The quintet of the great Polish composers Chopin -€“ Szymanowsky / Moszkowski - Paderewski – Penderecki is truly like the crown of their great oeuvre in the history of music. We all know that Poland is the cradle of the world's most famous and impressive piano competition, the Chopin competition in Warsaw. However, a strong tradition is also evident in the competitions that celebrate the greats mentioned above. In addition to Vidović and the president of the jury, Mirosław Herbowski, a professor at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy in Krakow, the jury also included the French pianist and pedagogue Michel Bourdoncle, one of the most prominent Polish pedagogues and pianists Andrzej Tatarski, and the Ukrainian professor and pianist from Lviv, Ludmiła Zakopets.

The bond between Poland and Dubrovnik has been strong since ancient times, since the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra's beginning, since Ludomir Rogowski and his passion for our pearly city Dubrovnik.

This bond is now confirmed by Vidović with her frenetic statement after her return home:

"Up there, far away, in cold Poland where the sun is still pale and completely wintery, my heart was warmed by countless young talents who, from category A to those aged 25, have established themselves as exceptionally gifted and disciplined.

Ivana Marija Vidović and Szýmon Gośliński

In category A, at the age of eleven, the little prince Szýmon Gośliński, as I like to call him, delighted us with his breathtaking interpretation! Szýmon has already won numerous important competitions and festivals, including the Chopin competition in his category (the one for the youngest in Turzno). Among adults, Piotr Khottchenkov won with his performance of Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto in c minor, op. 37. The level of the competition is so enviable that I am still impressed. The most impressive thing is the fact that each candidate is required to perform at least one piece from Moszkowski's opus, so I myself "enriched" my repertoire by studying so that I could successfully judge.

M. Moszkowski's concert also delighted me in the performance in the finale of the impeccable Kielce Philharmonic and the young Lithuanian pianist Paulius Andersson. All in all, the wonderful bond between Poland and Dubrovnik remains, like a rainbow and hope that I have felt all along and which, I hope, will bring me back to that beautiful, tradition-rich country so close to us Croatians! Congratulations and thank you from the bottom of my heart, Poland! Gratulacje i Dziękuję Polska!"

Ivana Marija Vidović