Even long before the era of the great modern globalisation, different nationalities, religions and languages freely mixed on the streets of Kraków and other cities and towns of the Republic of Poland. The Kraków Philharmonic evokes the memory of this cultural melting pot preserved and cultivated in sounds, and the 4 Traditions Festival programme, as the title suggests, combines the themes and sounds of Latin, Byzantine, Jewish and Oriental traditions every year. This time we will hear Songs of the Levant performed by Wassim Ibrahim and friends, and the Kadya Trio will refresh the memory of Kadia Molodowsky, a Polish-American poet and writer of Jewish descent who wrote in Yiddish, and her poems for children musicalised by Alan Bern. We will be transported to the stages of pre-war revue theatres and cabarets by the Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra, which will play symphonically together with the FK Orchestra. The 4 Traditions Festival will close with songs by Romuald Twardowski interpreted by the FK Choir under the baton of Irina Bogdanovich, which draw upon the melodies and prayers of the Eastern Church.

8 May 2025, 7:30pm
Songs of Levant
Wassim Ibrahim and friends
Wassim Ibrahim Improvisation I
Shlom Lech (Ave Maria) in Arameic (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Wassim Ibrahim Improvisation II
Our Father in Arameic (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Al Tarek in Arameic (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Wassim Ibrahim Syriac Fantasy III
Ja tere tiri traditional (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Ghazali traditional (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Riad Alsunbati Longa Riad (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Kaduk Almayan traditional (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Diyab Mashhour Almaya (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Jbouri Alnajar & Nathem Naiima Tala min Bayt’ abuha
Ruhi Alchammash Samai Nahawand
Ibatli jalab traditional (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)
Fok’ iilna Chil traditional (arr. Wassim Ibrahim)

Tickets: PLN 50/40

11 May 2025, 6pm
Kadya Trio:
Leila Schutz – vocal 
Dr. Alan Bern – piano, accordion
Mark Kovnatskiy – violin
Kits, kats, ketsele & Eyns, tsvey, dray
A mayse mit a volf
Der yam
Bay an oremen man
Barelekh
Gedanken
Efnt dem toyer
Di dame mit a hintl
Di grill
Shtern faln
Falt a regndl arop
A krigeray 
words: Kadya Molodovsky, music: Alan Bern

Tickets: PLN 80/70

16 May 2025, 7:30pm
Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra
Warsaw Sentimental Orchestra:
Gabriela Mościcka – vocal, accordion
Kazimierz Nitkiewicz – trumpet
Lena Nowak – clarinet
Jakub Kotowicz – vibraphone
Łukasz Owczynnikow – double bass
Mateusz Kowalski – percussion instruments
Krzysztof Baranowski – guitar, mandolin

Tickets: PLN 40–90

17 May 2025, 8pm
Franciscan Church
Romuald Twardowski in memoriam
Kraków Philharmonic Choir
Irina Bogdanovich – conductor
Piotr Piwko – choirmaster 
Romuald Twardowski Alleluia
Romuald Twardowski Chvalitee Imia Gospodnie
Tomasz Szewerowski Vechernya
Romuald Twardowski Voskresenyie Christovo
Romuald Twardowski Vsyakoye dykhanie
Mykoła Dylecki Vechernya
Romuald Twardowski Vo carstvyi Tvoyem 

Tickets: PLN 50/40

 All concerts take place at the Kraków Philharmonic, unless stated otherwise.