Gdańsk Music Festival is by design devoted to classical music with a possibility to widen the program with other music genres or even arts which may contribute to its popularization. Through the expression "classical music" one should understand as well early music as contemporary music for which romanticism and XX th century modernism compositions have been a counterpoint. Through the expression "other genres of music and art" one should understand jazz, popular music, multimedia arts, which combined with classical music, bring it closer to the audience least oriented in this matter. Gdańsk Music Festival differentiates from the other music festivals with the diversity of music specializations. The artists selection criteria was on one hand to choose the worldwide famous stars and on the other to promote young artists. In Gdańsk over the centuries had worked many composers whose names were persistently subscribed to the worlds culture heritage. Paweł Siefert, Francisco de Rivulo, Andrzej Hakenberger, Jan Walenty Meder, Freislich family - are just a few examples from the captivating history of the city by the Motława River and in the same they are one of many proofs of the city´s multiculturality. In Gdańsk for the centuries were meeting and still are meeting various styles, tendencies, directions which create a kind of a platform for exchanging thoughts and beliefs, not only concerning music but also broadly understood culture. Gdańsk is a place of birth of many social movements including the most important one for contemporary Europe - Solidarność. Gdańsk in the former times was also a place, for living in which, strived many prominent artists and the posts of a Chapel Master of the City Council Chapel or the Chapel of Saint Marien Church belonged to the most desirable in Europe. Contemporary Gdańsk has then again an enormous creative potential of people and societies binded with the city and working on its ground. The festival is by design a platform of cooperation between the most important institutions which are often competing with each other on a regular basis. Gdańsk is the abode of situated in a beautiful object Polish Baltic F. Chopin Philharmonic in Gdańsk. Gdańsk is also the residence of The Academy of Music, in which for 60 years were inter alia organized: Piano Department created by professor Zbigniew Śliwiński, String Instrument Department that continues the traditions of a legendary class of professor Stefan Herman, Vocal and Acting Department carries on equally legendary achievements of professor Barbara Iglikowska or Organ Unit whose students are the winners of the most prestigious organ competitions in Europe. Last but not least Gdańsk is a place in which, as in the former centuries work and create great composers like Eugeniusz Głowski, Krzysztof Olczak, or among younger Agnieszka Stuldzińska and Radosław Łuczkowski.

A crucial element of the festival is a Resident - a prominent personality in the world of art, that also influences its programme. In 2009 Elżbieta Sikora has agreed to take this function - a world wide famous composer active from the 80 -ties in Paris. An inauguration concert will take place on 18 th April 2009. The Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra will be conducted by Maestro Jerzy Maksymiuk and a programme will include a concert for electroacustic harp "South Shore" by Elżbieta Sikora. On an instrument brougth specially to the festival from France will perform an outstanding harpist - Isabelle Perrin. Elżbieta Sikora's copmposition "" Rappel III"" will be included in a programme of Polish Chamber Philharmonic concerts under the baton of Wojciech Rajski and in a programme dedicated to Gdańsk's contemporary music. A celebration of 250 anniversary G. F. Haendel's death and 10 anniversary of J. Rodrigo's death will be an important element of the festival. On 26 th of April we will hear the Haendel's oratorio " Judas Maccabaeus" with the Polish Chamber Choir, the barocco orchestra from Dusseldorf and the English soloists under the baton of Jan Łukaszewski and on 24 th April will take place a symphonic concert with Rodrigo's music performed by a laureate of the first prices on the numerous international competitions - Marcin Dylla. Among guests of the Gdańsk Music Festival in 2009 will also be: The Slovak Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra in Koszyce, a cellist Sergey Antonov - the winner of Peter Tschaikovsky's Competition in Moscow, a sensational piano duo Genova/Dimitrov and one of the most outstanding clarinettists - Wolfgang Meyer As on the first edition of the festival, in 2009 the concerts will take place in the whole region. Their idea is on one hand a promotion of the event and making it possible for the melomans to participate in the festival without a necessity of coming to Gdańsk. The concerts will take place in Sopot, Starogard Gdański, Elbląg, Trąbki Wielki