The general opinion is that everyone can criticize others. A deeper reflection and careful assessment of the music phenomenon is a rare ability. Yet much rarer is the ability to make an original judgment in such a way that it attracts attention of casual readers. We believe that constructive music criticism can and should be considered as true art. That’s why we created the Competition for the Polish Music Critics “KROPKA” (“DOT”). This event has an opportunity to contribute to an integration of artistic communities, which due to their great diversity and niche music genres, remain disunited.
On Sunday, May 28 at the PWM headquarters in Warsaw, the award gala for the 2017 “KROPKA” [DOT] Polish Music Critics Competition, organized by the Meakultura Foundation, was held. During this year’s 3rd edition, prizes—including statuettes, diplomas, CDs, books and valuable audio equipment for the winner of Grand Prix—were awarded in the following categories:
- Grand Prix for the best text about music published in 2016: Kaja Prusinowska for the article “Mama ma, trochę dobra, trochę zła…” (Muzyka w Mieście).
- Two Main Prizes (for review/report and article/feuilleton):
- Małgorzata Gąsiorowska for the text “Kanon XIX/XX: Kisielewski” (Ruch Muzyczny)
- Krzysztof Marciniak for the article “Międzynarodowe Letnie Kursy Nowej Muzyki w Darmstadcie” (Glissando)
- Distinction for a debutant, i..e., a person who has not completed studies related to music and does not work professionally in the field of journalism: Karolina Anna Pawłowska for the text “Ratując Pigmejów od zapomnienia” (Meakultura.pl),
- Special Award for a text on Polish music published outside the country: David Pountney for the article “André Tchaikowsky: from Warsaw to Belmont via a wardrobe” (The Guardian)
This year are also planned:
- Piotr Metz Individual Award for article about popular music: Dominik Gac for the text “Let The World Burn” (Gazeta Magnetofonowa)
- PWM Director- Editor in Chief Award: Jakub Dymek for the article “Bez winylu” (Dwutygodnik.com)
- Foundation MEAKULTURA Award for outstanding achievements in the field of music criticism: journalist and music critic Tomasz Szachowski for his many years with Polish Radio and Jazz Forum magazine
- Special Prize of Polish Composers Union (ZKP) Musicologist Section for promoting music in radio and television: Polish Radio publicist Marek Zwyrzykowski
- Audience Award for the best book on music published in 2016: Leszek Gnoiński for the book Republika. Nieustanne tango
The award ceremony gala was graced with musical performances by saxophonist Cezariusz Gadzina, cellist Krzysztof Lenczowski and harpsichordist Maurycy Raczyński. Actor Maciej Makowski presided over the ceremony.
The competition received support from Polish Society of Authors and Composers ZAiKS Fund and from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
[Sources: press release, fundacjameakultura.pl, facebook.com]