Jakub Jakowicz: We get on well with the Łódź audience

It is possible to create an attractive repertoire by playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s Sixth symphony on a loop, but I believe that this is not the point; that theatres, philharmonics and other cultural establishments should also be challenges for the people who love a particular art form. Such a way of understanding the mission of the Philharmonic makes me close to the Łódź orchestra and its director – says Jakub Jakowicz.

Michał Marchlewski (The Łódź Philharmonic): How did you react to the proposition of cooperation with the Łódź Philharmonic as a residen artist and how do you feel about the upcoming concerts?

Jakub Jakowicz (violinist, chamber musician, educator and resident artist at the Łódź Philharmonic during the 2025/2026 season) : I am really happy about this cooperation, especially since this is a way in which the Philharmonic shows its appreciation of my work. I really care about making sure that the audience is not bored – i want to showcase violin as an instrument from different perspectives and provide an interesting proposition each time. I think that the repertoire we prepared will help achieve that goal as it combines the grand violin concertos with chamber music.

Exactly: Brahms, Dvořák, Szymanowski – what is your attitude towards the concertos that are pillars of the violin repertoire? Do you have your own ways of finding new freshness and pleasure in these pieces despite them being played and heard hundreds of times before?

I do not approach the issue with this attitude at all. These are compositions connected with my own life, my way of feeling the music and the emotions that accompany it. I am constantly changing, the world around me is changing, I am influenced by new circumstances, new meetings, new thoughts – naturally, the music itself is different every time. I don’t think about how many times and in what ways the pieces were played before while performing them again. I am rather more curious about what will happen this time during the incredible journey of playing each of the pieces. The relationship with the audience is also an important part of every performance – the contact with live music is, in my opinion, the most vital element of what we do. A mutual understanding with the listeners who know and love music ensures that if I do something well and in an original way it will be understood and appreciated.

What are your past experiences with the Łódź audience? What do you associate with the Łódź Philharmonic and what memories do you have of our city?

I have many memories, experiences and meetings connected to this city – I even played in the old Philharmonic building. I have a sense that I get on well with the Łódź audience; that they understand the feelings that I want to convey and that I also understand them well. I always derived a lot of satisfaction from playing in Łódź: I was convinced that the way in which I understood and felt the music really resonated with the audience. I remember many excellent concerts in Łódź – a recital with Paweł Wakarecy in the concert hall from a couple of years ago, a concert of XXth century music with Maciek Grzybowski in the chamber hall, a performance in the foyer with the Lutosławski String Quartet. I remember that these events received warm receptions and on top of that I was content that we had full control over the programs, just like chefs preparing a musical menu for the audience.

On the 6th of February you will perform Szymanowski’s Second Violin Concerto with the Łódź Philharmonic Orchestra. This will be an exceptional concert because it will take place a quarter of a century after you made your debut as a soloist, playing Szymanowski’s First Violin Concerto with the Munich Philharmonic. How has your view of your instrument and the role of a soloist changed during that time?

I began my solo career as a very young man. Everything was incredibly fresh and new for me. I was really young and the musicians I played with were adults. Now this age difference is starting to go the opposite way, which is an interesting experience [laughter]. The passage of time does not bother me – I approach it not with fear, but rather with a sense of calmness and curiosity; I feel that thanks to it I understand certain matters better and better. It has also changed my style of playing – at the beginning I used to approach performances as a solo, virtuoso endeavor; I played very loudly and energetically. Years of performing in string quartets and other chamber ensembles made me more in tune with the interplay between my parts and the orchestral parts. I gained an awareness that the solo part is just an element of the piece, which is co-authored by other instruments; that the solo voice is always framed by other ideas in terms of composition and arrangement. I feel this difference of approach even while playing the Szymanowski concerto, where the violin is juxtaposed with the huge symphony lineup, and achieving the appropriate balance between the mighty sound of the orchestra and the solo part, which can get lost amongst it, is not an easy matter.

The program of your performances in Łódź includes a standout chamber concert on the 18th of April. You will perform alongside the Lutosławski String Quartet, playing the material from your newest album with the music of Ernest Chausson. What made you choose the compositions of this french composer whose work is not well known in Poland? What drew you to his music?

The two particular pieces recorded by us on the album – the piano and string quartet concerto and the Poème op. 25. These are not only his most popular compositions, but also simply exceptional masterpieces. The concerto consists of four parts, which are excellently woven together in terms of building dramatic tension. Simultaneously, each of the four parts is a little gem on its own. However, the piece is rarely performed, also for practical reasons – it requires atypical instrumentation, three separate musical ”entities”. I am really content that this will be possible in Łódź because both of these pieces are worth discovering. The performance will bring me huge satisfaction, especially if it attracts audience members previously unfamiliar with these works of Chausson.

You have been playing pieces by lesser known composers in recent years, those outside of the iron-clad philharmonic canon – Szymon Laks, Artur Malawski or Valentyn Silvestrov. Is such a selection a form of rebelion against how narrow and repetitive the violin programs often are?

It is worth it to play lesser-known music as there is a huge amount of it out there. In many areas of life people like what they already know. I reckon that being an advocate, an ambassador for those less known composers and pieces is very important and interesting, helping in artistic development. Music is an incredible universe and nearly every day I try to find something that I haven’t heard before in it. I have to admit that this influences my mind and well-being in a positive manner; it gives me a conviction that I am continuously in an infinite, incredible musical journey and propels me forward. Despite the difficulties and technical issues connected to these pieces it is a worthy endeavour to navigate that ocean and attempt to discover this music for us and for our audience as this greatly enriches everyone involved. Looking at the Łódź Philharmonic repertoire, which does not slow down and includes several fantastic concerts, I can see that we have a similar outlook on this matter.

Is the music in your headphones and car speakers as diverse as it is in the programs of your concerts?

Yes, and it is not just classical music! Classical music takes up a lot of my time and attention, i cannot listen to it while simultaneously doing something else. As a result of this I believe that I currently listen to it way less than jazz, rock or pop music. The selection of sounds that surround me in my daily life is heavily influenced by my children, who are big music enthusiasts. We ride in the car together and listen to their musical discoveries from various genres. They are really into rap music and they love Eminem, who I used to consider a barbarian, but now his hits became also mine. In my opinion the polish version of Eminem is the rapper Łona, an incredible lyricist who even received an award from the Council of Polish Language. His songs are little multidimensional linguistic masterpieces that excellently describe reality. I believe that this is what classical music is sometimes missing for me – we deal mostly with old repertoire, playing pieces that are two or three hundred years old without any currently relevant parts or the authenticity that relates to our everyday lives. Lately I have had the opportunity to play at the premieres of some such pieces, such as the violin concerto written for me by Marcin Markowicz. It is a sort of personal musical collage inspired by different musical genres which Marcin deals with – including pop music or Radiohead records which we both listen to.

I think that the word ”diversity” also encapsulates your concert repertoire: during your performances alongside your father you often play baroque music (last time you played Manfredini at the ”Colours of Poland” concert in Poświętne) and your Łódź concerts will be comprised of many XIXth century pieces. Simultaneously, you perform at premieres of contemporary musical pieces. Is there a genre within which you clearly feel the best? Or is the diversity a goal in and of itself and a method to combat musical routine?

There is a very handy answer to that question: the piece that I am playing in a given moment is the most important one [laughter]. There is not one style which I would put on a pedestal and within which I would like to remain constantly – I think that the diversity is a gift and it would be hard for me to forgo it. I immerse myself in the music I play, especially if I am playing something for the first time, I am in awe and inspired by the music while working on the performance. It is always a conundrum – how do you read the music on the instrument, how do you play the notes in the optimal way. Later, after having played the piece multiple times, you enter into a dialogue with yourself, working on what you can do better or differently. Violin is an exceptionally challenging instrument. Even having already learned to utilize the most important aspects of proper playing technique, new elements come into play: learning to listen to yourself, finding ways to play more economically. The road to mastery never ends, which is why this is such a fascinating profession.

How would you describe your experiences cooperating with the Łódź Philharmonic musicians and the director, Paweł Przytocki? How is it working with them?

This is an orchestra for whom no repertoire is too dangerous or difficult. It’s a lineup characterized by curiosity, openness and amazing instrumental ability, coupled with a very particular kind of music hunger and gluttony; a willingness to play so many different things. Naturally, it is possible to create an attractive repertoire by playing  Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s Sixth symphony on a loop, but I believe that this is not the point; that theatres, philharmonics and other cultural establishments should also be challenges for the people who love a particular art form. Such a way of understanding the mission of the Philharmonic makes me close to the Łódź orchestra and its director. I also would really like to participate in the creation process of such repertoire that stirs the pot intellectually and artistically. I really value Paweł as a person. He always has something interesting to say – not just about music, but also history, culture, politics or his own experiences. When we finally have a chance to see each other, our conversations deal with many different matters and often are particularly memorable for me.

You are used to performing in the most important concert halls of Poland and Europe. Because of that experience I am the more curious about your impressions of the ”With Classical through Poland” (”Z klasyką przez Polskę”) program organized by the National Institute of Music and Dance, as a part of which you visited three small villages in the Lublin region: Markuszów, Żółkiewka and Siennica Różana together with Łukasz Chrzęszczyk. How was your experience playing these concerts? How were they received by a public that is not used to regular participation in such events?

It was truly an incredible series of concerts. The word ”province” often invokes negative connotations, however the people living in smaller localities are often more well-read than the inhabitants of big cities; they know more about culture and history – especially the events connected to their home regions. It is possible that not being consumed by the hustle and bustle of a city allows them to have more time for reflection. These concerts have a particular atmosphere and I get the feeling that the experiences connected to them are somehow even deeper than those in grand halls, where people sometimes go just to be seen at the events, There is a popular saying that chamber music has been in a state of crisis since its inception. Because of this, being a chamber musician is also connected with passing on your passions for these incredible masterpieces that we are able to play. I felt that during those concerts I could fulfil that mission.

What musical challenges apart from being the resident artist in Łódź await you in the coming months?

I begin the season with a strong punch, because in September we perform Marta Ptaszyńska’s violin, cello and symphony orchestra concert with Marcin Zdunek. We will also play a lot with the Genesis Piano Trio – an ensemble functioning for the past two or three seasons in which i play with Marcin and Szymon Nehring. I also plan to perform the Sibelius concerto solo. It is one of my favourite pieces within this genre – i played it in Łódź in the old Philharmonic building with the orchestra conducted by Marek Pijarowski. Today I am coming back to it with much more experience. Apart from this, I will be playing concerts with the Zehetmair Quartet, with whom I have played for the past twenty years and this year will have the opportunity to play the first violin in the ensemble for the first time. We will be playing Szymanowski’s Second String Quartet and Tchaikovsky’s Third String Quartet. It is an exceptional composition, a true masterpiece – very reserved, full of profound contemplation.