2018 Chopin In The City
The Chopin IN the City Festival celebrates the birthday of Fryderyk Chopin from February 22-March 1, 2018 in Chicago, IL. “We are celebrating Chopin’s birthday and presenting his music in different styles from classical and jazz, to global and avant-garde for people of all ages” said Grazyna Auguscik, an international jazz recording artist and founder of the Chopin IN the City festival.
The Festival revolves not just around original Chopin compositions, but takes his classical music work to another level by showcasing music of various genres, such as jazz and folk, that have been inspired by the Polish born composer. This year, festival organizers have also invited young visual artists who will produce paintings inspired by the live music performances.
The Festival will feature a dozen performances at various venues around the city featuring artists such as Polish internationally renowned suka player Maria Pomianowska , visual artist, sculptor Andrzej Renes from Poland, classical pianist Alexander Kraft van Ermel from Curacao, Igor Lipinski from Oklahoma, and New York city’s jazz pianist Dianne Witkowski.
Also participating in this year’s festival are many well-known Chicago-based artists such as: vocalists Dee Alexander and Grazyna Auguscik (left), jazz pianists Ben Lewis and Miguel DeLaCerna, classical pianists Pawel Checinski, Haysun Kang, Alexander Djordjevic , Marta Pasek, and other instrumentalist such as saxophonist Jim Gailloreto , guitarist John Kregor , Chris Graham on vibraphone, Krzysztof Pabian on double bass, Dave Rempis on sax, Tim Daisy on drums, cellist Lilianna Wosko , cornetist Ben LaMar Gay and choreographer and dancer David Maurice and students of the Paderewski Symphony Orchestra -PASO.
The festival’s concerts and performances will take place at various venues around the Chicago area including the Old Town School of Folk Music, Copernicus Center, Piano Forte, ProMusica Audio, Polish Museum of America, Loyola University, the Harold Washington Library, and High School Concert Hall in Palatine.
Below are a few of the Festival highlights:
- February 22: Festival Opening Ceremony with Pawel Checinski – piano. Invitation only. Polish Consulate in Chicago
- February 24: “Chopin In the City: Mazurki” with Maria Pominowska – suka biłgorajska, Marta Pasek – piano, Grażyna Auguścik – voice, Ben Lewis – piano, and Alexander Kraft van Ermel – piano. Fryderyk Chopin Polish School
- February 26: “Chopin on Curacao” & “Chopin goes jazz” with Alexander Kraft van Ermel – piano, Grazyna Auguscik – voice and Ben Lewis – piano. Chicago Public Library
- February 28: “Inspired by Music” with Igor Lipinski – piano and live art presentation by Andrzej Renes. Polish Museum of America
February 22-March 1, 2018
Chopin IN the City Festival
Various venues in Chicago, IL
Ticket prices vary per concert
Info: soundsandnotes.org
[Sources: press release, eventbrite.com, soundsandnotes.org, polishmuseumofamerica.org]