Just in: Polish competition bans all Russian music

Message received from the Director of the Karol Szymanowski International Music Competition:

Given the current sensitivities in Poland to Russian culture, and as a gesture of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, it has been decided that no works by Russian composers will be performed at the 2nd Karol Szymanowski International Music Competition in Katowice.

We are filled with sadness, as we remained hopeful to the very last moment that the conflict across our border would be solved peacefully and we would be able to continue organising the Competition without such decisions needing to be made.

We are acutely aware that this decision comes only a few weeks before the Competition begins and that those competitors who had planned to perform works by Russian composers are at a disadvantage. To ensure the Competition remains equal for all competitors, the Jury has decided to reduce the length of the required programmes.