Polish Composers’ Union as a project partner of PWM Edition

Polish Composers’ Union as a project partner of PWM Edition

Polish Composers’ Union (ZKP) has become a partner in the third stage of the comprehensive digitalisation of unique PWM resources program ongoing since 2017. As part of the project “Digitalisation of resources held by PWM Edition– continuation” co-financed within FERC.02.03 Program, the Polish Music Library collection will be expanded by, among others, a collection of ZKP materials related to the International Festival of Contemporary Music “Warsaw Autumn”. This collaboration will enhance preservation and accessibility of this unique polish music heritage.

Polish Composers’ Union is an organisation operating since 1945 as a continuation of the Polish Composers’ Association established in 1925. Its first post-war authorities included such oustanding figures as Piotr Perkowski, Stanisław Wiechowicz or Witold Lutosławski, and one of its key undertakings is the International Contemporary Music Festival “Warsaw Autumn” organised since 1956 at the initiative of Tadeusz Baird and Kazimierz Serocki.

From the beginning of its post-war activity ZKP together with PWM Edition operated simultaneously sharing common goals and missions, including efforts in support of music culture, especially promoting Polish music, enhancing availability of music studies and conducting scientific and educational activity. These objectives are pursued to this day. Collaboration within the project is going to enable digitisation and sharing of the invaluable resources from the “Warsaw Autumn” Festival, including concert recordings, programme books, booklets and other resources which belong to the Union’s Library. Among the collections selected for the project unique phonographic resources documenting Polish music of the 20^th and 21^st century are especially worth noting along with other unpublished materials that are often the only remaining copies, which additionally emphasises the importance and impact of this undertaking.

“The ongoing digitisation project of the resources of Polish Composers’ Union is the next step in strengthening the collaboration established in 1945 between our institutions. I’m glad that these unique resources, often related directly to the creative community of PWM Edition, will be preserved as well as shared online at the Polish Music Library. It will allow users to access all the resources connected with Polish music of the last century in one place regardless of their origins”

– emphasises Daniel Cichy, Director and Editor-in-chief of PWM Edition.

It is already the third edition of the digitisation project carried out by PWM Edition and co-funded from European Funds. As part of the initiative the scheduled activities include preparing digital images of 13 950 objects that co-create unique resources of the national music heritage, out of which almost 6000 objects will be available online. The scores catalogue as well as a set of encyclopedic entries will be expanded and among the most important novelties, apart from the resources belonging to ZKP, the PBM portal will be enriched with digital audio versions of the already shared scores, films and educational resources or a collection of articles from Ruch Muzyczny. To accommodate users’ needs the website itself will be modified by optimalisation and implementation of solutions aimed at enhancing its accessibility through, among others, the use of AI component for personalized search results.

Effects of the project implementation will permanently expand the ability of both institutions to conduct its educational and cultural mission, offering to the wide audience unique tools and resources in their modern and easily accessible form. They will also contribute to permanent preservation of the invaluable cultural heritage as well as supporting and developing activities promoting Polish music both in Poland and abroad.

“Digitisation and sharing of digital resources of the PWM Edition and the Polish Composers’ Union” project is co-financed within the framework of FERC.02.03 “Digital accessibility and re-use of information” within Priority 2 of the The European Funds for Digital Growth 2021–2027 program.