Jakub Kuszlik in LA
On November 6, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles presented a program performed by pianist Jakub Kuszlik. Prizewinner of both the Paderewski and Chopin Competitions in Poland, Kuszlik wowed the audience gathered in Thayer Hall of the Colburn School of Music in downtown L.A. with works by his compatriots–Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Grażyna Bacewicz, and Frédéric Chopin. This program was similar to the one he’d performed the previous night to great acclaim in Paso Robles at the 2022 Paderewski Festival. Both California performances were part of the Polish Music on Stage / US Edition, realized by the National Institute of Music and Dance (NIMiT) and co-funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, as part of the ‘Inspiring Culture’ program.
Jonathan Plowright in Szczecin
On November 11 at the Szczecin Philharmonic, British pianist Jonathan Plowright played an all-Polish program for Poland’s Independence day. Graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, Plowright is one of the most skilled pianists of his time. Not only is he a valued orchestral and chamber performer, he is an extremely sought after soloist who has performed around the world, including for the USC Polish Music Center in L.A. (2006 Paderewski Lecture-Recital) and the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles. The program featured composers such as Noskowski, Stojowski, and Karłowicz and was conducted by the renowned Antoni Wit.
[Sources: press releases, programs]