Born and educated in Poland, Kaczmarek is an ambassador to the film world for filmmakers and artists of his native land, having enjoyed much success during his time in Hollywood. In February 2005, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for the highly acclaimed feature film Finding Neverland, directed by Marc Forster and starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, and Julie Christie. For the film, Kaczmarek also won the National Board of Review prize for Best Score of the Year, and received both Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. His other major Hollywood success came with the Oscar-nominated film Unfaithful, starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere.

"Journey to Light" will trace the remarkable career of Kaczmarek as conducted by Michal Nesterowicz. Soloists will include Leszek Możdżer on piano, vocalist Sussan Deyhim, soprano Agnieszka Tomaszewska, Marta Maslanka on dulcimer, The Hollywood Film Chorale, and the USC Thornton Symphony. The Polish Film Institute, co-sponsor of this event, is a government entity established in 2005 by the virtue of new cinema law in Poland. The General Director is Mrs. Agnieszka Odorowicz, former vice-minister in the Ministry of Culture. Poland joins the international film market with new possibilities of world wide co-productions and new professional offerings. The goal of this organization is to revitalize the Polish film industry, and showcase both established talent such as Roman Polanski, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Agnieszka Holland, Jerzy Skolimowski, Andrzej Wajda, and to bring emerging artists to the attention of Hollywood's filmmaking community.

Hailed as one of America's outstanding young ensembles, the Manhattan-based Cassatt String Quartet has performed throughout North America, Europe and the Far East. Formed in 1985, the quartet is celebrated for its commitment to American music and for its tireless leadership as teachers at numerous universities and conservatories. The ensemble was formed in 1985 with the encouragement of the Juilliard Quartet, and their numerous awards include a Tanglewood Chamber Music fellowship, two top prizes at the Banff International String Quartet Competition, and a 1996 recording grant from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust. The quartet takes its name from the celebrated American impressionist painter Mary Cassatt.

Pianist Roman Markowicz, born in Poland, was educated at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, as well as at the Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School in New York City. Among his mentors were such eminent pianists as Maria Wilkomirska, Artur Balsam and Ania Dorfman, In 1968 political circumstances forced Mr. Markowicz and his family to leave Poland and resettle in the United States, where as a scholarship student he continued his musical education. Currently he divides his musical activities between performing, music education and music criticism. He is a sought after soloist and chamber musician , and in that capacity he has performed all over the United States, as well as several European countries; he recently partnered with renowned Polish contralto Ewa Podleś for recitals in Spain.

In addition, Mr. Markowicz has been active for many years as a highly regarded music reviewer for the Nowy Dziennik (Polish Daily News), the leading Polish language newspaper in New York. His writings appear regularly also on the Internet site www.kamerton.net.

The nominations come in two categories:

"Best Choral Performance" (Awarded to the Choral Conductor, Orchestra Conductor, and Choral Director/Chorus Master as applicable). For the recording of Krzysztof Penderecki's A Polish Requiem by Antoni Wit/Henryk Wojnarowski, with the orchestra and choir of the Warsaw Philharmonic and soloists: Izabela Klosinska, Jadwiga Rappé Ryszard Minkiewicz and Piotr Nowacki. [Naxos]

"Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)" Piotr Anderszewski has been nominated for recording of Karol Szymanowski's: Piano Sonata No. 3 Op. 36, Métopes Op. 29, and Masques Op. 34. [Virgin Classics].

The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live on CBS from 8-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

JASNA GÓRA PUBLICATIONS

Andrzej Kosowski, the Editor-in-Chief at PWM announced a join venture of the Polish Music Publishing (PWM) and the Society of Music at Jasna Góra to publish works from the extensive collection of scores and other musical sources held at the Jasna Góra Monastery Library. The publication will present compositions by numerous Polish composers associated with the Jasna Góra Monastery throughout several centuries, as well as works by other European composers preserved in manuscript at the Monastery Library. The entire project will be overseen by Professor Remigiusz Pośpiech from the Opole University.

BOOK REVIEW: GRISHA

By Gary Fitelberg

GRISHA, the biography of cellist Gregor Piatigorsky (1903-1976), is a true rags to riches story. It is an adventurous and arduous journey from his birthplace in Ekaterinoslav to citizenship in America, with many twists and turns in between; Warsaw in Poland, Berlin in Germany, Paris in France are just a few stops on his path to freedom.

GRISHA tells the story of a struggle between father and son; both aspiring musicians. Both very proud, independent, strong men with minds and wills of their own. Willing to take several risks towards success. Proving that nothing ventured is nothing gained. While the father fails the son succeeds. GRISHA escapes his father, failure, homelessness, hunger. He escapes and flees Bolsheviks, Cossacks, pogroms and the Russian Revolution. Next the Nazi Holocaust. Barely and narrowly each and every time. Just when it seems like the end a little luck saves the day.

The story of Gregor Piatigorsky's life is one of both fantasy and reality. One of adventure, struggle, success and love. He was a man with a heart too big to fill, a mind that was both penetrating and wide open, a talent rich in its agility and expressiveness, and a sense of humor as warming as his enormous smile. Piatigorsky's life was dedicated to finding what was beautiful. He found beauty everywhere in nature, in art, in people, in life itself, and of course in music.

Gregor Piatigorsky's cello was his lifelong companion and "weapon" as he liked to refer to it. He admired it, loved it, protected it, and was in awe of it, fought with it, and shared it with people in every corner of the world. He brought the cello to places that never ever had seen one. He taught and inspired dozens of cellists to become artists. They learned about music from the inside, not merely about technique. They also learned the important values of honesty and quality. Piatigorsky told stories, not only with words but he spoke through music, and he always spoke from the heart about what was on his mind. Piatigorsky gave to the world of music the cello as a solo instrument, and along with it, a voice of warmth, imagination and infinite humanity.

Author Margaret Bartley is quite amazing in her story-telling ability and her portrayal recreates a glorious, romantic and unforgettable part of history. Her account of all the events is so remarkable and is done entirely in a dramatic narrative style so real that you could imagine you were there yourself. Bartley tells the story through his eyes as if she had been there or was Piatigorsky herself. It is another world altogether. Bartley reconstructs all the events and the facts of history as accurately as possible.

GRISHA was written as the result of a gift Bartley received from his son, Joram Piatigorsky. In July 1999, he visited his old home in New Russia, New York, and gave her copies of both his parents autobiographies. Inspired by what she read, she dug deeper into the history of Gregor Piatigorsky and eventually wrote Sanctuary Among the Birches which was published by Adirondack Magazine in June 2001. She felt, though, that the magazine article couldn't do justice to Piatigorsky's incredible and fascinating life. The biographies Cellist by Gregor Piatigorsky and Jump in the Waves by Jacqueline (née Rothschild) Piatigorsky served as the basis and foundation of her own biography. This was supplemented by interviews with family, friends, colleagues and students who shared their memories and stories of this true maestro together with her.

The best endorsement of all of the biography comes from his son Joram Piatigorsky who stated as follows in the Foreward:

Margaret has done a wonderful job researching my father's life, from the frightening hardships of the Russian pogroms, his escape from the Bolshevik Revolution and the insanity of Hitler and World War II. She tells of his struggles as a talented young cellist and his success as a great artist. She captures my father's remarkable life in extraordinary times, his vulnerabilities and his strength as a survivor.

When I was a boy, I heard my father's own account of these events, and I can state with first-hand knowledge that she recreated the highlights of his life in her own words with feeling and sensitivity. I can hear my father's voice and see my father gesticulating as she recounts his adventures. This book has its own music. I regret that my father is not alive to read it himself but I'm certain he would approve.

GRISHA is an absolute must read for any serious study of human nature, history and music.

[Author's Note: Gregor Piatigorsky was cellist for the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra under Artistic Director and Conductor Grzegorz Fitelberg.]

A copy of GRISHA can be ordered from Otis Mountain Press. Details are available on their website, www.otismountainpress.com or by contacting mail@otismountainpress.com or (301) 467-0261. Otis Mountain Press is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book GRISHA to the Meadowmount School of Music to create the Gregor Piatigorsky Memorial Fellowship. This fellowship will allow a worthy cello student the opportunity to study at Meadowmount. Located in the Adirondack Mountains near Piatigorsky's home, the Meadowmount School of Music was established in 1944 with the help of Gregor Piatigorsky, who was also its first cello teacher.

NEW SCORE: FILTSCH

A new score by the child prodigy and student of Chopin, Carl Filtsch (1830-1845), has been published. The edition is edited by Ferdinand Gajewski. Learn more about Filtsch and order the music at www.booklocker.com/books/2232.html.

WOZZECK REVISITED

On January 5, 2006, at the Grand Theatre in Warsaw, a premiere performance of Alban Berg's opera Wozzeck in a new staging, will be directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski. Set designs were by Małgorzata Szczęśniak, and choreography was by Saar Magal. An international cast of singers was accompanied by the Grand Theatre Orchestra and Choir under the direction of Jacek Kaszprzyk.

STACHOWSKI BOOK

Polish Music Publishers (PWM) is releasing a new book about the composer Marek Stachowski: Trzeba umieć marzyć-rozmowy z Markiem Stachowskim [Imagination required—Conversations with Marek Stachowski]. The book launch is scheduled for January 10, 2006, at the Music Academy in Kraków.

Chopin arrangements by Walter Legawiec and Mieczyslaw Gubernat of Mazurkas (Op.7, Op. 63, Op. 67), Valses (Op. 6, Op. 34, Op. 69), Nocturne (Op.9 - c minor), Polonaise (Op. 40), and Prelude (Op. 28) show off some special talents of the Slavic Arts Ensemble. The Quartet features Mieczyslaw Gubernat and Krzysztof Kuznik as violinists, Erik Nowlin on viola and Rafal Jezierski on cello. These renditions will raise the souls of real Chopin aficionados straight to heaven.

The Slavic Arts Ensemble was founded in 1977 by Mieczyslaw Gubernat with the intent of presenting Polish and Slavic compositions and providing an important forum for performances by outstanding musicians. The great success of the "Birthday Concert Series" at the Kosciuszko Foundation, in NYC, which featured the music of Polish composers, prompted the Slavic Arts Ensemble to expand its repertoire to encompass all music eras and styles, including music written expressly by contemporary composers. The New York Times enthusiastically praised the Slavic Arts Ensemble for giving, "superlative performances of chamber music." Comprised of distinguished musicians, the Slavic Arts Ensemble brings to its performances an enormous range of collective experience and talent in the classic European style of elegance and refinement. Some of the artists who have performed with the Ensemble include Teresa Kubiak, Christina Petrowska, Hanna Lachert, Jan Jozef Wnek, Krzystof Kuznik, Maurycy Banaszek, Matuesz Wolski and many others.

To place an order for this recording or for more information, please contact the Slavic Arts Ensemble at (718) 389-6984 or slavicartsensemble@earthlink.net.

Grzegorz Fitelberg was the founder of a group of young Polish composers known as "Młoda Polska" ("Young Poland") consisting of composers Karol Szymanowski, Mieczyslaw Karłowicz, Ludomir Rozycki and Apolinary Szeluto. Fitelberg was also conductor of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and founder/director/conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.