Marshal of the Lower Silesian Province, Paweł Gancarz
Mayor of Wrocław, Jacek Sutryk
Honorary Consul of Austria, Dr Edward Wąsiewicz
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania Tomasz Artur Kosoń
Honorary Consul of the Italian Republic Monika Kwiatosz

Partners

KGHM Foundation – President of the Management Board Grzegorz Rataj, Chairman of the Supervisory Board Marian Noga
Liaison Office of the Free State of Saxony – Director Anna Leniart

Media partner

Ruch Muzyczny – Editor-in-Chief Daniel Cichy
World Online Music Competitions Organisation

Media patronage

PRESTO magazine – director Teresa Wysocka
Radio Wrocław – president Tomasz Duda; Head of Cultural Editorial Department Grzegorz Chojnowski; patronage coordination: Anna Mikołajczyk
Radio RAM – president/editor-in-chief Anita Białek; Head of Radio RAM Jan Pelczar; Music Director Piotr Bartys
Media coverage

TVP3 Wrocław – Branch Director, Editor-in-Chief Ewa Wolniewicz
The anniversary edition in the context of the history of the Competition

The tenth edition of the competition was a special opportunity to recall the more than thirty-year history of the ‘Towards Polyphony’ Competition, dating back to 1991, when, on the initiative of Prof. Zofia Urbanyi-Krasnodębska, the idea was born to create an event that would enable young conductors to engage in artistic competition at the highest level.

The creator of the Competition concept, Prof. Zofia Urbanyi-Krasnodębska, gave it the character of a ‘noble knightly rivalry’, establishing a symbolic bridge connecting the choral communities of Eastern and Western Europe. Over three decades, the Competition has grown, gaining prestige and recognition, and its winners are now shaping the global conducting scene, holding important positions in leading music institutions.

Over 140 young conductors have participated in previous editions, and choirs cooperating with the competition – including ensembles from the Wrocław Academy of Music, the NFM Choir, Cantores Minores Wratislavienses, Europa Chor Akademie Görlitz and choirs from music academies
in Katowice, Poznań and Bydgoszcz – have created a unique space for education and the exchange of musical experiences.

It is impossible not to mention the outstanding winners of previous editions, who today contribute to the landscape of European choral music, namely: Martynas Staškus (1991, Lithuania), Evita Taranda (1999, Latvia), Kaspar Ādamsons (2005, Latvia), Jānis Ljepiņš (2008, Latvia), Alexandr Humala (2011, Belarus), Yuval Weinberg (2014, Israel), Linas Balandis (2016, Lithuania), Heng-Yi Pao (2019, Taiwan),  Sophia Khutsishvili (2022, Georgia).

We look forward to 2028 and the next edition of our event, believing that the International Competition ‘Towards Polyphony’ will once again become a unique celebration of choral art and a space for creative encounters for young conductors from around the world.

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