PRESTIGIOUS POLITYKA PASSPORT AWARD FOR MARZENA DIAKUN

I took this photograph of Marzena Diakun on 30th March 2014 at the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall. Yesterday this fantastic Polish conductor received the prestigious 2016 Polityka Passport Award - hats off!

SUPERSONIC PIZZICATO AWARD FOR AGATA SZYMCZEWSKA

Fantastic news! My friend, the amazing Polish violinist Agata Szymczewska, has won the prestigious international Supersonic Pizzicato Award for her album 'Modern Soul'! I consider myself very lucky to have shot the cover photo for this beautiful record.

MAESTRO PENDERECKI & HIS WELLINGTON BOOTS

01.03.2013, Katowice. Krzysztof Penderecki has been portrayed by many photographers, but I may be one of the lucky few who shot him in an unusual situation. A great composer strolling in his wellies is quite a rare sight; the occasion, too, was exceptional - that day Maestro Penderecki visited the construction site of the new Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra premises in Katowice. He was accompanied by Tomasz Konior, the architect who designed this magnificent hall. A few days ago Krzysztof Penderecki and his wife Elżbieta were awarded the Bene Merentibus Medal by the Association of Polish Architects. This photograph, among others, was shown during the celebrations at the Zamoyski Palace in Warsaw.

MAESTRO KASPSZYK ENLIGHTENS

17.10.2016, Warsaw. A recipe for a day to remember - to conduct a photoshoot starring a very wise man...

"THROUGH THE GLASS" EXHIBITION

13.01.2016, Szczecin Philharmonic. My work with Philip Glass sees a daylight for the very first time to his String Quartet no. 2 "Company".

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ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL'S MANHATTAN VIEW

Today I talked about working with a great American composer on the Radio. Elliot Goldenthal, as befits a true artists,  eats breakfast about 6pm which is when he gets up. He invited me to do the shoot at his apartment in Manhattan after lunch - it was more or less 1am. I began with a visit to the toilet as I was afraid to wet myself with excitement. When I came out I wanted to say to him: 'Elliot, man, we both do cool stuff, we both have an Oscar, although mine is a distant cousin in France, but blimey, the view from your loo's window does knock mine down.'

SEARCHING FOR GLASS IN NYC

10.11.2015, New York City. I checked the studio address several times with his agent to make sure he had given me the right one... From the outside the building looked very inconspicuous. I was confused, I had imagined a composer of his rank would work in a very modern recording space... the interior proved even more surprising - battered sofas, various appliances scattered around - it reminded me of the 80s pawnshops in Poland. It was only when I saw Philip Glass that I uderstood how it all matched him perfectly. He warmly greeted everyone and began to work immediately. The great respect he holds for other people became apparent to me. During lunch break, he snatched a page out of a notebook and took everyone's order. He then reached for his wallet and took out a wad of notes. He did ask me if I'd wanted anything, but I was speechless, moved by the scene. It was my birthday and I found a great place to spend it.

MUSTONEN BREAKS PIANOS

10.01.2014, Katowice. There are times when an accidental glance in the street seems more intense than 30 years lived with another person. There are times when a single touch feels more profound than a night shared with a loved one. There are pianists whose fingers lead a piano to such ecstasy that it breaks under their sounds.

MAKSYMIUK GETS LOST WITH KILAR

05.01.2014, Katowice. Maestro Maksymiuk remembered Wojciech Kilar. Many warm words were spoken. The conductor admitted that Kilar's music was so wonderful that when he conducted the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra during the last farewell concert for the Master he got so lost in thoughts that he would probably conduct until now if he wasn't prompted to stop by the musicians...

THE 12 CELLISTS IN SZCZECIN

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SIR NEVILLE MARRINER CONDUCTS POLISH NATIONAL RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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ON TOUR WITH MUNICH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA & ALEXANDER LIEBREICH

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KILAR DOESN'T KNEEL FOR A PHOTOGRAPH

14.11.2012. It was the greatest privilege and honour to be the only photographers in years invited by Wociech Kilar  to his home in Katowice. At some point during the session, the Composer stood posing next to the painting of Virging Mary that bore a special importance to him and said: 'perhaps I should kneel down now' and began to laugh. He turned toward me and continued: 'I do often kneel and pray here, but I shall not do that for the sake of the photograph - people would think I'm a nutcase!'

At the end of the shoot I went to the toilet, the walls were covered with posters of films to which music was composed by Kilar. I asked him whether I could take photos of those and he replied laughing out loud: 'sure, I better sit on the loo then!'.

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SHOOTING PENDERECKI

12.10.2012. The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra's season opening concert. The day started as usual - wake up, breakfast, dog's breakfast, coffee. Then, a walk to the shop, in search of a bell pepper that lies on a shelf in front of me, but I can't see it. People around me seem blurry. Everything goes black. When I regain consciousness I find mysels in a dark tunnel. Penderecki walkes past me, suddenly stops and stares at a small hall in the wall, he puts a finger in it and says: 'well, here's where they keep the bedbugs!' and dissapears behind the curtain.