Music for Future 2026

International Youth String Orchestra Project

Krzyżowa, Poland | 5–12 July 2026

About the Project

Music for Future is an international youth project built around a shared belief: that music can be a space for genuine encounter, creative courage, and meaningful dialogue.

Born in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this year marks the fifth edition of the project. What began as an act of solidarity has grown into something enduring — a community of young musicians from across Europe who come together each summer to make music, ask difficult questions, and reimagine what it means to be an artist today.

At the heart of the project is an international youth string orchestra, with classical music as a shared point of departure. But Music for Future goes further — creating space for exploration across multiple musical languages: classical, folk, jazz, world music, and contemporary. Through workshops, masterclasses, rehearsals, and informal exchanges, participants are invited to experiment with improvisation, composition, alternative approaches to their instruments, and the discovery of their own musical voice.

The environment is intentionally non-hierarchical: curiosity is valued over perfection, expression over conformity, dialogue over fixed roles. Guided by experienced mentors, young musicians don't just prepare a concert — they build something together.

The project is professionally documented through photography and video, giving participants a lasting record of their work — and providing schools and institutions with visual materials that reflect the quality and spirit of the programme.

Who Can Apply?

The project is open to young string players (violin, viola, cello, double bass) aged 16–26 from across Europe.

No specific repertoire is required for the application — we are looking for musicians who are open, engaged, and ready to explore.

👉 Apply here: Application Form

The Team

Anna Sułkowska-Migoń — Conductor

Winner of the first prize at the La Maestra conducting competition in Paris (2022) and recipient of the Neeme Järvi Prize at the Gstaad Conducting Academy (2023). Since her prize-winning debut she has performed with all major Polish orchestras and appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra, orchestras across North America and Europe, and made her operatic debut at the Bern Opera House. A passionate advocate for Polish music and emerging artists. annasulkowskamigon.com

Doris Błaszczyńska-Mogilska — Conductor's Assistant & Concert Preparation

Violinist, vocalist, and composer rooted in Polish folk traditions, with a background in classical and jazz music. Member of Kwiat Jabłoni and the Chopin Chamber Orchestra, long-time collaborator of Piwnica Św. Norberta, and recipient of the Kraków City Creative Scholarship (2022).

Wiola Jakubiec — Workshop Leader & Concert Preparation

Violinist, vocalist, and ethnomusicologist from the Żywiec Beskids. Co-founder of the avant-folk duo SEKUNDa, founder of the children's music education project Muzykowanki, and lecturer in traditional music at the Academy of Music in Katowice. Specialises in traditional singing and empowering musicians to find their authentic voice.

Mateusz Smoczyński — Masterclass 

One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary string playing — violinist, composer, and band-leader moving freely across classical, jazz, and world music. Co-founder of Atom String Quartet, former member of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet, and professor of jazz and world music violin at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Winner of the Fryderyk Award 2025 for Jazz Composer of the Year. jazzviolinist.com

Programme

The project runs from 5 to 12 July 2026 and is designed as a gradual journey — from first encounters to a shared performance on stage.

Participants arrive on Sunday 5 July and are welcomed with an introductory meeting and an interactive space designed to break the ice. The day ends with a masterclass led by Mateusz Smoczyński and the first orchestral rehearsal together.

The following days establish a daily rhythm of morning warm-ups and rehearsals, punctuated by moments of reflection and evening programmes that reach beyond the concert hall. On Monday, participants are introduced to the history and spirit of Krzyżowa through a guided tour of the site — a place whose story of reconciliation resonates deeply with the values of the project. Tuesday evening is dedicated to a workshop on stage presence and performance confidence, helping young musicians connect more fully with their own expressiveness. Wednesday brings a jam session — a space for spontaneous musical conversation and creative risk-taking. On Thursday, the group trades the rehearsal room for the outdoors: a hiking trip is followed by a workshop on world music and an evening bonfire.

A workshop on traditional singing, woven into the early part of the week, invites participants to explore vocal traditions as a living, breathing form of expression — guided by Wiola Jakubiec, who specialises in this field.

The project builds towards two public concerts. The first takes place on Friday 10 July in Krzyżowa, followed by a celebration dinner. The second — and final — concert is performed on Saturday 11 July in Wrocław, with time afterwards for participants to explore the city freely.

The project closes on Sunday 12 July with a collective evaluation and open conversation about the week — and ideas for the future.

Throughout the entire project, participants are accompanied by professional photographers and videographers, creating a lasting visual record of the work and the community built during the week.

About Krzyżowa

The project takes place at the Krzyżowa Foundation in Lower Silesia — a site of deep historical significance, known as a centre of European cooperation and intercultural dialogue. It is a fitting home for a project that believes in the power of music to connect across borders and differences.

Contact

For questions, please contact the project coordinator: Monika Włoszczyk
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Music for Future 2026 is a project of the Krzyżowa Foundation.