Polish Music Center Newsletter Vol. 11, no. 12
PMC News
Polish Independence Day Vars Gala
This year, Los Angeles celebrated Polish Independence Day by recognizing a common treasure of Hollywood and Poland. In honor of the donation of manuscripts to the Polish Music Center at USC from the estate of the great composer of Polish and American pop and film music,
Henry Vars, the evening was dedicated to Vars’ music and the generosity of his family. This Gala event was co-sponsored by the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in L.A. and the Polish Music Center USC and presented to a capacity crowd in the beautiful Bovard Auditorium on the USC campus at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11th, 2005.
The evening kicked off with arrangements of the Polish and American National anthems, followed by a discussion of the important history of Poland’s independence, delivered by the Polish Consul General of L.A., the honorable Krystyna Tokarska-Biernacik. The patriotic delivery of the music and the speech set the tone for the evening, which promised to warm the hearts of anyone who cherished Poland and her culture. The Consul General’s speech was followed by the Dean of Thornton School of Music, Robert Cutietta, who presented a stunningly hand-calligraphied President’s Commendation to Mrs. Wanda Wilk, originator and benefactor of the Polish Music Center as well as one of the greatest patrons of Polish culture in Los Angeles. In her acceptance address, Mrs. Wilk once again showed her tireless dedication to the proliferation of Polish music and culture, a sentiment which we at the Polish Music Center hope to honor in perpetuum, thanks to the Wilks’ generosity.
After Ms. Lourdes Saab, the L.A. Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Board of Supervisors, presented a Certificate of Commendation to the Polish Consulate on behalf of Los Angeles County in honor of Polish Independence Day, the Consul General again took the stage. She was joined by the honorable Paulina Kapuścińska, Polish Consul for Culture, Education & Media for Los Angeles. Together, they commended Mrs. Elizabeth Vars (pictured at right with the Consul General), the widow of the composer, for her gift of manuscripts and presented her with the Amicus Poloniae award. Mrs. Vars was touched by the recognition and by the fact that her husband was being honored that night, and responded with great emotion. Robert Vars, son of the composer, also spoke on behalf of their whole family, relating personal anecdotes about life with his brilliant father.
With the completion of the official speeches, the evening moved directly into a splendid program of Henry Vars’ music. Spiced with witty commentary by conductor Gabriel Alegría, the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra performed varied arrangements of some of Vars’ most popular songs, including Miłość ci wszystko wybaczy [Love Forgives All], Już nie zapomnisz mnie [You’ll Never Forget Me] and Sex Appeal. Despite the fact that Vars’ songs are nearly 80 years old, the young group interpreted his music with style, sensitivity, and impressive skill, enhancing the timelessness of Vars’ melodies with the excitement of modern jazz. Although the violin and the banjo are no longer commonly heard in today’s jazz ensembles, they were blended seamlessly into the Orchestra, adding an unmistakable 1920s flair. Vocal soloists Yolanta Tensor, Angela Vicente, and Matt Falker also joined the Orchestra on several numbers, singing in Polish and English. Even Marek Żebrowski, Director of the Polish Music Center and pianist, joined in the mix, delivering touching renditions of Sunrise in Manhattan and Lady with a French Poodle, two of Vars’ greatest film tunes. Between the ceremonial speeches and the lively music, both Vars and Poland were honored by this wonderful evening.
[KC]
News
2005 Chopinological International Conference
1-3 December 2005
One of the priorities of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute (est. 2001) is to inspire, support, coordinate and disseminate the results of academic research on the person, work and broadly understood context of Fryderyk Chopin’s music. One of the means employed to achieve this end is their program of annual international conferences and symposia, organized in late autumn. Each conference of the cycle is devoted to a different area of contemporary Chopinology. The theme of this year’s conference is “The Sources of Chopin’s Creative Style: Inspirations and Contexts”. For a detailed conference schedule, visit chopin.nifc.pl.
White-Voice Singer Sadovska In NYC
A mesmerizing contemporary voice acclaimed for breathing vigorous new life into the fast-fading rural folk traditions of Central and Eastern Europe and other regions, “white-voice” (open-throat) singer Mariana Sadovska, a long-time musical collaborator with Poland’s leading contemporary theater group, Gardzienice, performs Without Ground at Symphony Space. Without Ground is a ground-breaking song cycle accompanied by haunting, original video work by Lars Jan, a video artist, theater director, and writer who has collaborated with members of Pig Iron Theatre Company, The Wooster Group, Gardzienice, and many others.
Sadovska has made her way across the remote, rural landscape of Ukraine, absorbing songs from women whom she met throughout her travels. In her hands, however, these folk songs are no sterile collection of ethnomusicology, but a thrilling, taut and slightly terrifying journey through village life in Ukraine. Each song is given to her by a specific person. She believes that songs are dialogues between the singer and the listener—first between that person and Mariana, and now a spellbinding dialogue between Mariana and her audience. From the desperation of a widow after her husband’s death to a young girl speaking to doves at a well, Mariana sings of people half a world away, but through her strength and vitality delivers a universal experience.
FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2005 | 8:30 pm
SYMPHONY SPACE
Leonard Nimoy Thalia
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
New York, NY 10025-6990
Tel: 212.864.5400
Wiłkomirski Premiere
On December 2, 2005 the Sudety Philharmonic in Wałbrzych premiered the new work of Polish composer/conductor Józef Wiłkomirski: Concert Suite for Marimba and Orchestra. The marimba solo was performed by Katarzyna Myćka and the orchestra was conducted by Jan Miłosz Zarzycki. The rest of the program consisted of Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Borodin’s 2nd Symphony in b Minor. Wiłkomirski is the former director of the Sudety Philharmonic.
Warsaw Quintet Plays Again
In 2003 in Radziejowice Palace, the reactivated Warsaw Quintet played their first concert. The ensemble that once included such greats as Szpilman, Gimpel, Wroński, Kamasa and Ciechański now includes only violist Stefan Kamasa from the old line up. New members are: Konstanty Andrzej Kulka and Krzysztof Bąkowski on violins, Rafał Kwiatkowski on cello and Krzysztof Jabłoński on piano. The Warsaw Quintet will be performing on the 13 December at the Warsaw National Philharmonic. Program: Kazimierz Wiłkomirski – Air for cello and piano; Juliusz Zarębski – Piano Quintet in G Minor op. 34; Johannes Brahms – Piano Quintet in F Minor op. 34.
Dębski & Chaplin At Camerimage
Camerimage 2005: 27 November – 6 December 2005
Since its inception in 1993, the Camerimage Festival in Łódź has become one of Poland’s premiere film festivals. During the final gala of the 2005 Festival on December 6th, the audience was treated to a presentation of the Charlie Chaplin movie Behind the Stage from 1916, with its new music score composed by Krzesimir Dębski. The youngest son of Charlie Chaplin, Eugene will attend the Gala, to experience the re-working of his father’s classic.
GOOD NIGHT
“Good Night, sweet Prince,
Flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest”
W. Shakespeare, Hamlet
“Good Night” is a new exhibition of works of art inspired by music of Polish composer HENRYK MIKOŁAJ GÓRECKI, known world-wide for his 3rd Symphony – Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs. British composer, Michael Nyman, called Gorecki’s composition Good Night, Opus 63 (1990) “the most beautiful, dramatic, and dangerous” in contemporary classical music. The exhibition will run from 3-27 December 2005 in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. Artists include: Luigi CASALINO, Italy; Joanna FODCZUK, USA (see work above at right); Marek KOCZELA, Canada (see work above at left); Tom MISZTAL, USA; Aleksandra K. NOWAK, USA; Darek NOWAKOWSKI, USA; Egidijus RUDINSKAS, Lithuania; Michal SWIDER, Poland; Joanna CHROBAK, Poland; Lubomir TOMASZEWSKI, USA; Piotr WORONIEC, Poland.
JKK Fine Arts
THE MEWS
594 Valley Road
Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
Tel: (973) 744 0111
Email: jk@jkkfinearts.com
Web: www.jkkfinearts.com
Polish Film Music In Berlin
On December 2, 2005, the day before the ceremony of the European Film Awards, the European Film Music Concert will take place in the Volksbühne Theater in Berlin. French film composer Maurice Jarre (Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Gumbi, etc.) will be an honorary guest of the evening and the musical performers will be the Flemish Radio Orchestra. During the concert the audience will hear compositions by Brunon Coulais, Albert Iglesias and Stephen Warbeck. The music of Polish film composer, Zbigniew Preisner will also be featured, including music from Kieślowski’s Trois couleurs.
McCreesh To Direct Wratislavia Cantans
The Wratislavia Cantans International Festival has a new artistic director: British conductor Paul McCreesh (pictured at left). Paul McCreesh, founder and Artistic Director of the Gabrieli Consort and Players, has established himself at the highest level in the period instrument field and is recognized for his authoritative and innovative performances on the concert platform and the opera house. Maestro McCreesh plans to refresh the Festival, which is sometimes considered a bit too “old fashioned” in certain circles. He has given assurance, though, that his changes will be more of an evolution, not a revolution. The first festival completely under his control will be the 2007 edition. To streamline the event, the Festival will take place in a set time (between September 8 – 16) and only in the city of Wrocław.
McCreesh is 45 years old and is a graduate of Manchester University. Currently he lives in London and collaborates with such groups as the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and San Francisco Symphony.
Paderewski Trio At Kosciuszko FDN
The Paderewski Trio will perform in concert on Sunday, December 11 at 3 PM at the Kosciuszko Foundation House. The program includes trios of Beethoven and Mendelssohn and, with guest violist Toby Appel, the Piano Quartet in G minor of Mozart. Winners of the 32nd Artists International Annual Debut Prize in 2003, they have performed regularly in the Foundation’s highly regarded Chamber Music Series, broadcast over WQXR-FM. There will be a reception and discussion with the artists after the concert. You can reserve your place by calling (212) 734-2130.
The Paderewski Trio is made up of Krzysztof Kuznik, violin (right); Rafal Jezierski, cello (left); and Juny Jung, piano (center). Born in Pozńan, Poland, Rafal Jezierski first studied with his father, a professional cellist and singer. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music, he is currently a completing his Master’s Degree at The Juilliard School, where he is studying with Bonnie Hampton. Krzysztof Kuznik graduated from both the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw and the Manhattan School of Music. A founding member of the Elsner String Quartet, he is currently on the violin faculty of the Manhattan School of Music and frequently performs with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Korean-born pianist Juny Jung is the music director and founder of the Simons’ Pond Music Festival in Pennsylvania. He graduated from both the Manhattan School of Music and the Mannes College of Music.
Toby Appel has appeared in recital and concerto performances throughout North and South America, Europe, and the Far East. He has been a member of such renowned ensembles as “Tashi”, and has appeared with jazz artists Chick Corea and Gary Burton. In 1975, Mr. Appel was featured in a CBS television special performing works commissioned by him for three violas, all played by Toby Appel. In 1980, Mr. Appel was the winner of Young Concert Artists International Award. A most versatile artist, Mr. Appel has appeared as a narrator and is a frequent commentator for National Public Radio’s Performance Today. Mr. Appel is currently teaching on the viola and chamber music faculties at the Juilliard School in New York City and is Artist Lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
The Paderewski Trio will appear in two additional concerts at the Kosciuszko Foundation on February 5 and March 26, 2006. The Foundation’s Chamber Music Series continues with the New York State Baroque Orchestra in a special holiday concert on Sunday, December 18.
13th Mazovian Chopin Auditions
On December 1st and 2nd, young talented pianists will have a chance to perform on the stage of the F. Chopin School of Music in Sochaczew, which is located very near to Chopin’s birthplace in Żelazowa Wola. The jury, chaired by Prof. Jan Kadłubiski and consisting of distinguished pedagogues from various music academies, will single out the most interesting performances. All participants will receive diplomas. Laureates will receive awards, perform in the winner’s concert at 5:00 pm on December 2nd and perform for the Warsaw Musical Society at 11:00 am on Sunday Dec. 4th.
Awards
ZKP Honors Young Composers
On December 6th, ZKP (the Polish Composers’ Union) announced the results of the 46th edition of its Competition for the Young Composers. The final concert and awards ceremony took place on the 6th in the Józef Elsner Recital Hall in Dziekanka dormitory at the Warsaw Academy of Music. The jury, consisting of Anna Zawadzka-Gołosz – chairman, Rafał Augustyn, Krzysztof Baculewski and Marcin Błażewicz, did not award a First Prize. The Second Prize (including $1500) was awarded to Grzegorz Duchnowskifrom the Łódź Academy of Music for Narzędzie ze światła [The Tool from Light]. The Third Prize (including $1000) was awarded to Agnieszka Stulgińska from the Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk for Spojrzenie światła [The Glance of Light]. Two honorary mentions were awarded to Grzegorz Duchnowski from the Łódź Academy of Music for Quartetto concertante and Paweł Sołtysiak from the Paderewski Academy of Music in Pozńan for Kilkanaście ostatnich akapitów [A Few Last Paragraphs].
Groblewski Wins In Geneva
By unanimous agreement of the jury, 22 year old Ryszard Groblewski, a viola student from the Warsaw Music Academy, is the Grand Prix winner of this year’s edition of the prestigious International Music Competition in Geneva, Switzerland. He was one of only two Polish violists to participate in the competition, among the 66 other violists from around the world. Every year the Geneva competition invites players from two different categories of instruments – this year it was viola and piano. Groblewski has already garnered international acclaim with awards from competitions in Munich (Germany), Portschach (Austria), Essen (Germany) and Bled (Slovenia).
Golden Choral Award
The Gdańsk University Choir has received the Golden Award in the large mixed choirs category at the International Festival of Advent and Christmas Music in Prague. It was the first time that the choir from Gdańsk took part in the festival. Marcin Tomczak, director of the ensemble, has received an honorary mention for the outstanding leadership and direction. The competition hosted over 30 ensembles from countries including Ireland, Singapore, Germany, Norway, Slovakia and Portugal, among others.
The choir was established in 1971 by the Gdańsk University. To date the ensemble has performed few hundred concerts in Poland and abroad.
Polish Radio Splendor Award
Actress Marta Lipińska and composer Edward Pałłasz have received Polish Radio Theater Awards. Marta Lipińska received the Grand Splendor Award and Edward Pałłasz the Honorary Grand Splendor Award. These awards are given for outstanding acting and for contributions to the development of the artistic radio in Poland.
Edward Pałłasz is a long time contributor to the Polish Radio, for which he has written many compositions. He points out that in the radio shows, music plays a huge role. According to the composer, music, “can either support, or be in opposition to, the words”. The Grand Splendor was awarded for 18th time and the Honorary Grand Splendor for the 6th time.
Festivals
Laboratory Of Contemporary Music
This year marks the 12th edition of the contemporary music festival “Laboratory of Contemporary Music” in Warsaw, inaugurated on 1 December with a concert including works by Edward Bogusławski, Jurij Laniuk, Ihor Szczerbakow and Marek Stachowski. Performers included Urszula Krygier, soprano, Jozsef Ormeny (Ukraine) on piano and the “Leopolis” Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Roman Rewakowicz. During the festival there will be performances by Polish and international artists, such as: the Polish Chamber Choir “Schola Cantorum Gedanensis” conducted by Jan Łukaszewski, the City of Tychy Aukso Symphony Orchestra with Marek Moś, the Polish Radio Orchestra with Piotr Borkowski and Hungarian pianist Szablocs Esztenyi, Taiwaneese cellist Pi-Chin Chien and Italian flutist Mario Caroli.
For the detailed program go to: www.polmic.com.
Improvised Music Festival – plain.music
Between December 2nd and 4th there will be five concerts taking place in three different spaces in Warsaw: the Zachęta Gallery, Holy Trinity Church, and Philosophical Diner. This year’s edition sums up the two year existence of plain., which started in November 2003 with a series of five days of improvised concerts performed by Noël Akchoté. During the years there have been over 30 musicians from around Poland who have performed in the plain. concerts. December performers include pianists John Tilbury, Andy Guhl, Luc Ex, bassist John Edwards, trumpeter Brigit Ulher, tubist Zdzisław Piernik, cellist Andrzej Bauer and violinist Dagna Sadkowska.
For the program go to: www.polmic.com.
“Musica Nos Unit”
This 9th edition of the International Chamber Music Festival takes place between December 3 and 7 in Gdańsk and this year’s edition is dedicated to the works of J.S. Bach. During five festival evenings the audience will hear performances by artists who have a special place for Bach’s music in their repertoire. Among others the performers are: Russian vocal group “Ot Paromenja”, Antoni Pilch (lute), Bogusław Grabowski and Piotr Słopecki (organ), Goran Söllscher (guitar), Joanna Mądroszkiewicz (violin) and Magdalena Broks (piano).
For the program go to: www.polmic.com.
Festival Audio Art – Sound Spaces 3
The Audio Art Festival, held in Warsaw at the Ujazdowski Castle, is one of the mostly deeply rooted alternative events in Poland. Audio Art performances combine pop culture and academic avant-garde, creating a collage of sounds and opportunities for new technologies as well as DIY instruments. Audio Art comes from the desire of shortening the distance between creator, performer and technology of presentation.
For the program of the 13th edition of Audio Art go to: www.polmic.com.
Silesian Quartet Festival
The Silesian Quartet was created 27 years ago and is considered one of the best chamber ensembles in Europe. The members of the ensemble hail from the Music Academy in Katowice. Their repertoire includes over 300 compositions, of which some 200 are 20th century works. The Quartet recently has released a recording of arrangements of compositions by Grzegorz Ciechowski of “Republika” fame. In these great arrangements by Stefan Sendecki the ensemble fuses together the classical quartet sound with legendary rock compositions.
For 12 years now the ensemble has organized a Chamber Music Festival: “Silesian Quartet and Their Guests”. Every year the quartet invites great stars of classical music to perform during the festival. This event has become an international venue and one of the more important chamber music festivals in Europe. This year’s edition (the 13th annual) focuses around the works of Dmitri Shostakovich. The festival starts on December 3 and goes until December 12, 2005.
Discography
Skowronski Plays! No. 4
SKOWRONSKI PLAYS! Franck, Szymanowski, Bacewicz and Saint-Saens
Vincent P. Skowronski, violin; Saori Chiba, Donald Isaak and Neil Penesis, pianists
CESAR FRANCK: Sonata in A Major
KAROL SZYMANOWSKI: La Fontaine d’Arethuse and Chant du Roxanne
GRAŻYNA BACEWICZ: Mazurka No. 1
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS: Sonata No. 1 in D Minor
The following review is excerpted from STRAD Magazine: “The performance here by Vincent P. Skowronski presents a musician with a highly personal approach to music; the opening movement of the Franck Sonata employs a very fluid tempo, the second is turbulent, and while there is repose in the third movement, it is still a very fiery reading. The intensity continues into the final Allegretto and complements Skowronski’s powerful approach…The Szymanowski and Bacewicz are stunningly performed and derived from live, unedited concert hall performances. Recorded during a live, unedited studio recital for international radio broadcast [on WFMT-FM, Chicago, IL], the Saint-Saens receives a similarly stunning presentation as well as a sturdy interpretation. However, it is rather different from the urbane French view held by most violinists—the duo tears into the first movement. The following Adagio is relaxed and the charming allegretto leads to a hectic finale. These are truly spontaneous performances.”
Makowicz vs. Możdżer DVD
The DVD, set to be released on the December 9, 2005 was recorded live at the Wrocław Philharmonic in November 2004. The first part of the concert consists of traditional American jazz standards and the second of their arrangements of compositions by Chopin.
This is not the first release of the talented duo. In November 2004 the pianists released a live CD from their duel concert at the New York’s Carnegie Hall on 25 September 2004 entitled “Makowicz vs. Możdżer – at Carnegie Hall”.
In other news, Możdżer’s CD The Time, recorded in trio with Danielsson and Fresco, has gone double platinum since its release, signifying that over 22 thousand listeners have decided to purchase it. To celebrate the sales, there will be a special concert in the Baltic Philharmonic in Gdańsk on December 2005. The trio concert will start at 8:00 pm.
Tomaszewski Records In Poland
Marek Tomaszewski, former member of the Marek & Wacek piano duo, has finished recording the material for his new solo release. For the session he chose the Witold Lutosławski Recording Studio of the Polish Radio Studio. Currently Marek Tomaszewski lives in Paris and concentrates on teaching, but during the 1960’s and 70’s his duo was one of the most widely known performance groups around Europe, and they also performed concerts in USA and Canada. The duo’s career was cut short buy a tragic car accident, resulting in the death of Wacek Kisielewski in 1986.
Internet News
Poland In LA Weekly
Read about connections between Los Angeles and Poland, and ghosts discovered through art, in this LA Weekly article: www.laweekly.com/ink/06/01/features-morris.php. See more about the project on the Arden2 website, www.arden2.org/mp.htm
Calendar of Events
DEC 1-3: Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in e minor. Lang Lang, piano. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. 8:00/9:00 pm.
DEC 2-4: Stanisław Drzewiecki performs all-Chopin recitals in Japan. See /www.sdrzewiecki.com.plfor details.
DEC 1-3: Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in e minor. Elizabeth Jeanne Schumann, piano. Colburn School Orchestra, Yehuda Gilad, cond. Zipper Concert Hall, 200 South Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA www.colburnschool.edu, (213) 621-2200.
DEC 4: The Chopin Foundation Annual Chopin Christmas Concert. Performances by the Winners of the 10th Annual San Francisco Chopin Competition and special guests at the Queen Ann Hotel, 1590 Sutter Street (at Octavia), San Francisco, CA. 4:00 pm. Admission is free (donations welcome). Reservations suggested due to limited seating. For more information call 1-925-944-5733 or email: amgortho@aol.com.
DEC 4: Ingolf Wunder, a young piano virtuoso from Austria, is doing a short tour of Poland, playing Ravel and Chopin. Silesian Philharmonic, Katowice, Poland. 5:00 pm.
DEC 4: Emmanuel Ax, piano, performs Chopin, Grieg and Brahms at Carnegie Hall. Isaac Stern Auditorium, NYC, NY. boxoffice@carnegiehall.org, (212) 247-7800.
DEC 8: Symphony Orchestra of the Moniuszko Music Academy in Gdańk, with special guest Sławomir Wilk, piano. Program: Moniuszko, Liszt, Shostakovich. National Philharmonic, Concert Hall, Warsaw, Poland. 6:00 pm.
DEC 10: A Polish Christmas at Orchestra Hall – Carols, Chopin and More. Featuring the 49-piece Lira Chamber Orchestra, and the Lira Dancers performing with guest artists, the Lechici Dancers, and the Lira Singers (pictured at right). Ford Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, Michigan. 8:00 pm. www.liraensemble.com. 800-547-5472.
DEC 11: A Polish Christmas at Orchestra Hall – Carols, Chopin and More. Featuring the 49-piece Lira Chamber Orchestra, and the Lira Dancers performing with guest artists, the Lechici Dancers, and the Lira Singers(pictured at right). Basilica of St. Josaphat, 2333 S. 6th St.in Milwaukee, WI. 3:30 pm. www.liraensemble.com. 800-547-5472.
DEC 11: Polish pianist Piotr Anderszewski performs in the Colburn Celebrity Recital Series. Program: Szymanowski, Chopin, Mozart and Bach. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA. 8:00 pm. www.wdch/laphil.com, (323) 850-2000.
DEC 11: Peter Jablonski, piano, in recital at the Sikorski Museum. Organized by the Chopin Society of London. Sikorski Museum, London, U.K.. 3:30 pm. http://www.infochopin.pl/en/wydarzenia.php/1981/
DEC 11: Takashi Yamamoto, who won the 4th prize at the F. Chopin Competition in Warsaw, gives an all-Chopin recital. H. Wieniawski Philharmonic, Lublin, Poland. 7:00 pm.
DEC 13: The Warsaw Quintet performs Wiłkomirski, Zarębski, and Brahms. National Philharmonic, Chamber Hall, Warsaw, Poland. 7:00 pm. See above
DEC 12-14: “Composer’s Portraits” Concert cycle. Organized by the Polish Composers Union. Focuses on 6 Polish composers: Roman Berger, Michał Moc, Romuald Twardowski, Marcin Błażewicz, Włodzimierz Kotoński and Alicja Gronau. Mazovian Center for Culture and Art, ul. Elektoralna 12, Warsaw, Poland. 6:00 pm.www.zkp.org.pl/co_nowego_wiecej.php?id=83&t=0.
DEC 14: Yundi Li (1st prize winner of the 2000 Chopin Competiton) performs a program of music by Mozart, Schumann, Liszt and Chopin. Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria. 7:30 pm.
DEC 17: Ingolf Wunder, a young piano virtuoso from Austria, is doing a short tour of Poland, playing Ravel and Chopin. Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic, Kraków, Poland. 6:00 pm.
DEC 19: Ingolf Wunder, a young piano virtuoso from Austria, is doing a short tour of Poland, playing Ravel and Chopin. Podlasie Philharmonic, Białystok, Poland. 7:00 pm.
DEC 20: A Tribute to Artur Rubinstein – Master Recital. Dina Yoffe, piano. Artur Rubinstein Lodz Philharmonic, Lodz, Poland. 7:00 pm.
Anniversaries
Born This Month
- 3 December 1896 – Bolesław SZABELSKI, composer (d. 1979)
- 5 December 1899 – Bolesław WOYTOWICZ, composer (d. 1980)
- 6 December 1933 – Henryk Mikołaj GÓRECKI, composer
- 11 December 1876 – Mieczysław KARŁOWICZ, composer (d. 1909, under an avalanche in Tatra mountains)
- 14 December 1789 – Maria SZYMANOWSKA, composer, virtuosa pianist (d. 1831, of cholera)
- 18 December 1907 – Roman PALESTER, composer, broadcaster (d. 1989)
- 23 December 1830 – Adam MINCHEJMER, composer and conductor (d. 1904)
- 24 December 1859 – Roman STATKOWSKI, composer, teacher (d. 1925)
- 29 December 1902 – Henry VARS, film and popular music composer (d. 1978)
Died This Month
- 3 December 2004 – Marek STACHOWSKI, professor, composer, and professor and administrator at the Music Academy in Kraków (b. 1936)
- 11 December 1945 – Seweryn EISENBERGER, pianist (b. 1899)
- 20 December 1834 – Maurycy MOCHNACKI, music critic, writer, pianist (b. 1804)
- 21 December 1938 – Arnold LUDWIK, violin maker (b. 1873)
- 23 December 1885 – Artur BARTELS, pop singer (b. 1818)
- 24 December 1898 – Eugeniusz PANKIEWICZ, pianist and composer (b. 1857)
- 26 December 1945 – Stefan STOIŃSKI, music ethnographer, writer, conductor (b. 1891)
- 29 December 1913 – Jadwiga SARNECKA, pianist, composer, poet (b. 1877)
- 31 December 1944 – Marian Teofil RUDNICKI, conductor, composer (b. 1888)