The eighth International Conducting Competition was held in Katowice, the famous city of Poland, from 16^th to 25^th November, 2007. Chinese conductor Chen Lin from the Conducting Department of Central Conservatory of Music won the second prize as “Silver Baton” and “The Best Conductor of Works of Polish Famous Composer Karol Szymanowski”.

By the closing date of entry for the competition (April 30th , 2007), 209 applications had been submitted with DVD's or videotapes.  All of the candidates in the competition represented 41 nations. On the basis of the videotapes 40 candidates were invited to participate in the competition.

After the Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw and Wieniawski Violin Competition, the Fitelberg Competition is the third most important and largest music competition in Poland . This very prestigious competition is recognized by the World Federation of Music Competitions in Geneva.

Grzegorz Fitelberg (1879-1953), legendary composer and conductor, was internationally known as the “Ambassador of Polish Music.” The life of this maestro was dedicated to promoting and propagating Polish art, culture, and music worldwide. Fitelberg began his career by founding a group of composers consisting of Szymanowski, Karłowicz, Rozycki and Szeluto, known as "Young Poland" [Młoda Polska]. His composing career was cut short in order to champion the compositions of his colleague Szymanowski. As a conductor, some of the greatest orchestras of Fitelberg's time were under his baton, including the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Opera, Imperial Opera and Bolshoi Ballets, Ballets Russes, and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Fitelberg's birthday in 1979, Karol Stryja created and organized the first five Fitelberg Competitions, as a special tribute to his life-long mentor. Stryja was succeeded by author, biographer, historian and musicologist Leon Markiewicz. Markiewicz has since contributed to the repertoire of scholarly works and to the oeuvre of studies about Fitelberg, including a biography, Grzegorz Fitelberg (1879-1953) - Życie i Dzieło; a brief English excerpt and monograph, Grzegorz Fitelberg 1879-1953. The Great Polish Conductor; as well as a collection and compendium of correspondence, Grzegorz Fitelberg Korrespondecja. These works shed a bright light on the personal and professional life of the maestro.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his death in 2003, and in conjunction with the 7th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors, an archival CD sound recording was released of the maestro conducting the works of Polish composers Moniuszko, Noskowski, Fitelberg, Karłowicz, Lutosławski, and especially of Szymanowski.  This award-winning CD won the prestigous Frederyk Award (the Polish equivalent to the American Grammy Award) for classical music.

This year, the 8th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors paid special tribute to the "Ambassador of Polish Music" by continuing his legacy of the promotion and propagation of Polish culture and international friendship throughout the world.

The all-Poland promotion of the 8th International Competition for Conductors is provided by the Municipal Office in Katowice and the Mayor, Piotr Uszok, including our competition in the action of "Katowice - a City of Great Events". Internet portals and numerous press, radio and television editorial offices wish to have a media patronage over the competition. During the competition they will be "Conductor's Newspaper" published, the premier of the 5th Advent Symphony by Wojciech Kilar shall be broadcast by TVP 1, and the inauguration concert shall be relayed in full. The direct broadcasting of the winners' concert shall be played by the 2nd Programme of the Polish Radio and TVP Kultura. There shall be "competition studios" on TVP Kultura and TVP3 Katowice.