In October 2016, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage launched the 6th edition of its highly sucessful “Composing Commissions” program for the 2017-2018 artistic season. This program is implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance (IMiT) and creates opportunities for musical creation and performance throughout the year. The very long list of the…Continue Reading ‘Composing Commissions’ Announced for 2017-2018
The 7th edition of the “Days of New Music” Festival will be held between January 18 – 22 in Gdańsk. The theme of this year’s event will be based on two ideas: exploring aspects of collective collaboration vs. individual compositional process, and presentation of music by avant-garde artists. Since its very beginning, the festival has focused on…Continue Reading Days of New Music 2017
On January 11, PMC Director Marek Zebrowski and internationally renowned cellist Lars Hoefs performed the inaugural concert of the 3rd edition of the Villa-Lobos International Chamber Music Festival at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Entitled “Hommage à Chopin,” their program included Chopin: Etude Op. 25 No. 7 (arr. Franchomme); Villa-Lobos: Mazurka-Choro (arr. D. Ashbridge); Villa-Lobos: Hommage à Chopin; Chopin: Nocturne…Continue Reading Zebrowski and Hoefs at Large in LA
A new work by composer Marek Chołoniewski called Wiatrofale, which combines multimedia elements with music, will have its premiere on January 23-25 in the cities of Radom, Kraków and Kielce in Poland. It will be performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the Kolberg School of Music in Radom, under the baton of Przemysław Zych. Artur Lis will provide…Continue Reading Chołoniewski Premiere
The PMC had a surprise and welcome visitor in December. Thanks to continued support from the National Archives in Warsaw, archivist and Paderewski specialist Robert Górski was able to return to Los Angeles to continue his work on our Paderewski Archive: the Paso Robles Collection. During his two-week stay, Dr. Górski continued the process of arranging…Continue Reading National Archives Collaborations Continues
During late November and most of December, PMC Dir. Zebrowski travelled around Poland giving concerts, master classes and lectures. He also conducted numerous meetings with various government organizations, foundations and educational institutions with which the PMC has cooperated during the past year and will again in years to come. Visiting Bydgoszcz marked yet another year…Continue Reading Spotlight on PMC in Poland
Kevin Starr Kevin Starr—world-famous historian, chronicler of California and distinguished USC Professor—died in San Francisco on January 14, 2017 at 76 years old. The Polish Music Center had the great pleasure to host Professor Starr in 2010 in connection with our Ignacy Jan Paderewski sesquicentennial celebrations at USC, which included a panel discussion on Paderewski—the pianist, composer,…Continue Reading Obituaries January 2017
In the month of December, a series of recitals was presented by violist Morgan O’Shaughnessey and pianist Jakub Tchorzewski in California and Oregon. The duo celebrated the recent release of their debut album, “Elegie,” featuring works by Beethoven, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Carter, and Tertis, recorded at the Castle Rohrsdorf in Dresden, Germany. The two have previously performed together…Continue Reading O’Shaughnessey and Tchorzewski CD Release Tour
The Ottawa Classical Choir celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016 and presented a very special concert minor at the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa on November. Co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of the Choir, internationally renowned soprano Maria Knapik, sang the solo in Mozart’s Requiem in D 26 for the occasion, along with Stéphanie Pothier, mezzo-soprano; Steeve Michaud, tenor; Marc Boucher,…Continue Reading Knapik and Ottowa Classical Choir Celebrate 10 Years
Piotr Beczala, a rapidly rising star in the opera world, gave an all-opera recital in Santa Monica to the delight of a nearly sold-out house at the Broad Stage on December 12, 2016. He was accompanied by a 43-member opera orchestra – perhaps a bit of overkill in a 500-seat house. But no matter; the orchestra played…Continue Reading Review: Beczała at the Broad Stage in LA by Charles Bragg