By Marek Zebrowski Among Polish pianists, Raul Koczalski (1884-1948) is considered among the most important interpreters of Chopin. Born in Warsaw, he made his first public appearance at the age of four and shortly thereafter was admired by the great Anton Rubinstein in St. Petersburg and became a student of Karol Mikuli (one of the…Continue Reading PMC Gifts, May 2022: Koczalski on Record
The San Diego Symphony will open their May 7 concert at the Rady Shell with Grażyna Bacewicz‘s Overture. The program will also include Edvard Grieg’s world famous Piano Concerto and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. The Symphony will be joined by soloist Gabriela Martinez (piano) and led by conductor Ruth Reinhardt. Below is an excerpt from the…Continue Reading Bacewicz in SD on May 6-7
Born in Poland and based in New York City, Kinga Augustyn is a violinist who has performed alongside several orchestras around the world including Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin, Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra Leopoldinum, the Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Riverside Symphonia. Additionally, Augustyn has received several honors and awards including First Prizes at the Alexander &…Continue Reading Spring Concerts with Kinga Augustyn
In addition to four manuscript scores of works by Krzysztof Meyer personally delivered by the composer during his recent PMC visit, we have received other fascinating items for our library, including a variety of CD recordings as well as books and commemorative albums. Most importantly, our Manuscript Collection has been augmented by four new scores…Continue Reading A Spring Shower of Gifts to PMC
Leading classical music label NAXOS and its related brands have several exciting new releases featuring Polish creativity. Weinberg Featured on Album of Concertos Concertos for Trumpet and Piano Shostakovich: Piano Concerto in C Minor Op. 35, Weinberg: Trumpet Concerto in B-Flat Major Op. 94, Jolivet: Concerto for Trumpet, Piano, and Strings, Rachmaninov: 6 Songs Op….Continue Reading New on Naxos
By Marek Zebrowski At long last, in early April 2022 the Polish Music Center had the great honor of hosting Krzysztof Meyer, a distinguished composer and author, as well as a longtime and cherished friend. Originally invited as PMC’s Paderewski Lecturer in 2007, Meyer was denied the U.S. visa only a few days before his…Continue Reading Krzysztof Meyer at PMC
By Marek Zebrowski Piotr Sałajczyk, a distinguished pianist, chamber musician and pedagogue, recently issued a recording of Mieczysław Weinberg’s Piano Sonatas No. 1, Op. 5, No. 2, Op. 8 and No. 3, Op. 31. Issued by the Polish Radio/Program Two (PRCD 2386), this disc is a welcome addition to the continuing rediscovery of this fascinating…Continue Reading Review: Weinberg by Sałajczyk
By Marek Zebrowski Born in 1954, Elliot Goldenthal is primarily known as a very successful film composer with a long list of scores for such highly acclaimed features as Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy (1989), David Fincher’s Alien 3 (1992), Neil Jordan’s Interview with the Vampire (1994), Michael Collins (1996) and The Good Thief (2002),…Continue Reading Goldenthal in Kraków
The North Corner Chamber Orchestra, an excellent unconducted chamber ensemble in Seattle, presented the world premiere of A Machine for Entropy by Polish composer Ewa Trębacz on April 23-24. Commissioned by NCCO, this new work will be joined on the program are Scott Joplin’s The Cascades and Paul Hindemith’s Lustige Sinfonietta Op. 4. A few…Continue Reading Trębacz Premiere in Seattle
The Ukrainian Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the Honorary Polish Consulate in San Francisco (per the San Francisco Chronicle) and the Kosciuszko Foundation have shared the following events in the NYC, L.A. and Bay-area regions. These musical events are raising funds for the humanitarian relief of the Ukrainian people. 4/29: Fundraising Concert in Support of…Continue Reading Upcoming CA and NY concerts for Ukraine