A Review by Marek Zebrowski The Verona Quartet (Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro, violins, Abigail Rojansky, viola, and Jonathan Dormand, cello) visited the USC campus for a master class on March 20 and a concert on March 23. Their sojourn at USC elicited great interest from string students and faculty, culminating in a packed auditorium…Continue Reading Heartfelt Musicmaking at PMC’s Spring Concert
A new album by pianist and composer Aleksander Dębicz will be released by Warner Classics on April 19. The artist admitted that the idea for an album preview clip, entitled “Illusion,” was quite spontaneous and was made together with Dębicz’s friend, professional filmmaker Adam Andrzejewski. Here’s a tantalizing peak at Dębicz’s upcoming album, Magnolia… [Sources:…Continue Reading New Release by Dębicz
In another collaboration with the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles, the Polish Music Center presents one of the brightest young stars of the Polish chamber music scene: Duo Karolina Mikołajczyk & Iwo Jedynecki. Both virtuosos in their own right, Mikołajczyk and Jedynecki bring great energy to the stage, highlighting not only existing repertoire for accordion…Continue Reading April 2024: Mikołajczyk & Jedynecki Duo at HMLA
On March 28 in Polish Radio’s Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio in Warsaw, Paweł Szymański’s 70th birthday was celebrated with a special concert entitled ‘Paweł Szymański @ 70!’. The performers included Hashtag Ensemble, Royal String Quartet, Matangi String Quartet, and soloists: Daniel Oktawian Piotrowski – countertenor, Agnieszka Podłucka, Natalia Reichert – violas, Małgorzata Sarbak – harpsichord,…Continue Reading ‘Paweł Szymański @ 70!’
Ryterband—More Correspondence! Another tranche of fascinating letters sent to Roman Ryterband during the years 1939-1949 was recently donated to the PMC by the composer’s younger daughter, Diana Eisele. Her extraordinary gift includes correspondence from Abraham Ritterband to pianist and composer Roman Ryterband, who spent the World War II years in Berne, Switzerland. They include six…Continue Reading PMC Gifts: March 2024
The Polish-born soprano Dominika Zamara will appear as a featured guest performer at a concert at the Weill Recital Hall in New York City on April 4. She will perform Wiesław Rentowski’s Agnus Dei, dedicated to Pope John Paul II. For this occasion, Ms. Zamara will be joined by other laureates at the Fifth Annual…Continue Reading Zamara at Weill Hall Performing Rentowski
Thanks to Manuel Cini, concert pianist and professor at the University of Surrey—and thanks to his research in Holocaust music—we have learned of Leon Kaczmarek (1903-1973), a composer of vocal music and an inmate at Dachau concentration camp during the years 1940-1945. Not much is known about Kaczmarek’s early life and musical activities in Poland…Continue Reading Vocal Music from Dachau
A review by Marek Zebrowski Cellist Jan Kalinowski and pianist Marek Szlezer—also known as the Cracow Duo—are quite familiar to audiences in California after their numerous appearances at USC, the Holocaust Museum, and the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, among others. Their latest Los Angeles performance was on March 10 in Ramo Hall on the…Continue Reading Virtuosity and Passion
Marta Ptaszyńska, distinguished Polish composer and Helen B. and Frank L. Sulzberger Professor Emerita at the University of Chicago, will return to the UChicago campus on April 10 as a featured speaker for the Robert and Anne Gomer Lecture series. Titled “Imaginary Landscapes—Music of Marta Ptaszyńska,” the composer will discuss her most recent large scale…Continue Reading Ptaszyńska Back in Chicago
The Helena Modjeska Art & Culture Club of Southern California presents a unique jazz concert by famous Polish jazz vocalist Grazyna Auguscik with Brazilian guitarist Paulinho Garcia. Entitled “Polska i Brazylia,” the concert will take place on Sunday, April 7 at 7 pm at the Illusion Magic Theater (formerly known as Magicopolis) in Santa Monica. Admission is free for Club members and…Continue Reading Grazyna Auguscik & Paulinho Garcia in L.A.