Biography
“A shooting star of the classical music scene.”
Die Rheinpfalz
“I have known Mateusz Molęda very well for many years, and I am absolutely convinced that he is a highly talented conductor.”
Marek Janowski
Since his first appearance conducting an orchestra at the age of 19, Mateusz Molęda has consistently impressed both audiences and critics with insightful interpretations of eclectic concert programs. In October 2023, he solidified his position as one of the most captivating and noteworthy figures among today’s conductors by winning the 1st Prize and the Orchestra’s Special Prize at the prestigious and distinguished International Sergei Kussewitzky Conducting Competition.
Having recently received enthusiastic reviews by the German press, where he was described as a shooting star of the classical music scene, in the 2024/25 season Mateusz will make his debuts with the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Warsaw National Philharmonic, among others.
Engagements as a guest conductor have taken Mateusz to numerous countries around the world, including the UK, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Canada, South Korea, and South Africa. He has worked repeatedly with the London Mozart Players, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, the Orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin, the Nuremberg Symphony, the Heidelberg Philharmonic, the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin, the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, the Aarhus Symphony, the Odense Symphony, the Hungarian National Symphony, the NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic, and the Hamilton Philharmonic, among others.
The Bavarian Broadcasting channel BR-Klassik praised Mateusz's compelling and captivating interpretations across a wide range of musical styles, and his dynamic presence and unwavering conviction on the podium. His deep analytical approach to both the music and the composer was especially noted, as well as his meticulous attention to details and focused determination to refining every aspect of the performance.
Mateusz’s musical journey has been profoundly influenced by his long-standing mentor Marek Janowski, whose guidance has played an essential role in shaping his artistic development and career over the years. At Janowski's personal request he also worked as an assistant with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Berlin Radio Symphony, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, and the Dresden Philharmonic.
Born in Dresden, Mateusz is deeply rooted in both German and Polish traditions. He initially studied the piano at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media under the tutelage of Arie Vardi, one of the most esteemed music pedagogues of recent decades. He further pursued his studies in Early Music and Historically Informed Performance Practice in collaboration with Zvi Meniker, a renowned authority in the field and a disciple of Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Before his conducting career, Mateusz has performed as a concert pianist both in recitals and as a soloist with renowned orchestras across more than 25 countries around the globe.
Mateusz is a keen multilingual fluent in German, Polish, English, French, and Russian. In 2021, he received his PhD at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Cracow with a dissertation on polyphonic compositional techniques in Sergei Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 and their impact on the expressiveness in conducting interpretations.