The 8th International Competition of Young Violinists, named after Karol Lipiński and Henryk Wieniawski was completed in Lublin. In the younger group the prize winners are:

• Kishima Mayu, Japan, 14 years old (second prize),
• Ilian Garnet, Moldavia, 17 years old (third prize),
• Young YeoYoon, South Korea, 15 years old (fourth prize),
• Xi Cheng, China, 16 years old (fifth prize).

• Jana Novakova, Czech Republic, 21 years old (first prize),
• Mengla Huang (21 years old) and Wei Wen (19 years old), China, (second prize ex aequo),
• Jaroslaw Nadrzycki, Poland 16 years old (fourth prize),
• Alissa Margulis, Germany, 16 years old, (fifth prize).

WINNERS OF PENDERECKI COMPETITION

The 4th International Competition of Contemporary Chamber Music named after Krzysztof Penderecki just completed its course in Cracow. The international jury, with the participation of Prof. Marek Stachowski, selected two ensembles for the Grand Prix: the Ensemble Motion Trio and the Witold Lutosławski String Quartet. In the division of soloists, the first prize went to the pianist Winston Choi, based in the U.S. and in the category of duets, the first prize was awarded to Fatima Aaziza (violin) and Tomasz Lupa (piano). A special prize for the best performance of a Polish composition was given to Joanna Strzelecka for her performance of Szymanowski's Masques.

• OCT 13 & 14: Karłowicz's Violin Concerto. Riverside Symphonia, Mariusz Smolij, cond. Lambertville, NJ.

• OCT 14: Ptaszyńska's "Winter Tale." Memphis Symphony Orchestra. David Loebel, cond.

• OCT 15: Stanienda-Urbaniak-Folkert Trio. Music by Panufnik, Brahms and David Diamond. Jan Stanienda, violin; Lidia Urbaniak, cello; Piotr Folkert, piano. Opening program of the 2000-2001 Kosciuszko Foundation Chamber Music Series. New York City. (212) 734-2130. 3:00 p.m. $25/$21 members.

• OCT 4-22: XIVth Chopin International Piano Competition. Concerts and Exhibit (4-26), Warsaw.

• OCT 19-30: Kosciuszko Foundation Jubilee Tour to Poland.

• OCT 21: Open House, Concert & Exhibit of original manuscripts of Polish composers donated to the PMRC. United University Church 2nd floor. 2-7p.m. Free.

• OCT 22: Music by Bridge, Piston, Suk and Alexandre Tansman. American Piano quartet. St. Paul Sunday. 10:00 a.m. KUSC 91.5 FM.

• OCT 22: Music by Chopin, Mendelssohn, Strauss and Kreisler. Wladimir Jan Kochanski, piano. Ojai Presbyterian Church. 3:00 p.m. $12, 10, 8. (805) 649-4746.

• OCT 29: Kosciuszko Foundation Diamond Jubilee Concert. Music by Gershwin. Adam Makowicz, piano. Sinfonia Varsovia. Warsaw.

• OCT 29: "What Makes Polish Music Polish?" Lecture/performance by Professor Wojciech Kocyan, piano. L.A. Harbor College. 7:00 p.m. Donation $10.

  
  

Auer: What was it like? Wow! Now, if you consider that this was not only my first visit to Poland, but my first time out of North America, and that going to Europe had been my most passionate and persistent dream for fully ten years at that time, and also that this was my first international competition, you can have some idea of how excited I was! In this context, of course Poland was the most exotic place imaginable. It is true that Poland was also very gray and drab-and also very cold, as the competition was in February and March back then. It was remarkable to me how dark Warsaw was at night-the only neon lights in the city, almost, were those advertising the national lottery, "Toto-Lotto" atop some of the tallest buildings. All of us contestants stayed at the brand-new Dom Chłopa (ed. The former Peasants' House Hotel, now known as the Gromada Hotel), and this was also an all-new and extraordinary experience. We all ate together, and while the meals were not wonderful, the companionship was, and it was a perfect way to help us get to know each other and develop friendship, unity, and you might almost say "team spirit." I was trying to learn a little Polish, and to this day I can pronounce 154-my room number at Dom Chłopa-better and faster in Polish than most other numbers!

As for feeling "watched," as a citizen of an "imperialist capitalist country," I can say that even though I was on the lookout for such a thing, I never really felt that there was much surveillance. Indeed, it seemed that the Soviet competitors, who had their own special Russian translators if I remember correctly, were more watched by their own compatriots than we were by the Poles! Certainly a year later, when I went to the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the feeling was very different there. Everyone was under surveillance, Russians, French, Americans alike. It struck me that Poland seemed more like the US than like the Soviet Union. When I had some concerts in Polish cities right after the Competition, the state concert agency Pagart sent a translator with me, but only until I was comfortable enough getting around in Poland and Polish (or more often German at first); after that they were content to let me travel alone. That I was never allowed to do in the USSR.

Herter: This is the second time since winning that you have been back to serve on the Chopin Competition's jury. What could you say about the current level of piano performance in general and Chopin interpretation in particular? Do you find a changing attitude towards performing Chopin's works since you played in the Competition?

Auer: The population of the world is growing all the time-dangerously fast, too, but that's another story-so not only are our teaching skills developing, but there are more and more talented musicians around because there is a larger and larger population pool for them to be drawn from. And advances in telecommunications, the explosion of available recordings, and ease of travel are all contributing to a rising average level of skill and understanding in the playing of classical music. All this means that there are fewer and fewer unworthy competitors in the big competitions. The trouble is that a high average level of skill and understanding is a completely different thing from artistry. The overall average certainly is improving, but it always seems as though there are just a few genuine artists who rise above mere excellence and guide us to new experiences and insights in this old music.

Herter: Coming from North America, can you help explain the phenomenon why all of this year's contestants from Canada and the United States are of Asian descent?

Auer: I hesitate even to enter into a discussion of this difficult, important and even potentially inflammatory topic! Many possible questions-most of them uncomfortable ones-might be seen lurking behind the one you ask; for example, Are Asians more ambitious than we are? Are they less cynical about competitions? Or most touchy of all, of course: Are Asians more talented for music than we are? Are they better trained? These are general, sweeping questions, and any answers to them would be-generalizations. Even when generalizations are accurate they only represent a small statistical tendency, and that's the good news. The bad news is that, accurate or otherwise, they are much more likely to lead to prejudice than to increased understanding.

There are also other factors: we have considerable continuing immigration from the Orient, and our Asian population is increasing all the time. Some Asian countries, notably Japan, have music schools that already rival the best in the US and Europe, and yet the belief that one needs to go to the West for the best musical education is still very prevalent. Also note that China, Korea and Japan are three separate (indeed some would say four!) nations; if we had eight American and Canadian entrants, seven of whom had English, French and German names, it certainly wouldn't be very surprising! And I suspect that mere statistical accident probably is playing a part as well. I have had many outstanding Korean, Japanese and Chinese students, as well as esteemed and splendid colleague from these countries, and I just hope and intend that we can continue learning from each other.

Herter: As a young pianist in the USA, what was your first big break in America's musical world?

Auer: Well, the USA is a big place. I grew up in Los Angeles, and until I went to New York to attend the Juilliard School, I had almost no musical contacts outside of the Southwest. I was helped very much during my LA years by the Young Musicians Foundation, an organization that took an interest in me almost from its inception. I received a lot of attention, publicity and financial aid from the YMF. When I was 14, I appeared on two famous television shows, the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts and the Liberace Show! While these did not do anything for my "career," such as it was at that time, they were fun, and I still have the copy of the Chopin Scherzos (I played the B minor on both shows) that I was using at that time, autographed on the title page by Liberace, and I'm real glad to have it! Shortly before I went to the Competition, I made my New York début under the auspices of Young Concert Artists, which then became my concert manager for several years. Both YCA and YMF were new when I joined them, both are still in existence, and I owe a lot to them.

But in fact my "first big break in America's musical world" was the VII International Frederic Chopin Competition in Warsaw! That did much more for my visibility on the American musical scene than anything I had done in the States, as well as helping me to feel like a musical grown-up for the first time.

Herter: Your responsibilities as a well-known professor of piano at Indiana University in Bloomington certainly must limit the time you have to perform as a concert pianist. Do you find much time to give concerts and tour during the academic year?

Auer: The amount of concert engagements that come to me usually doesn't interfere substantially with my teaching schedule. The Indiana University School of Music is serious about each student receiving a proper number of lessons per semester, but faculty members (and students too) are liberally allowed to travel in order to fulfill their concert commitments. Some of my performances are during the summer (including quite a few appearances in Duszniki over the years) so those are not a problem. But besides Poland, during my employment at Indiana I've traveled to Turkey, Japan, Taiwan, Italy and quite a few other far-flung places, and of course to numerous places in the US and Canada.

Herter: Many of our readers may know that your last visit to Poland was this past February, when you gave concerts in Warsaw and Lublin. In fact, "Warsaw - What, When, Where" was one of the media sponsors for your Warsaw concert. Exactly how many times have you performed in Poland since 1965 and when can we hopefully expect to see you once more in Warsaw?

Auer: I'm hoping to come back soon for more concerts, but I can't say yet just when-I'm working on it. "Exactly how many times have I performed in Poland since 1965?" I think there were some 20-25 tours altogether-I've lost count. I remember that I had a tour directly after the Competition (so I was in Poland from February till April) and then went back in 1967. I don't think I was there in 1966. After that I went back sometimes every year, more usually every other year, for a long time. It was funny, in retrospect, that I always tried to bargain for more money for those concerts! I used to beg Pagart to try to find more funds for my concerts. Sometimes they could, sometimes they were not even able to arrange concerts for me at all (I remember the head of Pagart at the time, Pan Korczowski, singing to me once "I can't give you anythi-i-ing but luv"!). I always received part of my fee-and sometimes all of it-in unconvertible Polish zlotys. I became quite skilled at shopping for nice things to buy in Poland to use the zlotys. It seemed to me much more prestigious when I received dollars, but I must admit that the dollar amounts were so small that I sometimes wondered why I campaigned so hard for the honor of a double fee, when Pagart was really quite generous with Polish currency, which always made me feel like a rich man in Poland!

NOTE: Edward Auer, one of the jurors at this year's Frederic Chopin International Competition, was also the first American to become a laureate of the competition in 1965. While in Europe that year, he entered five international competitions, winning prizes in every one, including first in the Concours Marguerite Long in Paris. Mr. Auer presently makes his home in Bloomington, Indiana, where he lives with his wife, daughter and Hungarian sheepdog. He is on the piano faculty of the Indiana University School of Music. This interview appears in an abridged version in October's issue of "Warszawa - What, Where, When" and may be read at their Website http://www.inter.com.pl.

The premiere of Krzysztof Meyer's oratorio, "Schoepfung" took place at the SXPO 2000 World Festival in Hanover, Germany on 10 September. For a full account look up www.meloman.pl however, since it's in Polish, here are some highlights. Soloists included Monika Borchfeldt, sop., Gehlrild Romberger, alt; Berthold Schmid, tenor; Andreas Scheibner, bass and the Orchestra of the Municipal Theatre of Braunschweig; choirs from two churches in Hildesheim (Saxony). The concert was held in the Romanesque church of St. Michael in Hildesheim. The event is part of the symposium dedicated to a dialogue on the theme of creation in the religions of the world. It will be repeated on 13 Sep.

Krzysztof Meyer composed music to a text by Evangelical pastor and poet, Gerhard Engelsberger. Prof. Meyer, who has been on the faculty of the Higher School of Music in Cologne since 1987, had formerly served as president of the Polish Composers' Union and taught in Krakow. He has received many awards for his works which include 6 symphonies, 10 string quartets, several concertos and works for solo instrumental and voice.

ŁOWICZANIE ANNIVERSARY IN CALIFORNIA

					The Łowiczanie Polish Folk Ensemble of San Francisco (the group is afilliated with the Polish National Alliance Lodge #7) celebrated 25 years of its activities presenting Polish folk dances, music and songs. The event took place on Saturday, 30 Sep. with a Gala Silver Celebration honoring their founder Krystyna Chciuk. Congratulations to all dancers and their families! The contact information for this group may be found on PMC Polish Dance page: www.usc.edu/go/polish_music/dance/california.html.

LUTOSŁAWSKI'S MUSIC IN ATLANTA

GALA CONCERT FOR PNA

A gala concert featuring music by Chopin, Karłowicz, Moniuszko and Wieniawski was held at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, Illinois on Sunday 27 August 2000. It highlighted the 120th anniversary of the Polish National Alliance, the largest Polish-American fraternal organization headquartered in Chicago. The event attended by almost a thousand people was organized by Mariusz Smolij, who conducted the Symphony II Orchestra. The concert featured Polish- American artists like violinist Andrzej Grabiec, pianist Paweł Chęcinski, soprano Melanie Tomaszkiewicz, mezzo- soprano Edyta Kulczak, tenor Jozef Homik and the PNA Dance Ensemble "Wici," under artistic direction of Magdalena Solarz. [Based on a report in Zgoda, the fraternal paper (1 Sep)].

RUMINSKI'S RECITAL IN L.A.

The artist sang music by composers Handel, Purcell, Schubert, Verdi, Puccini, Moniuszko and Gershwin in German, Italian, Russian, Polish and English, being equally at ease in whichever language he used. The Moniuszko aria, "Zanim utrodzone oczy" was from the opera "Verbum Nobile." The highlight of the program was the premiere performance of six songs from a planned 18-song cycle to words by the late poet Charles Bukowski commissioned by the soloist. The composer, Persis Parshall Vehar, was present and acknowledged the approval of her contemporary work, which was described as "an impressive work in progress" by the music critic. The music clearly reflected the mood and character of the poetry and revealed the tender and humorous side of the famous poet.

Ruminski was accompanied on the piano by William Hicks, the very accomplished pianist and voice coach, who is assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. They made a great team. While still still on the roster of the New York City Opera company, the artist who hails from Buffalo, will be making his Metropolitan Opera debut as Zuniga in the opera, "Carmen" on 17 January 2001.

The audience included many members of the Loren Zachary Voice Society of Los Angeles, who were familiar with Valerian from their last year's competition, where he won second prize. Members of the Polish-American community seen mingling with the soloist after the recital were Dr. Maria Łobodziński with her daughters and friends; Maria Suski, president of the Los Angeles branch of the Kosciuszko Foundation with two friends; Dr. Maria Anna Harley, director of the PMC with her daughter, Anna, and Dr. Marzena Grzegorczyk, a graduate student at the USC School of Cinema and Television. [ww]

ANDERSZEWSKI FOR VIRGIN CLASSICS

H & B DIRECT CATALOGUE

Other Polish composers available from H&B:

• Naxos budget release of Szymanowski's Piano collection by Martin Roscoe, $5.98;
• Chopin box-set by Naxos of Idel Biret, 10 CDs for $58.50.
• In the 2 for 1 Price recordings by DG, Philips or Decca, I found several Chopin collections, the Essential Lutosławski and Szymanowski's orchestral works.

EMI CLASSICS CATALOGUE

NEW REISSUE OF MAŁCUZYNSKI

PENDERECKI'S PASSION REVIEWED

MD+G 337 0981 (Koch). Penderecki: St. Luke's Passion. Franziska Hirzel, sop; Francois Le Roux, bar; Jean-Philippe Courtis, bar; Manfred Jung, narrator. German Radio Chorus, North German Radio Chorus, Mainz Cathedral Choir, Bonn Beethovenhalle Orchestra, Marc Soustro, cond.

Allen Gimbel writes in The American Record Guide (September/October 2000) that "the piece is unquestionably rough going for the listener - relentless, dreary, and grey: qualities that will most likely keep the work at the fringes of the repertoire. But its historic importance is undeniable, and a great performance would invite the occasional hearing. This, alas, is not that."

CHOPIN FLUTE VARIATIONS

Sweet music: 1800 for flute and piano. Eroica 3028. Music by Rossini, Chopin, Beethoven and Schubert. Michele Marasco, fl. Folco Vichi, piano.

This recording features Chopin's 'Rossini Variations" for flute, which remains a perennial favorite in this repertoire. "Flutist Michele Marasco has brought together four of the most charming theme-and-variations pieces in the flute literature...Marasco and pianist Folco Vichi capture the charm of these pieces, tossing off the most densely written of the variations with a playful ease." (Elaine Schmidt in the American Record Guide).

THE POLISH VIOLIN

Gasparo 338 (Allegro) Lutoslawski: Partita; Bacewicz: Sonata no. 2; Szalonek: Chaconne-Fantasy; Szymanowski: Sonata in D minor. Veronica Kadlubkiewicz, violin, Elizabeth Wright, piano.

Critic Joseph Magil wonders why "can't a label like EMI promote an artist like Kadlubkiewicz." He considers the artists here "equal to the many technical challenges. The composers throw nearly everything in the virtuoso's arsenal at Kadlubkiewicz, and she catches them all handily. She shows herself to possess temperament, the ability to evoke many contrasting moods, and a wide range of tone colors." I would say this is an excellent recommendation for getting the recording. The Szalonek piece was written in 1997 and the premiere was given by the violinist.

DE GREEF PLAYS CHOPIN AND MOSZKOWSKI