I am thrilled to unveil my first solo album, Dolny Śląsk na puzon – Lower Silesia for Trombone. This project represents not only a deep personal passion for music and the trombone but also a heartfelt homage to my adopted home. From concept to completion, the journey of creating this album has been fueled by love, perseverance, and an unyielding commitment to my artistic vision.

This endeavor was made possible in large part thanks to the generous support of the Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Dolnośląskiego, which provided the majority of the project’s funding. This program awards stipends to individuals involved in artistic creation and cultural promotion, fostering the growth of the region’s rich cultural landscape. Through these initiatives, Lower Silesia champions the work of artists, enriching public access to the arts while encouraging creative expression in music, literature, theater, and more.

The result of this support is Lower Silesia for Trombone, a collaboration between myself, Eloy Panizo Padrón, and the extraordinarily talented pianist Monika Hanus-Kobus. This album offers a vibrant musical exploration of Lower Silesia, featuring both historic and modern compositions. Except for works by Daniel Speer, this album introduces premiere recordings to the trombone community, celebrating lesser-known treasures of the repertoire.

Lower Silesia’s musical heritage bridges the past and the present, blending centuries-old traditions with contemporary innovation. Joining me on this journey are Monika Hanus-Kobus and fellow trombonists Tomasz Hajda and Filip Kołaczyk. Together, we present a rich musical panorama, with works ranging from the 15th century to the modern day, all inspired by this beautiful region along the Oder River.

The album opens with the music of Thomas Stoltzer, a Świdnica-born composer from the late 15th century. Stoltzer’s polyphonic mastery is reimagined in Steven Verhelst’s trombone trio arrangement of Ex tractu do, inocauit, showcasing balanced harmonies and a timeless elegance.

Next, we delve into the Baroque with Daniel Speer’s 1697 sonatas. These rarely performed gems highlight Speer’s innovative contributions to trombone literature and provide an authentic glimpse into period performance practices.

The Romantic era emerges through the work of Wroclaw’s Wilhelm Eduard Scholz, whose Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (c. 1840) balances expressive Romanticism with neoclassical grace, now adapted for trombone and piano.

The album also celebrates contemporary composers from Wroclaw, including Leszek Wisłocki, Mirosław Gąsieniec, and the late Ryszard Klisowski. Wisłocki’s Sonata for Trombone and Piano fuses neoclassical clarity with avant-garde experimentation. Klisowski’s Three Grotesques for Trombone and Piano explores bold modernist textures, while Gąsieniec’s Capriccio offers a playful yet virtuosic dialogue between trombone and piano.

More than a collection of music, this album is a reflection of my personal journey and devotion to the trombone and the region’s rich cultural heritage. Every phrase has been crafted with respect for the composers and the traditions they represent.

I extend my deepest gratitude to my collaborators, Monika Hanus-Kobus, Tomasz Hajda, and Filip Kołaczyk; recording experts Przemysław Jarosz and Horacy Rodzeń-Jarosz; visual artists Edyta Jakubczak and Łukasz Rajchert; annotator Marcelina Werner-Śliwowska; translator Alixandra Porembski; and arrangers Steven Verhelst and Stefan Antweiler. My heartfelt thanks also go to the Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Dolnośląskiego, SPMK Records, the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław, Narodowe Forum Muzyki and all who believed in this project. Your dedication has made this dream a reality.