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Polish Music Newsletter |  |
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April 2009, Vol. 15, No. 5. ISSN 1098-9188. Published monthly. Anniversaries |
Awards |
Calendar of Events | Discography |
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PMC NEWS |
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POLAND’S MINISTER OF CULTURE AT USC Bogdan Zdrojewski, Poland’s Minister of Culture and National Heritage, paid a visit to the USC campus on Thursday, April 23. Arriving with his assistant and accompanied by Paulina Kapuścińska, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles, Małgorzata Cup, Consul for Culture, Roman Czarny, former Consul for Culture, and film director Krzysztof Jankowski, Minister Zdrojewski toured the campus and met with Dr. Robert Cutietta, Dean of the Thornton School of Music.
In his remarks to Dean Cutietta, Minister Zdrojewski summarized the long-standing relationship of the Thornton School of Music and the Polish Music Center at USC and the Dean’s leading role in promoting Polish music and culture in Southern California. Dean Cutietta thanked the Minister for this very meaningful award and describing his advocacy of Polish music and cooperation with the Polish Music Center as “the right thing to do.” In a special note, USC Provost C. L. Max Nikias congratulated Dean Cutietta and Thornton School of Music “on this magnificent and much-deserved honor,” adding that “everyone at USC enthusiastically applauds you!” The Dean and Minister in front of the Paderewski statue. Following the decoration ceremony, the Dean and Minister Zdrojewski stepped outside the Music School Building for a photo opportunity next to the monument of Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Paderewski—one of the most important pianists in the history of music—was also a statesman and a humanitarian and his accomplishments in the fields of music and diplomacy were recognized by USC with an honorary doctorate in February of 1923. Paderewski’s monument at USC was unveiled by the PMC at a special ceremony in October 2007, during which Provost Nikias, Dean Cutietta, and Poland’s Ambassador to the United States, Janusz Reiter, participated, alongside Consul Kapuścińska and numerous members of Polish community in Los Angeles.
The PMC’s manuscript collection housed in the Special Collections Department in Doheny Library was the next stop on the Minister’s USC itinerary. Manuscripts of compositions by leading contemporary Polish composers were on display, including several major orchestral works by Witold Lutosławski, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Krzysztof Meyer. Scores by Grażyna Bacewicz, whose centenary celebration was recently commemorated with a concert in USC’s Newman Recital Hall, were also laid out for the Minister’s viewing. Melinda Hayes, Head of Special Collections, prepared the exhibit for the Minister and welcomed him upon his arrival in the second floor Special Collections area. Representing the Dean of Libraries as well as the University cabinet on this important occasion were Emily E. Jordan, Deputy Director of Advancement, USC Libraries, and John D. McIntyre, Library Development Research Analyst. The Polish Music Center in Stonier Hall was the last stop on the Minister’s USC visit. Krysta Close, PMC Manager and Librarian, welcomed the Minister to the suite of rooms occupied by the Center. Director Marek Zebrowski introduced the Minister and his entourage to the library, highlighting the collection of manuscripts by Henry Vars and Zygmunt Stojowski, as well as photographs, personal items, correspondence and concert programs of Ignacy Jan Paderewski. This recent donation of Paderewski memorabilia is known as the Paso Robles Collection, assembled by a long-time resident of Paso Robles and Paderewski fan, Mr. Hy Blythe.
Minister Zdrojewski signing the PMC guestbook At the conclusion of his visit, the Minister presented the Center with a 12-CD set of recordings of all of Frederic Chopin’s compositions, performed by various Polish artists. In addition, the PMC library received two volumes of limited edition facsimiles of Chopin’s manuscripts, including his Etudes Op. 10 and Mazurkas, Op. 33, recently published under the Minister’s aegis. Another fascinating gift from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, a book about Krzysztof Penderecki and a recording of his most famous works (St. Luke’s Passion, Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima, String Quartet No. 1, Psalms of David, and Dimensions of Time and Silence) topped up the large gift bag that Minister Zdrojewski had brought with him from Poland to the USC campus. Although the Minister had visited the United States on numerous occasions, calling on New York and Chicago among others in the past, this was his first visit in Los Angeles. Having met with representatives of the Polish community at the opening of the 10th Polish Film Festival in Los Angeles and after touring the USC campus, the Minister expressed his interest in returning to the West Coast in the future. An avid and accomplished photographer, the Minister delighted in taking photos throughout his visit in the Southern California. He will be warmly welcomed should he decide to visit our campus again.
A TOAST TO PADEREWSKI Fundraiser and Concert Notes Paso Robles continues to embrace the legacy of music bequeathed by one of its most distinguished residents of all time, Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Now noted as a burgeoning fine winemaking community and a place where pretentious attitudes are as welcome as gophers in a vineyard, this Central Coast town was host to a fantastically successful fundraising effort in conjunction with the Paderewski Festival ,Paso Robles’ annual tribute to the Polish virtuoso pianist, composer, politician, humanitarian and orator. Proceeds from A Toast to Paderewski will benefit the Paderewski Festival Youth Exchange Program with Poland. The Youth Exchange Program gives winners of Paderewski Festival Youth Piano Competition the opportunity to join Polish piano students for a week of lessons and masterclasses with renowned pianists at Paderewski’s former manor house at Kąsna Dolna in Tarnów, Poland.
The venue for the fundraiser was Pear Valley, a beautiful new vineyard and winery located on the Back Roads Winery Trailof Paso’s countryside. Inside the light-filled event room, views of the vineyard and surrounding hills provided a gorgeous backdrop for the gala evening. As patrons of the event tasted over 20 wines by participating Back Roads Wineriesand feasted on Polish-themed delicacies prepared by the Executive Chef of Cass Winery, a sense of anticipation permeated the amiable gathering. The highlight of the evening still to come was a chamber music concert featuring pianist Marek Zebrowski. The ensemble’s program included two pieces by Paderewski—Nocturne, Op. 16 no. 4 and Melodie, Op. 16 no. 2. Originally scored for solo piano, Marek Zebrowski arranged these two wonderfully melodic compositions for strings and piano. The Nocturne, which was beautifully rendered by the touch that Simone Vitucci imparted to her cello, literally brought tears to the eyes of the concert-goers (attested to by this writer!). The Melodie, performed next by cellist Simone Vitucci, Joel Pargman on violin and Marek Zebrowski at the piano, was masterfully executed and highlighted the form and melody embodied in this exquisite piece. Again, as this writer’s eyes swept over the audience of mostly Paso Robles residents, it was evident that Paderewski’s music had found its way into the heart and soul of the town. Mr. Zebrowski could not have better chosen and arranged pieces that so intrinsically bond Paderewski to Paso Robles. Pear Valley’s Steinway piano showcased Mr. Zebrowski’s piano artistry faultlessly. Franz Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet for Piano and Strings concluded the concert. Mr. Zebrowski introduced the addition of viola player Tom Lea and double bass player Stephanie Payne. In his remarks preceding this performance, Mr. Zebrowski commented that the intimate setting of the evening was one similar to that which would have been enjoyed during Paderewski’s era. The five movements of the “Trout” were played with obvious pleasure by the ensemble’s five musicians. Particularly striking were the facial expressions displayed by viola performer Tom Lea. Undisguised joy, mirth, and a host of lively emotions were played out visibly and audibly. The musicians and concert-goers in the room connected. Something special happened. When the music ended, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Frank Mecham presided over a live auction, which included rare wine collections, tours, luncheon, dinner, and most fittingly, a salon-style piano recital by Mr. Marek Zebrowski. The triumphant outcome of A Toast to Paderewski is that the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles will continue its undertaking of expanding awareness and appreciation for the heritage that this town’s most renowned citizen left behind.
KEEPING UP WITH YOUTH COMPETITORS
Evan Lin, the 2nd place winner in the Junior Category for both 2007 and 2008, has found another impressive performance opportunity for himself: he will play the National Anthem for more than 1,500 people at the Special Olympic opening ceremony next week. According to Evan’s mother, Bianca, “none of these opportunities would have happened if not for the Paderewski piano competition.” Congratulations to all participants, and keep music coming! 2009 Youth Competition Details in brief:
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REVIEWS, etc. |
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CONSTITUTION DAY CONCERT
“Celebration of Springtime” was the theme for Mr. Tomaszewski’s program presented to the nearly full house, composed of not only Polish émigré community members, but also representatives of other nations living in the greater Los Angeles area. The personal touch of the soloist was to offer the audience two well-known orchestral works in his own piano transcription, Carl Orff’s Carmina burana and Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Marek Tomaszewski’s long and distinguished career reaches back to the early 1960s, when he began concertizing as a member of a piano duet with his friend, Wacław Kisielewski. For over twenty years, the two pianists performed with such artists as Marlena Dietrich, Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, Mireille Mathieu, and Dalida, among others. Known as “Marek & Wacek,” the duo pianists recorded numerous LPs, appeared in countless television broadcasts, and performed at many international festivals. Since Wacław Kisielewski’s tragic death in an automobile accident in the mid 1980s, Marek Tomaszewski has devoted his creative energies to collaborating with ballet companies in Paris and working on transcribing works from the standard repertoire for piano solo. Returning to the stage as a soloist only recently, Mr. Tomaszewski premiered his transcription of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in Montmorency, near Paris, in 2004. Since then he has returned to Poland with numerous recital programs and made recordings for Polish Television. His two solo piano CDs—Premiere and Rapsodia—as well as his transcription of Stravinsky, were recently recorded at the Lutosławski Studio of the Polish Radio in Warsaw. In his Santa Monica appearance, Mr. Tomaszewski displayed a sure-footed approach to the two large-scale orchestral works on the program, coaxing out of the piano rich orchestral textures and a considerable degree of nuance. Under his hands, Carmina burana and the Rite of Spring proved to be fascinating virtuoso piano pieces, holding their own even when compared with the highly imaginative scoring of their original orchestral versions. The rousing finale of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring catapulted the audience to a standing ovation and led to several curtain calls for the artist. Willing to lend an additional patriotic accent to the evening, Mr. Tomaszewski performed his own version of Chopin—a jazzed-up C minor Nocturne and a tango-like take on the Revolutionary Etude. A few most famous snippets of Mussorgsky’s Night on the Bald Mountain served as bridge material between the two variations on Chopin’s standards, conveying a degree of impish amusement for the pianist in blending various styles and composers into his own inventive vision. Two additional encores—this time original compositions by Tomaszewski—added a degree of intimacy and mystery with their delicate textures and sweetly romantic melodic material, and provided an agreeable conclusion to the festive evening. [mz]
ZIMERMAN AT DISNEY HALL
[kc] * * * * AN EXPERIENCE AT DISNEY HALL The first half of Krystian Zimerman’s debut recital at Disney Hall was fantastic. Bach’s Partita #2 in C Minor contains a wide range of styles and moods, each of which was marvelously played. Beethoven’s 32nd and last piano sonata, Opus 111, by turns dramatic, passionate, calm and joyous, was even better. We spoke with friends at intermission, two of whom are professional musicians, and all agreed that we had enjoyed a very special performance already. The second half began with a program change: instead of Brahms’ Opus 119, Mr. Zimerman played Grażyna Bacewicz’s Second Piano Sonata. How wonderful, I thought, to hear this piece twice in four weeks, the first time being the Polish Music Center’s Bacewicz concert last month. This is a very percussive and demanding piece and at times it almost seemed Zimerman was attacking the piano, such was the intensity of his playing. The last piece on the program was an early work by Szymanowski, his Variations on a Polish Theme, Opus 10. Zimerman waited a long time at the piano, head bowed over the keyboard as if waiting for just the right moment to begin. But, instead of playing, he turned to the audience and said, “I was warned not to speak …” There was a little applause and some laughter from the audience – we expected he was going to talk about the music. We were wrong. Instead he told us that this would be his last recital in the United States, and his reason was to protest the militaristic politics of the US government. In particular he was upset by the ongoing existence of the Guantanamo Bay prison, and the effect our government was having on the Polish government. He was careful to distinguish between peoples and governments, as he much admired the people of the US, saying that the US had things much more valuable to export than militarism. This had a negative effect on some audience members, although mercifully not many. Some got up and left, others shouted back at the stage. One repeated response was to say that the USA saved Poland from the Russians – people ought to know their history a bit better than that. Another response was, “Just Play the Piano,” which reduces the pianist to little better than a dancing monkey. There were, as I said, very few who responded in this manner. After his short speech, he played the Szymanowski as if there had been no interruption. It is remarkable how one can make a heart-felt comment like that and still be able to concentrate on the music. Unfortunately, I was distracted by what he had said and couldn’t really concentrate as a listener. Whatever the rest of the audience thought during the playing, they gave him the loudest and longest standing ovation I have ever heard, for which he was obviously grateful. Although his speech was sincere, I don’t believe he planned it very well. He spoke quietly and did not make his points perfectly clear. The negative reactions were predictable, and all of it was a distraction from the program. There are those who think such remarks are out of place in musical performances – personally I wish he had saved them until after the concert, and possibly followed them by playing Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude as an encore. And, as long as I am giving out free advice, would Mr. Zimerman consider returning to the US to do benefit concerts for the ACLU, or another organization that feels as he does? That would be positively Paderewskian. Charles Bragg is a native of Los Angeles and a life-long supporter and intermittent student of classical music. He was awakened to the existence of Polish music beyond Chopin when the college chorus he joined sang the Szymanowski Stabat Mater, which he still considers one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. He and his wife Alice are Friends of Polish Music at the PMC as well as volunteers for the LA Philharmonic and the LA Opera. * * * * Official Los Angeles Times coverage of the concert:
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NEWS |
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FESTIVAL PREMIERES The highlight of this year’s Gaude Mater Sacred Music Festival is a concert featuring world premieres of works by Paweł Łukaszewski, Roland Freisitzer and Krzesimir Dębski and the prize-winning compositions from this year’s Musica Sacra Composition Competition.
[Source: culture.pl] * * * * * The Warsaw Musical Meetings festival (May 9-17) will also feature several world premiere performances in various venues around Warsaw.
Performers for these concerts include: on May 10 - Łukasz Długosz, flute and Anna Sikorzak-Olek, harp, with Polska Orkiestra Sinfonia Iuventus, Krzysztof Słowiński, cond.; on May 11 - Wilanów Quartet: Tadeusz Gadzina, violin I, Paweł Łosakiewicz, violin II, Ryszard Duź, viola, and Marian Wasiółka, cello; on May 12 - Zofia Dowgiałło, harp, Dariusz Jakubowski, recitation, and Joanna Ławrynowicz, piano with the Chamber Orchestra of the National Philharmonic; and May 16 - Marta Boberska, soprano, Anna Radziejewska, mezzo-soprano, Anton Birula, chitarrone, Justyna Rekść-Raubo, cello, Mariusz Rutkowski, piano, and Lilianna Stawarz – harpsichord. For a full program of the festival, please visit www.wsm.art.pl. * * * * * The Festival Musica Electronica Nova (Wrocław, May 10 – 17) will also feature many world premieres of a wide variety of electronic and electro-acoustic music. Polish composer who will have world premieres are:
Performers for the following programs: “Strings +” on May 19: Bartłomiej Zajkowski – piano, Cezary Duchnowski and Adrian Foltyn – computer, AUKSO Orkiestra Kameralna, and Marek Moś – conductor; “Violin +” on May 20: Weronika Kadłubkiewicz – violin; “Cello +” on May 22: Andrzej Bauer – cello, Cezary Duchnowski – computer, and Aleksandra Rupocińska – keyboard; “50 Years of the Experimental Studio of Polish Radio II” on May 24: Ania Zielińska – violin, Eryk Lubos – voice, Maciej Grzybowski – piano, and Cezary Duchnowski – computer; “Percussion +” on May 25: Jan Pilch – percussion, Karol Papała, and Jean-Baptiste Barriere – visuals; and “Final Concert” on May 26: Camilla Hoitenga – alto flute, Anssi Karttunen – cello, Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Kiradjiev – conductor. For a full program, please visit: www.musican.aprom.pl
PIOTR MOSS AT SIXTY
Moss’s music has been performed by nearly every philharmonic orchestra in Poland as well as by major orchestras in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Republic of South Africa, Singapore, Columbia and the United States of America. A prolific composer of classical music, Moss has to his credit four operas, numerous orchestral works that include four symphonies, one ballet, a cycle of songs for mezzo-soprano and orchestra. There are also many choral works (including an oratorio, several cantatas, and settings of the Mass, Magnificat, Salve Regina and Stabat Mater) and over 150 pieces of chamber music. The composer has also written numerous works for children, radio and television, incidental music for the theater as well as musical scores for over a dozen films. Many concerts will be held this year as part the sexagenarian’s anniversary. The festivities began in January with the Polish premiere of Moss’ Rhapsody for Symphonic Orchestra by the Silesian Orchestra in Katowice, and the composer’s hometown of Bydgoszcz was the venue of a concert featuring his Cello Concerto No. 2 (Tomasz Strahl, cellist) with the Filharmonia Pomorska in March. Torun’s Symphonic Orchestra performed his Adagio III which will also be performed this autumn by the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw. This past March saw the world premiere of the artist’s Cinq tableaux de Caspar David Friedrich with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Polish Radio in Katowice. In May, Berlin will hear the world premiere of his Fourth String Quartet, Kielce a performance of his entertainment for children—Cyrk Giuseppe— and Poznań his Intrada for symphonic orchestraand Niké hesitant for string orchestra. Other May performances include Sinfonia Varsovia playing Moss’ Ptak Ugui (which will be repeated in Cracow in June by the Beethoven Academy Orchestra) and the premiere of Moment Musical II in Mönchengladbach.
Other concerts in France will also mark the 60th anniversary of the composer’s birth with performances by the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain, the Colonne Orchestra and Chorus and the Orchestre Symphonique de l’Aube. Sto lat!
SINFONIA VARSOVIA HAS A HOME
For more Sinfonia Varsovia news please visit our Awards section. [Source: muzyka.onet.pl]
NATIONAL AUDIO-VISUAL INSTITUTE
In addition to already established activities of publishing, recording of deserving cultural events and co-producing, the Institute will also focus on systematic digitalization of archived Polish materials and making them available for the public through digital media. The results of the activities will find their way to the special internet portal, nina.gov.pl, which should become operational on June 4, 2009. The user will find both archival materials, never before released materials, and recent or newly produced projects. [Source: polmic.com]
MUSIC IN POLISH FILMS
In 1902, in the assimilated Warszawski family of Polish Jews, was born the future outstanding composer of film music, Henryk Wars. This documentary film tells the story of this unique artist-patriot.
Love Forgives All [Miłość ci wszystko wybaczy], Sex Appeal, Only in Lviv [Tylko we Lwowie]– these are only a few out of hundreds of hit songs that all Poles sang throughout the twenty years between WWI and WWII, and all were written by Henryk Wars. A friend of John Wayne, Henryk Wars also worked in Hollywood, has provided musical scores for sixty films, and had his songs sung by Brenda Lee, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, and Margaret Whiting, among other world-class singers. Henryk Wars – A Songster of Warsaw was produced with financial support from the city of Warsaw. “It is just an attempt to give justice to this legendary Varsovite’s services to Warsaw and to Poland” says director Wiesław Dąbrowski. 2007, the year the film was released, marked the 105th anniversary of Wars’ birth and 30th anniversary of his death. * * * * * Later during the day on May 2nd—a.k.a. TV POLONIA DAY at the Los Angeles Polish Film Festival—MUSIC – WOJCIECH KILAR [Muzyka – Wojciech Kilar] will be screened at 7:00 p.m. in the Spielberg Theatre of the Egyptian Theatre. The creative team for this production is: Director – Halina Szymura, Screenplay – Halina Szymura, Cinematographer – Jan Zub, and Producer – Adam Lukaszek.
Wojciech Kilar’s works are played all over the world by the most famous symphonic orchestras and his pieces such as Orawa, Krzesany, Gray Mist [Siwa mgła] or September Symphony [Symfonia Wrześniowa] have gained recognition as hits of the 20th- and 21st- century music. The artist has also achieved fame as the composer for 158 films. He has created scores to such leading works as Bram Stoker’s Dracula [Dracula]by Francis Ford Coppola, The Portrait of a Lady [Portret damy] by Jane Campion (best film music for the year 1997), The Pianist [Pianista] by Roman Polanski and many others. Kilar’s music was honored at last year’s Polish Independence Day Celebration & 2008 Paderewski Lecture. Music – Wojciech Kilar was listed as one of the best dedicated music productions of the last several years in the TV Polonia S.A. Catalogue from February 2009.
MEXICAN / POLISH CELEBRATION The Lira Singers and Cuerdas Clasicas String Ensemble will perform a celebratory concert of Mexican and Polish music on Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 2pm in the Five Holy Martyrs Church in Chicago, IL. The concert celebrates the 100th anniversary of Five Holy Martyrs Parish as well as two important ethnic holidays—Cinco de Mayo and May 3rd/Polish Constitution Day. In addition, the parish is commemorating the 30th anniversary of the historic visit of Pope John Paul the Great to Five Holy Martyrs Church in 1979, during the Polish pope’s first visit to the United States.This concert honors the Polish immigrants who created and built Five Holy Martyrs Parish as well as the many Mexican-Americans who now are parishioners. The concert features the Lira Singers, the core group of the Lira Ensemble which specializes in Polish music and dance, and the Cuerdas Clasicas String Ensemble of men and women who play traditional Mexican stringed instruments as well as sing. The program includes Mexican, Polish and American folk and patriotic songs as well as Marian hymns performed by the two companies. The event is part of a series of Mexican/Polish performances presented by Lira since 1990. The series has been praised by audiences, community leaders, as well as critics. A reviewer in the Chicago Tribune described these joint concerts as "a joyous explosion of song and ethnic traditions" which "proves the power of music."
KWIECIEŃ IN SEATTLE, SUPPORTS POLISH STUDIES
Famous for his velvet baritone and magnetic stage presence, Mariusz Kwiecień opened the 2008/2009 season in Paris as Eugene in Eugene Oniegin. Among his recent engagements are: Don Giovanni in London Covent Garden and Opera Krakowska; at the Metropolitan Opera: La Boheme (Marcello), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), and the 125th Met Anniversary Gala; Karol Szymanowski’s Król Roger at the Opera National de Paris; Le nozze di Figaro (Count Almaviva) at Teatro Real de Madrid and the Seattle Opera. The UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee invites you to the Seattle Opera on May 9, 2009 at 7:30pm. The reception at a private residence the following day (Sunday, May 10, 6:00pm) will provide an opportunity to meet Mariusz Kwiecień in person. Your $100 donation will include an opera ticket for Saturday, May 9 and the reception with Mr. Kwiecień. To make reservations please contact Ewa Poraj-Kuczewska or call 206.362.3829 by April 15, 2009. All proceeds from the event will benefit the UW Polish Studies Endowment. For more information visit www.polishstudiesuw.org. [Source: Polish Studies Endowment Website]
INT’L PIANO MASTER COURSE IN RZESZÓW
The Special Guest of this year’s workshop will be the outstanding Polish pianist, teacher, and laureate and jury member of many international piano competitions, Professor Jozef Stompel from the Music Academy in Katowice. More details are available at: www.pianoeu.com/master_courses.html
AUGUSTYN & A TASTE OF POLAND
The International Club of DC, with the cooperation of the Embassy of Poland, cordially requests the pleasure of your company for an enchanting evening of music, culture, art, and cuisine at the Embassy of Poland. This is a wonderful opportunity to discover Poland through all your senses. The evening begins with a short presentation about Poland that offers a bird’s eye view of Poland as well as Polish culture, geography, trade, and tourism. Afterwards sit back and relax to a delightful violin performance by Polish violinist Kinga Augustyn, with Pavel Gintov, piano. After the concert you will be invited to feast on a buffet of traditional Polish delicacies prepared by the embassy chef along with wine and Polish spirits served at the open bar. The evening also provides you with the opportunity to meet diplomatic personnel at the embassy as well as International Club of DC members in attendance. Proposed program for the evening: JOHANNES BRAHMS - Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78; K. SZYMANOWSKI - Myths, Op. 30; W. LUTOSŁAWSKI – Subito; A. ZARZYCKI - Mazurek in G Major; H. WIENIAWSKI - Fantaisie Brillante (Faust Fantasy). Winner of the 2007 Artist International Presentations Annual Auditions, Polish- born violinist Kinga Augustyn performed her New York Debut Recital at the Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall in March of 2008. Described as “a violinist for whom nothing seems too difficult” (Nowy Dziennik, March 2008, New York City), Ms. Augustyn has also released a CD with Nicolo Paganini 24 Caprics for violin solo. A Bachelors (2004) and Masters (2007) graduate of the Juilliard School in New York, where as a full- tuition scholarship recipient she studied with Cho Liang Lin, Naoko Tanaka and the legendary Dorothy DeLay, Ms. Augustyn has appeared with the Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra Leopoldinum, the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, and the American ACO at the Aspen Music Festival, among others. As a recitalist and a chamber musician, she has appeared in the US at halls including the Weill Hall (Carnegie Hall), Paul Hall, Alice Tully and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Polish Consulate in New York, as well as in Europe. Interested in contemporary music, Ms. Augustyn has premiered new works by such composers as: Michael White (Trio Sonata composed for her), Jakub Ciupinski (a piece also written for her), and Cynthia Lee Wong.
[Source: www.examiner.com] * * * * * * * Ms. Augustyn will repeat the same program at the Embassy on the following night, in celebration of the Europe Week Open House, when European embassies in D.C. open their doors to the public.
DANCE SET TO GÓRECKI The Lydia Johnson Dance Company presented the culmination of a series of lecture demonstrations and workshops at the City Center Studios in Manhattan, NYC on March 28th. The company performed Untitled, a work set to the music of Polish composer Untitled (2004), with music by Henryk Górecki and original lighting design by Jim Oakley, features passages of stillness and quiet interrupted by brief propulsive segments. Set to the composer's critically acclaimed Kleines Requiem fur eine Polka the work opens with a sequence for three women which slowly merges with a duet for a man and a woman, that is developing alongside. This pas-de-deux carries within it the deepest tenderness and yet is strongly sensually charged. The third movement's frantic pacing and almost desperate attempt at gaiety is reflected in Ms. Johnson's scene of ballroom dance fractured and spliced with sharp edged, angular phrases. This section includes the appearances of a number of young girls who join in the dancing. The final section is a haunting return to the earlier tone and opens with a repeat of the musical theme heard at the end of the second movement. The work ends with a hymn-like sequence that is never totally resolved musically. The choreography includes passages of weighted, peaceful phrases that sink to the floor and leave dancers there in an almost deathly quiet. [Source: New York Times, Lydia Johnson Dance Company]
MUJIRUSHI ON YOUTUBE New videos of music performed by Ensemble Mujirushi are now available on YouTube, including a performance of music for nobody by Polish-Canadian composer Piotr Grella-Możejko, who also plays keyboards in the ensemble. The series of videos encompasses great stylistic variety, with pieces ranging from solo to full ensemble. All recordings are live and were made between September 2008 and January 2009.
CHOPIN IN FLORIDA
Ning An - with Orchestra Miami, Elaine Rinaldi, conductor The American Virtuosi: Elizabeth, Frances & Emmanuel Borowsky [Source: Chopin Foundation of the U.S.] |
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AWARDS |
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AWARD FOR SEMBRICH BIOGRAPHY
Joseph A. Herter, Representative
GOLKA WINS FELLOWSHIP
The penultimate stage for this competition took place during the APA’s “Discovery Week” (March 30-April 4) at Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, IN. Over the course of the week, each of 5 finalists performed different piano quintet compositions with the Parker String Quartet in concerts that were free and open to the public. The final stage was the Gala Finals: two programs of concertos performed by each of the finalists with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at the Hilbert Circle Theatre under the direction of associate conductor Sean Newhouse. Finalists were announced on Saturday April 4th at the end of the second Gala Finals concert. The other winner announced, Grace Fong who received the Christel Dehaan Classical Fellowship, is a graduate of the Thornton School of Music at USC. Adam Golka will make his debut at Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, on March 7th, 2010, playing Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto with the New York Youth Symphony.
FRYDERYKI 2009 RESULTS CLASSICAL MUSIC Album of the Year – Choral and Oratorio Music
Album of the year – Early and Baroque Music
Album of the Year – Chamber Music
Album of the year – Solo Music
Album of the year – Symphonic and Concerto Music
Album of the year – Contemporary Music
Album of the year – vocal recital, opera, operetta
Phonographic Debut of the Year
Composer of the year
Outstanding recording of Polish Music
JAZZ MUSIC Jazz Album of the year
Jazz Musician of the year
Jazz Phonographic Debut of the Year
For a list of winners in the popular music category and for information about the awards themselves please visit the official website. [Source: zpav.pl]
POLISH ART FILMS HONORED
The 27th International Festival of Films on Art FIFA in Montreal turned out to be a huge success for Polish and Poland-related films. The festival is dedicated to increasing public awareness, knowledge and appreciation of arts by promoting works by artists from the fields of film, television and video. This year the Grand Prix of the festival was awarded to Solo by Maciej Pisarek for a movie about one of the most important Polish contemporary composers, Bogusław Schaeffer.
The international jury of the festival has also awarded a Polish-French documentary PIOTR ANDERSZEWSKI – VOYAGEUR INTRANQUILLE directed by Brunon Monsaingeon as the Best Portrait Film of the 27th edition of the festival.
[Sources: wyborcza.pl, artfifa.com]
RADZIWIŁŁ COMPETITION RESULTS 25 year old Stuart Davies (Great Britain), a student at the Kraków Music Academy, has won the Grand Prix of the 22nd Tournament for Foreign Piano Stipend Recipients for the prize of Prince Antoni Radziwiłł in Antonin. The special award went to Ri Hwa Cho from Korea, studying at the Chopin Music University in Warsaw. The competition took place in the Hunting Palace of Prince Radziwiłł and hosted talented pianists from China, South Korea, and Japan, among others. Traditionally, the Grand Prix as well as all the additional awards are voted on by the audience. The participants have to perform a mandatory Chopin program as well as their chosen program. Davies is a graduate of the Trinity College of Music. He began his concert pianist career with a recital in Steinway Hall. He is a self-proclaimed enthusiast of chamber music, which he performs in London with the London Neptune Ensemble and London Myriad Ensemble. Currently he is a student of Andrzej Pikula at the Kraków Music Academy. Ri Hwa Cho has been a student of Chopin Music University in Warsaw with Prof. Edward Wolanin since 2007. She is a laureate of the International Piano Competition in Asia in 2004. [Source: wiadomosci.wp.pl]
ARTUR RUBINSTEIN IN MEMORIAM RESULTS
Special Prize for the best performance of Karol Szymanowski’s work – Paweł Motyczyński (Poland) Aniela Młynarska-Rubinstein Special Award funded by Ewa Rubinstein – Nikodem Wojciechowski (Poland) For the final competition round, the pianists performed piano concertos of Ludwig van Beethoven, Fryderyk Chopin, Robert Schuman, Camille Saint-Seans, Sergiey Rachmaninov, Peter Tchaikovsky and Karol Szymanowski, with the Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra conducted by Ian Hobson (USA). For more information about the competition please visit www.konkurs-rubinstein.bydgoszcz.pl . [Sources: konkurs-rubinstein.bydgoszcz.pl, muzyka.onet.pl]
ADA SARI VOCAL COMPETITION RESULTS Female Voice Category
Male Voice Category
For complete list of special prizes and artists please visit the official website of the festival. [Source: adasari.pl]
DUX HONORED IN FRANCE The CDs that prompted this award are: DUX 0686/0687 - Stanisław Moniuszko. Paria [Source: dux.pl]
TVP KULTURA AWARDS
For more information about the laureates in other categories and to see a streaming video of the ceremony please visit TVP Kultura. [Source: wiadomosci.wp.pl, wyborcza.pl]
POLISH PIANIST TRIUMPHS IN AMSTERDAM Polish pianist Małgorzata Walentynowicz has won the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in Amsterdam. This 37th edition of the competition was open to musicians under 35 years of age. It attracted 62 entries of which only 5 were allowed to compete in the final round. The second prize went to Ear Massage Percussion Quartet from the Netherlands and the third prize was given to The Outer Banks Duo from the United States. Małgorzata Walentynowicz was born in 1979 and is a graduate of the Gdańsk Music Academy and Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover. Currently she is a student at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart with Prof. Nicolas Hodges. She was a stipend recipient from the Polish and French governments, the President of the City of Gdańsk and the International Chopin Society in Warsaw. She has already won several national and international awards and honors. [Source: culture.pl]
BAIRD COMPETITION RESULTS Honorary mentions: Paweł Strzelecki for Summer Dreams for 14 performers and tape, Mateusz Fandri for Iluminacja [Illumination] for chamber ensemble and Andrzej Mozgała for Tryptyk [Triptych] for wind quintet. The official awards ceremony will take place on September 24, 2009 during the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music. [Source: culture.pl] |
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PERFORMANCES |
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PAWEŁ KOTLA IN ST. PETERSBURG
The Shostakovich Philharmonic is the oldest orchestra in Russia. It was created in 1882 and since then it has earned an international reputation, being hailed one of the world’s top 20 orchestras by Gramophone Magazine in last year’s ranking. Paweł Kotla was invited to perform with the Philharmonic by Yuri Temirkanov, the artistic director of the orchestra. He was the first Polish conductor of younger generation to lead this highly acclaimed ensemble. Paweł Kotla is a graduate of the F. Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw and Oxford University in London. Currently he works as a conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra. He has performed all around the world with some of the best ensembles. In March 2008 he was invited to be the first Polish conductor to lead the European Union Youth Orchestra, an honor which took place during the inaugural concert of the 50th anniversary celebration of the European Union Parliament. [Source: muzyka.onet.pl]
KOCIUBAN TOURS U.S.
Pianist Julia Kociuban was born in Kraków, Poland. Ms. Kociuban is a student of the Mieczysław Karłowicz State Music School in Kraków where she has studied with Olga Lazarska (1998 – 2006) and Prof. Piotr Paleczny since 2006. Julia has won several important national and international piano competitions, among them are the International Piano Competition "Konzerteum" in Greece, 2000; Kłodzko Piano Competition in Klodzko, Poland, 2001; International Competition “Gradus ad Parnassum” in Kaunas, Lithuania, 2001; Jan Sebastian Bach International Piano Competition in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland, 2002; Chopin Piano Competition for Children in Jelenia Góra, Poland, 2002 & 2005; International Chopin Piano Competition in Narva, Estonia, 2004; Milosz Magin International Piano Competition in Paris, France, 2005; and International Piano Competition “A Step Towards Mastery” in St. Petersburg, Russia, 2007. She is a recipient of several scholarships including one from the Mr. and Mrs. Kwaśniewski Foundation (Former President of Poland), the City of Kraków Scholarship, Creative Scholarship of the City of Kraków, Małopolska Foundation “Sapere Auso” and from Poland’s Ministry of Culture. She has also been a beneficiary of the Polish Children’s Fund in Warsaw since year 2000. Details about all of the concerts on the tour as well as Ms. Kociuban’s full bio are here: www.chopin.org/Atimo_s/news/JuliaKociuban_otherConcerts.pdf [Source: Chopin Foundation of the U.S.] |
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DISCOGRAPHY |
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NEW FROM BEARTON
This album has received the Fryderyk 2009 award in the “Symphonic and Concert Music” category.
Karłowicz – “Rebirth” Symphony
NEW FROM POLISH RADIO
NEW FROM DUX
NEW SZYMANOWSKI ON NAXOS
PODLEŚ LIVE
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FESTIVALS |
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GAUDE MATER FESTIVAL
The highlight of this year’s Festival is a concert featuring world premieres of works by Paweł Łukaszewski, Roland Freisitzer and Krzesimir Dębski and the prize-winning compositions from this year’s Musica Sacra Composition Competition on Sunday May 3rd at 4:00 pm in the Seminar Church in Częstochowa. See above for details. poster design:Monika Starowicz Other concerts of note: Liturgical Inauguration of the Festival on May 2nd at noon in the Basilica of the Jasna Góra Shrine, featuring the premiere of Stanisław Moryto’s Missa sollemnis. Hommage a Josquin des Pres; saxaphonist Jan Garbarek (Norway) performs with the Hilliard Ensemble (Great Britain) on May 4th at 8.00 pm in the Basilica of the Holy Family Officium; and a performance of Polish choral music by F. Nowowiejski, K. Szymanowski, R. Padlewski, S. Wiechowicz, A. Koszewski, J. Węcowski, J. Świder, J. Łuciuk, M. Borkowski, R. Twardowski, and M. Małecki on May 4th at 6:00 pm in the Evangelical – Augsburg Church. For more information, including a complete program and information about the artists, please visit gaudemater.pl. [Source: culture.pl]
PROBALTICA FESTIVAL
During the festival the audience will hear the Hamburg Strings, Swedish Royal Navy Orchestra, Gotlands Blasarkvintett, Multicamerata String Quartet, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Riga Saxophone Quartet and many others. For more information about the Festival, and for a complete program, please visit www.probaltica.art.pl. [Source: culture.pl]
FILM MUSIC FESTIVAL
This year the Festival will feature the music of Tan Dun, Howard Shore and Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, among others. The Festival will feature five extraordinary film music concerts representing different artistic styles and musical traditions. The artists performing the concerts include Sinfonietta Cracovia, AUKSO Orchestra, the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic, the Polish Radio Choir and more. For more information please visit the official website of the festival, www.fmf.fm. [Source: muzyka.onet.pl]
SZCZECIN MUSIC FEST The 6th edition of the Szczecin Music Fest started on April 25 and will continue until July 9. Among invited artists you will find Jazz Big Band Graz, Nicola Conte, Orchestra Baobab, Chick Corea, Calexico and the Kronos Quartet. The festival has set up a special MySpace page to display what the artists have to offer. For more information please visit official website of the festival, www.koncerty.com/szczecin. [Source: culture.pl]
WARSAW MUSICAL MEETINGS
There will be several premiere presentations during the festival, including compositions by Dariusz Przybylski, Aleksander Kościow, Edward Sielicki, Zofia Dowgiałło and Władysław Słowiński. See above for details. The festival will take place in several venues around Warsaw between May 9 and 17. For a complete program and performer list please visit the official website of the festival. [Source: culture.pl]
MUSICA ELECTRONICA NOVA
Please visit the official website of the festival for more information. [Source: culture.pl] |
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ANNIVERSARIES |
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PMC Newsletter Archive
Copyright 2009 by the Polish Music Center
Send your comments and inquiries to: polmusic@thornton.usc.edu
Newsletter Editor: Krysta Close
Assistant Editor: Daniel Kamiński
Contributions from: Marek Żebrowski,
Joseph A. Herter, Chales Bragg
Vladel Juskiewicz
& Daniel J. Kij
Sources of information: Polish Cultural Institute (NY & UK), Adam Mickiewicz Institute,
PWM,
Nowy Dziennik,
Polish Music Information Centre - Warsaw, Polish American Journal,
Poland.pl,
PAP,
ZKP, infochopin.pl, Ruch Muzyczny, Gazeta Wyborcza
Formatting by Krysta Close, May 7, 2009.
The Polish Music Center includes all content on a space available basis. We reserve the right to refuse any content submitted.
During a brief afternoon ceremony inside Dean Cutietta’s office, Minister Zdrojewski decorated the Dean with the Gloria Artis medal. This highly prestigious award recognizes the most outstanding individuals for their contributions to Polish culture and is usually bestowed upon the recipient upon the initiative of the Minister of Culture or other high government officials.
During a wide-ranging discussion with the Minister over tea and coffee, a variety of initiatives and future PMC-related projects were presented. Minister Zdrojewski encouraged the PMC to apply for Ministry grants to fund the Center’s book series. Issues related to cataloguing the precious and rare items held in the PMC Library and making them available via the internet to scholars around the world were also discussed in depth. Minister Zdrojewski’s suggestions as to who in Poland’s National Archives could assist in this long-term project were most helpful and will undoubtedly serve as a strong initial step in developing professional ties with appropriate institutions and archives in Poland. 
As the time for the next annual 
Poland’s historic 1791 Constitution was celebrated with a gala event on Monday May 4 at the 
Polish pianist and former winner of the Warsaw International Chopin Piano Competition, Krystian Zimerman, made his 
Performers for this concert are Talia Or – soprano (Israel); Polish Chamber Choir Schola Cantorum Gedanensis; Jan Łukaszewski – conductor; Morphing Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Austria); Tomasz Wabnic – orchestra director (Poland); Michał Dworzyński – conductor (Poland). The concert will be on Sunday May 3rd at 4:00 pm in the Seminar Church in Częstochowa. For more information on the Festival, see the Festivals section below, or for a complete program and information about the artists, please visit 
May 13 marks the 60th birthday of Polish-born composer Piotr Moss who is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of his artistic life this year. Born in Bydgoszcz in 1949 and raised in Toruń, Moss completed his music studies at the State Higher School of Music (now the Chopin University of Music) in Warsaw, studying composition with Grażyna Bacewicz and Piotr Perkowski. Further private studies in composition took place with Krzysztof Penderecki (1974-76) in Cracow and with the legendary Nadia Boulanger in 1976 in Paris, now the composer’s second home when not residing in Warsaw.
In autumn there will be performances of his Stabat Mater in Koszalin and Kołobrzeg, and the premiere of Loneliness, a cycle of songs for alto and orchestra commissioned by the 
One of the foremost Polish orchestras, 
On April 1, as a result of restructuring, the Polish Audio-Visual Publications became the National Audio-Visual Institute. The institute was established by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bogdan Zdrojewski. This change will greatly increase the goals, reach and possibilities of the institution. 
As a part of the 2009 
A native of Warsaw and a student of Karol Szymanowski at the Warsaw Conservatory, Henryk Wars became famous as a court composer of hits for stars of the fashionable Warsaw cabarets. He also scored over fifty Polish feature films. He continued to compose in the USA, where he landed after WWII, back from the war trail of an officer of General Anders’ Polish Armed Forces in the East. Wars’ previously unknown collection of classical compositions from his years in Los Angeles was donated to the Polish Music Center by the composer’s widow in 2005. The donation was celebrated at a 
Music-Wojciech Kilar
Mariusz Kwiecień, the Polish baritone whose performance as Don Giovanni gave the Seattle audience goose bumps, received the 2007 Opera Artist of the Year’s award. In May 2009, he returns to the Seattle Opera as Count Almaviva in a new production of Le nozze di Figaro [The Marriage of Figaro]. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most popular, this opera is charming, light-hearted and endlessly enjoyable. It combines breathtaking arias and ensembles with a strong, highly entertaining plot. Le nozze di Figaro sparkles with genius and will be playing at the 
The Theodor Leschetizky Music Society in Warsaw is pleased to invite piano students to the: 8th International Piano-Master Course 'Idea-Image-Technique' in Rzeszów, Poland.
Mei-Ting Sun - Winner of 2005 U.S. 
PRESS RELEASE: Noted Polish musicologist Małgorzata Komorowska is this year’s recipient of the award Theatrical Book of the Year 2008, awarded by the Polish Center’s Critics’ Division of the International Theatre Institute (
Polish-American pianist 
The winners of the Fryderyk Award of the 
The VIII International Piano Competition “Artur Rubinstein in Memoriam” attracted 45 international applicants, of which the jury invited 21 to perform in the Concert Hall of 
The jury of the XIII International Ada Sari Vocal Art Competition has awarded the following prizes:
On April 27 in the Opera Bastille in Paris, the Academie du Disque Lyrique held the awards ceremony for the ORPHÉES D'OR Award. Polish record company DUX, specializing in classical music releases, has received a Special Jury Award for the promotion of the music of Polish composers – Moniuszko and Szymanowski.
The winners of the “Cultural Guarantee Awards” given by the Cultural station of Telewizja Polska [
Artur Zagajewski and Marcin Zieliński have received 2nd Prize ex aequo at the 
The 17-year old winner of the 2008 Polish National Chopin Piano Competition, Julia Kociuban, concluded her tour of the U.S. on April 30th. The tour spanned the East Coast, from New York to Florida and also included Ohio. Ms. Kociuban’s program included: W. A. Mozart - Sonata in B flat major KV 333; F. Chopin - Scherzo no 4 in E major op. 54, 3 Mazurkas op. 59, Polonaise in A flat major op. 53, Grande Valse Brillante in E flat major op. 18, and Ballade no 4 in F minor op. 52; S. Prokofiev Sonata in A minor op. 28 nr. 3; J. Brahms - Intermezzo op. 118 no 2; and F. Liszt - Rapsodie Espagnole.
Aukso – “Bacewicz, Penderecki, Kanchelli”
Józef Elsner/Franciszek Lessel
Mieczysław Karłowicz
Samuel Ramey Live
Chopin, Paderewski, Szymanowski
Kenner plays Chopin
Kreisler. Carlos Damas, Anna Tomasik 
Szymanowski: Symphonies no. 1 & 4
Ewa Podleś & Garrick Ohlsson
The 
The main idea of the 
The 2nd 
The third edition of the