The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first concert on 5 November 1901 at the newly built Philharmonic Hall. The orchestra was conducted by Emil Młynarski, the Philharmonic’s co-founder, first Music Director and Principal Conductor, while the soloist was Ignacy Jan Paderewski.
The Warsaw Philharmonic’s rapidly rising performance standards soon attracted outstanding artists from all over the world. Both before the First World War and during the interwar period, it established itself as the main centre of musical life in Poland and one of the most prominent musical institutions in Europe. Nearly all the famous conductors and soloists of the day performed here, including Claudio Arrau, Edvard Grieg, Arthur Honegger, Vladimir Horowitz, Bronisław Huberman, Wilhelm Kempff, Otto Klemperer, Sergei Prokofiev, Sergei Rachmaninov, Maurice Ravel, Artur Rodziński, Arthur Rubinstein, Pablo Sarasate and Richard Strauss.
In the first years after the Second World War, the orchestra’s concerts would take place in theatres and sports halls. On 21 February 1955, a new building for the Philharmonic at Jasna Street was inaugurated, erected on the site of its predecessor, which was destroyed by German air raids. On that day, the Warsaw Philharmonic received the title of a national institution.
Under the leadership of Witold Rowicki, the orchestra regained its status as the leading symphony ensemble in Poland. Between 1955–1958, it was Bohdan Wodiczko who held the position of Artistic Director, which he later handed over to Rowicki. In 1977, the position was taken over by Kazimierz Kord, and from 2002 to 2013, it was Antoni Wit who served as the Chief and Artistic Director of the Warsaw Philharmonic. From the 2013/2014 season, the post of Artistic Director was held by Jacek Kaspszyk, and he was followed by Andrzej Boreyko, who was the Artistic Director until the end of the 2023/2024 season. In the 2024/2025 season Krzysztof Urbański took over this function.
Today, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra enjoys worldwide popularity and acclaim. It has made over one hundred and fifty concert tours on five continents, appearing in all of the world’s major concert halls and participated in many prestigious international festivals. It regularly accompanies the finalists of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition and takes part in the “Warsaw Autumn” International Festival of Contemporary Music, the “Chopin and his Europe” International Music Festival and the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival. The ensemble records for the Polish Radio and TVP, as well as for Polish and foreign record labels and film companies and has frequently received prestigious phonographic awards, including a Grammy in 2013.