Pipes from the Great Synagogue in Gdańsk – discovered after 90 years
In 2025, I managed to find the last surviving organ pipes from the Great Synagogue in Gdańsk – one of the most important and representative buildings of pre-war Gdańsk, demolished in 1939 under pressure from the Nazi authorities. It was an incredibly moving moment: holding in my hands an authentic fragment of the instrument that had shaped the religious and musical life of Gdańsk's Jews for decades, I felt a real connection with the city's interrupted history.
The synagogue organ, built by the renowned workshop of August Terlecki from Elbląg, had 40 stops, three manuals, and a pedal keyboard. After the synagogue's closure, the instrument was brought to Krakow and then deposited in the monastery in Oświęcim, where it gradually deteriorated over the years. Most of the pipes were lost forever; only a dozen or so pieces survived, of which one—approximately 180 cm long—was successfully secured.
The discovery of these pipes has not only historical significance for me, but also symbolic. As organist of the Pestalozzistraße Synagogue in Berlin, one of the few places in Central Europe where the tradition of liturgy with organ and choir survived after World War II, I see this discovery as an impetus for further reclaiming a forgotten musical heritage. It is a material trace of a world that was brutally interrupted—and at the same time, a starting point for its symbolic return to the space of contemporary culture.
"Webb's Mirrors" - premiere of Dariusz Przybylski's composition
"They say that when we look at the stars, we actually see the past, because light takes so long to reach us. So, when listening to this piece, I also wanted listeners expecting futuristic scenes to actually listen to the past," is how the composer characterized "Webb's Mirrors" for cello, organ, and electronics. The premiere took place on November 13, 2025, at the Szczecin Philharmonic. I participated in it along with Katarzyna Stasiewicz and Zuzanna Całka.
On May 12, 2025, in Berlin, and a day later in Hanover, we performed concerts featuring the music of Dawid Ajzensztadt. Together with Lilianna Krych, Wojciech Parchem, the Match Match Ensemble, the Polish Embassy in Berlin, and the Willa Seligmann, the House of Jewish Music in Hanover, we are reviving this magnificent cultural heritage.
Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund
RECITAL IN JAMAICA
On 10 February 2024, I gave an organ recital at the Sha’are Shalom Synagogue in Kingston, Jamaica. As part of the concert, the world premiere of Ignacy Zalewski’s organ fantasy His Only Known Melody took place. The work is based on a melody by Myer Leoni, a cantor probably born in Poland who died in Kingston.
Leoni was the chief cantor of London and a respected operatic singer. In 1788 he left England and emigrated to Jamaica, where he died eleven years later. His grave is located in the cemetery on Elletson Road in Kingston. The only melody by Leoni that is known today is Yigdal.
Leoni’s melody was used by Ignacy Zalewski as the basis for his organ fantasy His Only Known Melody. Zalewski is one of the most acclaimed Polish composers of the younger generation and a laureate of more than twenty international and national composition competitions. His works have been recorded on nineteen CD albums and are performed in the most important concert halls in Poland, as well as in most European countries and in the United States, China, Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The venue of the world premiere was exceptional. The Sha’are Shalom Synagogue in Kingston was built in 1912 and is one of only five synagogues in the world with a sand-covered floor, in accordance with an old Sephardic tradition. The liturgy is conducted in the Reform tradition, which explains the presence of an organ. In addition to serving as a place of worship, the Jewish community also runs a school and a cultural center with a museum presenting the oldest Judaica in the entire Caribbean.
In addition to Ignacy Zalewski’s work, the program included compositions by Louis Lewandowski, Salomon Sulzer, Adam Porębski, Anna Maria Huszcza, Jehan Alain, and Gershon Efros. In two of these works, Jakub Stefek was joined by Michael Hilton, the synagogue’s cantor. The audience included members of the Jewish community, representatives of the Polish diaspora, musicians and teachers working in Jamaica, as well as residents of Kingston and the surrounding area.
I TOUR AROUND SZCZECIN
The beginning of 2024 brought a very interesting collaboration for me. I was asked to describe 55 landmarks in my hometown of Szczecin. The texts were used to create an app – a mobile audio guide around the city.
However, I would like to assure my friends and acquaintances that I will still be guiding you live, and I invite you all to download the app and visit Szczecin!
THE MUSICAL WORLD OF GERSHON EFROS
We invite you to discover the musical world of Gershon Efros, a cantor and composer who lived in Poland, Palestine, and the United States at the turn of the 20th century. He left behind a monumental Anthology of Synagogue Music. Within it, we find works by many cantors and composers associated with Polish lands in ancient times. These works have survived to this day thanks to Efros's extensive work after his emigration to the United States.
Together with excellent Polish singing groups, we prepared concert programs in which we performed music that once resounded in synagogues not only in large cities like Warsaw and Łódź, but also in smaller towns and villages. The goal of the concerts was not only to commemorate music and its creators. Through our joint efforts, we wanted to demonstrate how inspiring opportunities can be created even far from home, how diverse cultures are and how they shape our identity, and how understanding them allows us to better understand others.
CREATIVE SCHOLARSHIP OF THE CITY OF SZCZECIN
In 2023, I received a creative scholarship from the City of Szczecin. The committee selected four winners from over 60 applications. Thanks to the support of my hometown, I released a solo album. Thank you very much for this distinction!
AWARD FOR THE BEST DOCTORAL THESIS
On October 6, 2022, I received third prize in the 10th Majer Bałaban Competition for the best doctoral theses on Jews and Israel, organized by the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Israeli Embassy in Poland. This is the first time a work in the field of musical arts has received an award in the competition.
The jury, composed of representatives of academic communities from across Poland, recognized my work for its groundbreaking research and for placing an exceptionally narrow topic within a broad historical context. The work describes not only the phenomenon but also the specific dimension of the Haskalah as an assimilation movement viewed through the lens of musical culture.
This event has been held every two years, with a short break, since 1990. Many of the laureates and recipients of honors are now well-known and respected scientists and academics working both in Poland and abroad. Due to its long tradition and the subsequent careers of its laureates, the Majer Bałaban Competition can be considered the oldest and one of the most important awards in Poland for research on the culture and history of Jews and Israel.
I would like to thank my parents, Prof. Piotr Rojek, my supervisor, Professors Anna Kirschke-Valcarcel and Andrzej Chorosiński, my teachers, Anna Woźnicka, Ola Golińska, Kacper Nowacki, and my friends from the POLIN Museum Communication Department and my department at the University, as well as everyone whose help I could count on over the last four years!
ARTICLE "DETERMINANTS OF PERFORMING CARL LOEWE'S VOCAL PIECES WITH ORGAN ACCOMPANYMENT INSTEAD OF PIANO"
Given the growing interest in Carl Loewe in Szczecin in recent years, there has been a natural tendency to perform Loewe's music on the organ – an instrument that held a special place in the composer's life. A vocal piece written by the composer for voice and piano accompaniment must meet certain requirements for organ performance. These requirements include, among other things, the appropriate texture of the accompanying part and the textual layer of the work. It is possible to perform such vocal pieces with organ accompaniment without compromising the artistic value of the performance, while retaining the performance techniques characteristic of organ playing and minimal interference with the musical structure of the work.
Article in a multi-author publication available for download from www.akademiasztki.eu
ARTICLE "THE SERIOUS SOUND OF THE ORGAN REPEATED" IN THE JOURNAL OF THE JEWISH HISTORICAL INSTITUTE
"The solemn sounds of the organ were heard [...]. During [...] the procession through the central nave of the synagogue, straight to the altar, the choir, accompanied by the organ, sang the hymn: Ma tovu "O how beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your tabernacles, O Israel!"
The above excerpt from the account of the inauguration of the Great Synagogue on Tłomackie Street on September 26, 1878, is perhaps the most frequently cited, quoted, and circulated description of the atmosphere of liturgical celebrations, providing insight into the music that was part of them at that venue. It also remains an extremely enigmatic fragment, yet few people have yet decided to delve into these mysteries.
Firstly, the very presence of an organ in a synagogue is surprising to everyone. For decades after the war, we forgot or never learned that hundreds of synagogues built in the 19th and 20th centuries were equipped with these very instruments. Secondly, the author of the account clearly indicates that first "the solemn sounds of the organ rang out," and only then did the choir join in. This means that the entire event began with an organ prelude – meaning that not only choral music was performed at Tłomackie Street, but also solo instrumental music, which remains undiscovered today. Thirdly, this music was closely linked to the liturgical action. It was not something detached, prepared, functioning in sterile concert conditions, but something alive, conveying a message and stirring strong emotions in the liturgy participants. Today, there is no place in Poland where we can experience it in this way.
For a musician, the desire to explore these three mysteries provides a powerful impetus to begin research and find answers to questions such as: What organ stood in the Great Synagogue on Tłomackie Street? What pieces were performed on it? What kind of performance would allow us to experience the same emotions as those gathered there decades ago?
The entire article can be read in the ONLINE bookstore of the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw.
PREMIERE OF IGNACE ZALEWSKI'S "WHO WERE YOU, MR. GROSFELD?"
On November 6, 2022, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw hosted a very special concert. Together with the VRC Choir, led by Joanna Maluga, I performed solo organ pieces and choral works from the synagogue tradition. This was my subjective selection of works that resonate with me in a particular way. The program concluded with the premiere of Ignacy Zalewski's piece, "Who Were You, Mr. Grosfeld?", dedicated to me. This is another contemporary work for solo organ inspired by the Jewish tradition. Next year, I plan to record an album with these works.
DESIGNING A NEW SPECIALIZATION "ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING CULTURAL ACTIVITIES" IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023
Together with a group of lecturers from the Faculty of Music Education at the Academy of Art in Szczecin, we have created a new program within the "Artistic Education in Musical Arts" program. Starting in the 2022/2023 academic year, master's students will be able to pursue a specialization in "Organizing and Conducting Cultural Activity." We have divided the subjects into two blocks: the first is a theoretical block, which covers project management theory, law and finance in culture, and knowledge of consumer behavior. The practical block includes: a cultural practices laboratory (workshop-based exploration of various forms of artistic activity), the basics of music production (as part of the course, each student will compose, perform, and record their own piece), and internships at Szczecin cultural institutions. In addition to overseeing the overall operation of the specialization, I will teach a course on "Consumer Behavior in the Performing Arts Market."
SONGS OF ABRAHAM LICHTENSTEIN - JEWISH MUSIC DAYS IN SZCZECIN 2021
In the pages of Szczecin's musical history, alongside Carl Löwe's name, the name of Jewish cantor Abraham Lichtenstein (1806–1847) frequently appears. He served as the chief religious official in the Szczecin Jewish community from 1833 to 1847. He possessed an exceptionally expressive and powerful voice. He sang in Carl Löwe's oratorios and also played the violin. It was Abraham Lichtenstein who drew the attention of the renowned composer Max Bruch to Jewish music, which became the inspiration for his later works, including "Kol Nidre," which is still performed today. In 1847, at the invitation of the renowned Jewish composer Louis Lewandowski, Lichtenstein moved to Berlin, where he played a significant role in the development of synagogue music. Abraham Lichtenstein was also the builder of the Szczecin community's old synagogue. A small wooden building was erected on Grüne Schanze Street (now Dworcowa Street) between 1834 and 1835. The last service there was held on January 25, 1873. Later, the famous New Synagogue was built on the same site.
In 2021, we acquired manuscripts of synagogue songs composed and used by Abraham Lichtenstein during liturgies. The works come from the Eduard Birnbaum Music Collection, located at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. Adam Porębski from the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław undertook their arrangement. This is how "Shire Bet Haknesset" was created. Five synagogue songs based on Abraham Lichtenstein's melodies were premiered in versions for cantor, children's choir, and organ during the Jewish Music Days in Szczecin 2021. Thus, the music of its most famous Jewish cantor returned to Szczecin!
RECORDING FOR THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR JEWISH MUSIC
On June 6, 2021, at the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue in Berlin, I participated in recordings as part of the project "Objects and Spaces Reflecting Religious Practice: Traditions and Transformations in Jewish Communities in Germany after the Shoah," run by the European Center for Jewish Music in Hanover. The project aims to document contemporary synagogue music traditions in various Jewish communities in Germany.
Together with Isidoro Abramowicz and the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue Choir, we recorded excerpts from musical arrangements of the prayers performed during Friday and Saturday liturgies at the synagogue. The recording has been added to the collection of the European Centre for Jewish Music in Hanover. It will become a resource for future scholars of synagogue music, as an example of the special preservation of Jewish musical tradition after the Holocaust.
> Information about the project and access to the recordings <
The European Centre for Jewish Music at the University of Music, Theatre and Media in Hannover is the most important institution dedicated to comprehensive research, documentation, popularization and teaching of Jewish music in Europe.
Program:
Louis Lewandowski - Kabbalat Shabbat und Shabat Shaharit for choir, cantor and organ
Isidoro Abramowicz - money changer
Jakub Stefek - organ
Choir of the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue
Duration: 28:14
RESEARCH ARTICLE: THE ETHNIC FACTOR IN EUROPEAN ORGAN LITERATURE IN THE 19TH AND FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY AS EXAMPLED BY THE WORKS OF BRITISH, ITALIAN AND JEWISH COMPOSERS
This article presents examples of the emphasis on ethnicity in European organ literature of the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries, drawn from the work of British, Italian, and Jewish composers. In the case of British composers, the propositions of Ralph Vaughan Williams proved significant, primarily because he saw folk song as a tool for renewing music expressing a national style. Composers who wrote works inspired by traditional songs or directly quoted them, representing a significant novelty in British organ literature, included Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, Percy Whitlock, Cyril Bradley Rootham, Geoffrey Turton Shaw, and Harold Carpenter Lumb Stocks.
The influence of national trends on Italian organ literature is weaker, although it seems reasonable to assume that some composers may have been influenced by the myth of Romanità, which identified the characteristics of the Italian nation with ideas supposedly stemming from the traditions of ancient Rome. These included Giuseppe Corsi and Alfredo Casella. The phenomenon of composing organ marches that preceded the dissemination of this myth is noteworthy.
Against this backdrop, composers of Jewish organ music sought to emphasize the ethnic element in their works in the clearest, most consistent, and most comprehensive manner. Abraham Zevi Idelsohn summarized their ideological program, arguing that music intended for performance in synagogues, including Jewish organ music, should be based on traditional melodies and scales, while simultaneously utilizing systems of tonal harmony, which would both foster a prayerful mood and concentration among the listeners and facilitate its proper understanding. These composers included Louis Lewandowski, David Nowakowski, Arno Nadel, and others.
CONCERT COLUMNS 2020/2021
Information about classical music concerts – symphonic, chamber, and recital – in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons at the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin is accompanied by my columns. They describe the programs that will be performed at the Most Beautiful Building in Europe in the coming months. In them, you can read about the works and composers, as well as learn a bit about the behind-the-scenes work at the Philharmonic. I hope that our regular music lovers will find new and interesting information. In turn, audiences visiting us for the first time will be able to choose the event that best suits them. To read the columns and plan your visit to the Szczecin Philharmonic, please visit: filharmonia.szczecin.pl.
JEWISH MUSIC DAYS IN SZCZECIN 2020
Once again, we organized the Jewish Music Days in Szczecin as part of the SPOT.ON ART Foundation's activities, in cooperation with and courtesy of the National Museum in Szczecin. They took place on September 19-20, 2020. This time, I created an artistic concept that evoked the most magnificent period in Szczecin's history – the turn of the 20th century. These were times when the world's largest passenger ships were being built in our city, the most modern cars and machines were being constructed, and many significant and stunning buildings were erected. Klezmer music at its finest and the compositions of Arno Nadel were performed – for the first time in post-war history. More information at: spotonart.com
CHAPTER IN THE PUBLICATION: CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES OF MUSIC EDUCATION - WAS THE ORGAN HIPSTER? A HISTORIC INSTRUMENT IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
ABSTRACT: For many years, there has been a decline in interest in the organ, reflected, for example, in statistics on internet user traffic. A response to this trend may be the formulation of new postulates for artistic education concerning this instrument. The basis for this attempt to formulate these postulates is the cultural concepts selected by Barbara Fatyga as relevant in the context of considerations on youth culture, including Alfred Kroeber's division into reality culture, value culture, and social culture; Janusz Mucha's considerations of minority cultures; Margaret Mead's types of culture; and Mirosław Pęczak's circulation of culture. The theoretical considerations cited are supplemented in the article with examples from artistic practice. The list of postulates includes the search for new social groups that can use the organ as a tool for connecting the sphere of values and the manifestation of culture; the adoption of the organ as an attribute of a minority social group; the emphasis on the role of "emigrants in time" as carriers of ancient traditions; and the introduction of the organ into the third circulation of culture.
WORKING ON THE "I HEAR GOOD SOUNDS" CAMPAIGN 2020/2021
In the 2020 and 2021 editions, I am working on the "Hearing Good Sounds" campaign, implemented since 2016 by the Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin. We want our music lovers – young and old – to not only recognize good sounds but also fully enjoy them. The campaign encompasses activities on both a micro and macro scale, aimed at making a wide audience aware that our lives don't have to have a very loud soundtrack. Through workshops, meetings and educational games for children, youth, and adults, industry conferences, events in public spaces, unique artistic events, and a billboard campaign, SDD encourages people to combat noise and take care of the most sensitive audio equipment we have: our own ears. We also inspire people to seek out unique escapes from noise: school and urban harmony zones, which are being established in schools throughout the region and in the urban spaces of Szczecin. We engage dozens of volunteers and partners in our activities who, like us, believe that protecting and caring for hearing is caring for the quality of life.
SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE: CULTURAL PRODUCTS IN CONSUMER OPINIONS AS EXAMPLED BY THE OFFER OF THE POLIN MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF POLISH JEWS
SUMMARY: Artistic, cultural, and scientific activities are rarely referred to or considered as products. However, it is possible to conduct surveys of the opinions of cultural recipients, understood as consumers in the market for goods and services in this field. Analyzing the results allows us to conclude which elements of a cultural event influence recommendation and satisfaction rates, what determines the success of a given scientific or artistic endeavor, and consequently, optimize the resources allocated to the organization and development of the cultural sector. The aim of this article is to identify consumer opinions regarding the offerings of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw.
Keywords: cultural products, culture, museum, consumer
RESEARCH ARTICLE: DEFINING THE AUDIENCE OF ORGAN MUSIC
ABSTRACT: Low audience attendance at organ concerts indicates the need to define the role of organ music in meeting the needs of contemporary cultural consumers. One approach to addressing this problem may be to construct a marketing strategy based on segmenting the classical music market. Survey research identified two attractive groups of potential audiences. The ideal audience (approximately 15% market share) consists of individuals who regularly participate in culture despite limited free time. The potential audience (approximately 14% market share) is a group that does not attend classical music concerts, although they declare a favorable attitude toward it and point to the need to diversify their leisure time. Both groups declare a positive attitude toward organ music.
PAST CONCERTS
20 December 2020
Kobylanka, St. Anthony’s Church, Magnificat by Kim André Arnesen, organ part
19 December 2020
Szczecin, Church of the Holy Family, Magnificat by Kim André Arnesen, organ part
19 December 2020
Szczecin, Niebkogramie Music Festival, online organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
20 September 2020
Szczecin, National Museum, Jewish Music Days, online recital with Isidoro Abramowicz – cantor, Jakub Stefek – organ
10 September 2020
Berlin, Rykestraße Synagogue, Ordination and Investiture Ceremony of New Rabbis and Cantors, Jakub Stefek – organ
16–23 August 2020
Krzeszów, Basilica of the Grace of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Music of the Old Masters, organ broadcasts
15 August 2020
Szczecin, St. James’s Cathedral, International Music Festival, organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
28 June – 5 July 2020
Krzeszów, Basilica of the Grace of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Music of the Old Masters, organ broadcasts
7 June 2020
Szczecin, Grueneberg Festival, Organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
31 January 2020
Szczecin, Szczecin Philharmonic, An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss, organ part
16 January 2020
Szczecin, Seminary Church, Christmas Carol Concert, Jakub Stefek – organ
15 December 2019
Kołbaskowo, Holy Trinity Church, Carl Loewe in memoriam, concert
8 December 2019
Szczecin, Niebkogramie Music Festival, organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
29 November 2019
Szczecin, Palace of the Pomeranian Land, Carl Loewe in memoriam, concert
16 November 2019
Witnica (Lubuskie), Music of the New Synagogue, organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
31 October 2019
Woddow (Germany), Stabat Mater by Piotr Gryska, Jakub Stefek – organ
22 September 2019
Stargard, Church of the Holy Spirit, Inauguration of the organ, Jakub Stefek – organ
8 September 2019
Szczecin, National Museum, Jewish Music Days, recital with Isidoro Abramowicz – cantor, Jakub Stefek – organ
25–31 August 2019
Krzeszów, Basilica of the Grace of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Music of the Old Masters, organ broadcasts
27 July 2019
Szczecin, St. James’s Cathedral, Feast of St. James, organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
21–23 June 2019
Ostrołęka, Etnosakralia Kupiowskie Festival, introductory remarks to concerts
20 June 2019
Loitz (Germany), Stabat Mater by Piotr Gryska, Jakub Stefek – organ
19 June 2019
Ueckermünde (Germany), Stabat Mater by Piotr Gryska, Jakub Stefek – organ
15 June 2019
Szczecin, St. James’s Cathedral, Lecture and concert of works by Carl Loewe, Jakub Stefek – organ
10–14 June 2019
Międzyzdroje, Musica Sacra, organ broadcasts
8 June 2019
Szczecin, Palace of the Pomeranian Land, Vocal recital by Katarzyna Kostyk, Jakub Stefek – accompaniment
7 June 2019
Szczecin, Szczecin Philharmonic, Bluebeard’s Castle by Béla Bartók, organ part
19 May 2019
Szczecin, Church of the Holy Savior, Organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
18 May 2019
Szczecin, Garrison Church, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, KV 194, basso continuo
9 April 2019
Szczecin, Palace of the Pomeranian Land, Stabat Mater by Piotr Gryska, Jakub Stefek – organ
7 April 2019
Szczecin, Grueneberg Festival, Organ recital, Jakub Stefek – organ
4 April 2019
Szczecin, Garrison Church, World premiere of “Stabat Mater” by Piotr Gryska for soprano, alto, organ, strings, and children’s choir, Jakub Stefek – organ
29 March 2019
Szczecin, Szczecin Philharmonic, Symphony No. 2 by Gustav Mahler, organ part