Poland

The Warsaw Philharmonic was founded in 1901 on the initiative of Polish financiers and musicians; its hall, destroyed in the Second World War, reopened on 21 February 1955, when the ensemble was proclaimed the National Orchestra of Poland. It has hosted the International Chopin Piano Competition since the contest began in 1927. The Warsaw Autumn festival was founded in 1956 and was tied to the Polish Composers' School of the early 1960s, whose members included Penderecki, alongside Lutoslawski and Gorecki. Szymanowski belonged to the earlier Young Poland milieu.